Middletown transcript., 1891-02-05
tnalstArisE poiScs,
Correspondence Of f'ifr TRahscnir;s

tsglrespo Adend5 Of fur TRahscnirf
DOVER, DEE, Feb A.
Last week was a memorable
oae In the Legislative annals Of Della
ware, and III years to como It viii be
referred to when close Legislative
work is talked about, as red letter
week. OF course the Five Commission
ers Bin and tho Sussex Hundred di-
viding bills were the bones Of conten-
ton, and the merits of The measures
have been so thoroughly canrassed
that il would be but repetition to re-
peat them here. 1t israther to note
the circumstances which prevented
these very meritorious and desirous
measures from being enacted into laws
IN time to prevent perhaps further
acknowledgement In county affairs that
the subjects are here taken up.
As the readers of THE TRANSCRIPT
were informed last week the bills al
luded to passed the House, despite the
futile attempts of the Republican
minority to obstruct their passage.
Each Of them before being finally
passed was sifted in its every feature
and all objections met and explained.
That they would also have passed the
Senate, had not Senator Williams I'M
fortunately been taken i'll, was the
general impression here. But, though
fer years they have been clamoring for
tJe very change this bill proposes in
New Castle county. the Republican
Senators, it was of course known,
would vote as unit against it, no
matter what its provisions, and hence
the bill with its Sussex companions
yet remains in the House. That al. OF
them will pass eventually and with
very little change from their present
status when Senator Williams returns,
may be set down in advance as fore
gone conclusion. A feature of all the
contest over these measures that il
may be well to note incidentally is the
attempt to cast odium on the actions
of Speaker Donahoe of the State
Senate. Partisan spleen plainly crops
out in all that. 1t must be remember
ed that the position of Speaker
Donahoe all through last week was an
onerous one. Here he stood, the sole
representative Of the Democracy of
New Castle county. leader of the State
Senate, which by the votes of the
people was made Democratic, yet by a
combination of circumstances over
which the Speaker had no control was
unfortunately not only tied" Republic
can, but was really, for at least three
days, Republican by majority Of one.
Here was a position for man whom
his constituents looked to to take care
of their interests.
The Senators were all gentlemen, it
istrue, but there advisers were parti-
sans, and with majority of one what
could not the Republicans do were
they to obey the behests Of their parti-
san advisers. He took the only course
open to him, watched every move on
the part of his political opponents and
checkmated them, until the return OF
Senator Hall gave him site" again.
Ever since Friday the Senate has been
in this condition. Here the grave
and reverend Senators have sat watch
ing each other till their eyes fairly
ached, each side fearing even to
walk out in the corridor, and there
by break the tie in the chamber. It
was only yesterday that this strain on
the Senators was lifted. Then Senator
PiIIing drew up articles Of agreement
declaring a truce, which was signed
by every member Of the Senate. This
agreement sets forth that until Tues
day next, no PARTISAN or " politician
Legislation should be attempted. This
broke up the strain and now the Sem
,ators can be seen occasionally in the
corridors.
On account Of this very hitch, the
wheels of Legislation have been in a
measure clogged, and but very little of
importance has been transacted. The
most important law enacted has been
The new insurance law. This in nut
shell reduces the license fees all around
exactly one-half, and puts the whole
matter in the hands of the Insurance
Commissioner. 1t is now a law.
Among the New Castle bills passed by
the House were the acts of incorpora-
tion of the Geo. w. Bush Company ;
the Geo. Fl. Mccall Company /; the
Delaware Construction Company !; the
st. Peters Beneficial Society the
Ferris Reform School and the Will
mington City Loan Association.
Among the big bills in hand are two
secret ballot bills, one the Astralian
method and the other a bill to adopt
the Myers American Voting Machine,
and the two bills to reyolutionize the
militia system Of the State. The
military men were down here to-day in
force to fight both these bills. One Of
them wipes ont the National Guard
entirely, and the other simply rubs out
the encampment feature.
A bill which is attracting attention
now is one to provide for the publica-
tion Of the laws in certain number
of newspapers. This is step that
Delaware should have taken long ago,
there is little doubt of its passage In
every way It viii be beneficial; the
people by this means can becoms thor
oughly posted on all changes in laws,
which information In no other way
can be generally disseminated. On
Friday next the peach growers of the