Daily Republican., 1890-04-03
FOURTH EDITION


A State On,cial and q City Onicial Tell
How They Would Nave County Re-
form.
The subject Of county government WAS
discussed again last night ct the Young
Nen's Democratic Club mecunR BY
Deputy Attorney General Thomas DAyis
and City Solicitor Henry Z. Turner.
Mr.. Davis was not such reformer ~
Clerk OF the Peace Cochran. He wanted
county reform, but wanted 1t TO come
through the Democratic party. aud
found occasion to praise that party for
some reforms II had already made.
He said the abolition Of the little cleo
ton had saved to the county u 800
year. There was no need now Of such .
large Levy Court as there vas years ago.
He also spoke Of the large number Of
county officials, such ~ county collect
ors, road commissioners In each hundred,
overseers OF roads, trustees OF the poor.
county treasurer, 10 all 145. Mr.. Davis
was not In favor Of wipisR out the pres.
ent tystem until q better one could he
perfected. He thought there was . mid
die ground. He was In favor Of doub-
ling up the work OF the county officials,
and he suggested that the county be d.
vided 80 that there would DO five Levy
Court Commissioners instead Of the pres-
ent number. Mr.. Davis was not In favor
OF the three commissioner bill, un-
guarded and unprotected. He thought
taxes could he collected BY the county
treasurer.
Mr.. Davis In speaking Of the con victs
said, on ono side was idleness aud on the
other tho bringing Of convict labor into
competition with honest labor. lie
thought the latter was the lesser evil. He
advocated rome system which would
lessen, II not totally relieve, the pay.
ment Of el5, 900 annually for the feed Of
prisoners. He favored a state peniten-
tlary. He thought prisoners could BE-
put to work on email knitting machines
IL nothing else would do. II rot, ht
favored the tread mill or carrying stonei
from one part OF the yard to another,
merely to show that the convicta were
being punished.
city Solicitor Turner said that grea,
dissatisfaction prevailed concerning tn,
system Of county government, To.
Democratic party should take higl
GROUND on the question OF reform or
they will have to take to the woods.
Mr.. Turner went Into lengthy dis
cuss.on OF the five commissioner bill
advocating that measure. At the time
the bill was before the Legislature
Messrs. A. q. Wilson, v. N. Buck, l.
G. vandegrift and George ID. Medil
admitted that the five comm ssioners
bill was better measure than the three
Mr.. Medill, who Is an estimAble gentle
man, thought Neary, Dickey, Lee and
myself, only made the five commission
ers' bill for the purpose Of killing the
other one.
Mr.. Turner tpoke OF the iumbled nj
and heterogeneous system OF government
In this city. The City Council, y rec
and Sewer Department, Water Commis
siouers and Board OF Education al
exercised legislative functions and liabl
10 come into direct conflict. This stat
OF affairs has grown out of Legislation
without proper consideration OF til
subject.
Iu speaking of the Levy Court, MI
| Turner said there 10 one fatal thing abou
1t. Large amounts of money are eI
pended not under the control OF q super
wishing eye, not that any one ever too
any thing, but It ought TO DO under th
control OF a supervising eye and open I
the inspt ction Of an intelligent pubic
| ~ Ia - Ao.A hinu to have sunlight.
Is one thing on which there Is no SUI
light; that there is suspicion. The ne
system must DO one which the labor,
can comprehend as well as tho farmer;
must be simple, efficient and economics
and must send the men into direct r
sp0Dsibility OF public opinion.
Mr. Turner did not believe the none
derived from liquor licenses should
goblet up by the State, but oDe-thii
should be given for ed EDUCATIONAL purpose
another third for county purposes al
; another third for the Wilmington polio