Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-03-13
hn rksNon mENr rnaIr1oNs.

over 200 From sfae County Outside
Witmiugteu-A Movement That IN
Approved by Overburdeasd Tay-
payers everywhere.
The petitions to the levy court asking
reduction In the hoard OF prisoners in
the county Jail at New Castle are being
made ready for presentation and will be
handed the court this afternoon prob
ably. There are number of petitions
not yet returned, but will probably be in
hand by to morrow. They will be handed
TO the levy court in a supplementary list.
There hre already in hand petitions from
over TOO taxpayers in the county outside
OF Wilmington, and several points are vet
to hear from. The petitions from VIII
mington with those from the country dis
iricts yet to hear from will be presented
later, and vii swell the list of signatures
vastly In excess of the number ever col
looted for any measure of reform ever
asked Of the levy court.
The signatures to these petitions in
almost every case attached their names
without solicitation and many Of tho
signers went TO much Inconvenience to
do 30. A leading farmer in the western
part OF the county, who ia heartily in
petition after II had been filed with
signers. He at once drove around among
the signers aud had them attach their
autograph to another one. Most of the
petitions, however, were simply left in
the post-olfioes and were signed by nearly
every taxpayer who called to get his
mail during the short period they were
held for signatures. With the petitions
comes various notes from all parts of the
county commanding the work.
A heavy tax payer from Middletowp
writes:
/ hope the effort meets with success, and
/ also hope the good work of reform will
not stop until public officers are paid only
fair salary for their services.
Another prominent citizen writes:
A laudable effort like yours should be
given every assistance.
A candidate fer sheriff writes, after in
dorsing the move for retrenchmsnt:
VIII do all can to further the project.
A prominent citizen OF st. Georges
hundred sends the following letter with
hia petition
| trust the levy court will consider we'll
| and give the overhurdaned taxpayers the
benefit of their wise and patriotic deibera-
tions.
A leading resident of Brandywine hun
dred accompanying his signature to pc
tition writes:
| feel sure that the sentiment OF the COM
munity Ia with you in your laudable desire
| to have our taxes reduced.
| Another tax payer writes
| l favor Is cents per day which 10 about
| three cents too high; and 1t should be re-
duced 10 Ia cents as soon as 1t can be done.
| Necessity compels many farm laboreys to
| live at a less cost.
And another sends with his petition:
think 10 cents per day the proper figure.
Thehe are only samples Of the numer-
show the sentiment Of the people In vari.
Gus parts of the county.
| The readiness with which three or four
sheriffslty candidates have joined the
movement attests its popularity. Among
the hundreds OF names are several mem.
bers Of the Board OF Poor Trustees and
many ex.members, Jail commissioners
and eI-wardens. But quite as significant
are the names of tho biggest tax-payerE
among the farmers. The Changers are o
unit for the reform and in every country
community the people are emphatic in
their demands.
1t is stated that mot one in 10 tsx-pay
efs declined TO sign the petitions, and
not one who expressed himself did NOT
declare that 20 cents was enough and
more than enough to pay for maintaining
the prisoners.
Had there been time and means at hand
to have made o canvass of the county it ii
entirely safe TO say that seven eighths oil
the taxpayers in tho county would havs
given an expression III favor of saving ths
county over Us, 600 per annum.
There hos not been an objection urged
against the reduction in any quarter, and
there can be mona successfully main.
tanned.
In this city, probably but little effected
by the depression among the agricai
turiats, almost every one who has been
handed petition has lent his nama tt
the retrenchmont movement.