Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-23
OUR LEGISLATIVE LETTER.

Staff Correspondence Of Gazette and journal
DOVER, April 16.-Business opened
In the House this morning with the pre-
sentation, by Mr.. Eisenbrey, of the fol-
lowing soothing emollient, emanating
from the Farmers Alliance of Kent
county, in the familiar chirography OF }.
Alexander Fulton:
Your memorialists are delegates and rep
resentatiyes of eight local and subordinate
alliances in Kent county and now as
sembled as such in convention, and we
believe that we fairly and honestly express
the sentiment of our constituents and OF
the farmers and laboring men generally,
whether members of our association or
not, in the declarations herein made.
That the delay of your honorable body
TO act upon bills of public nature and of
vital interest to us and our fellow citizens
at large is matter of deep concern as well
as regret, and we earnestly imploTe you to
take up and pass the following bills with
out further delay, to witt;
A ballot reform bill, the best that can
be devised.
A bill for the equalization Of taxation.
A bill concerning the public roads.
A bill repeating all appropriations for
militia excursions and encampments.
These are of pressing necessity and re-
quire immediate action. There are other
matters that demand attention, but the
foregoing cannot be much longer delayed
without disappointing the just expectation
of the people and FORGETTING their conf
dence.
Your memorialists would further repre-
sent that they view with both surprise and
alarm the disposition to create new offices
and to increase the salaries of those al
ready existing and to make jobs and places
for no apparent reason than to please or
rS fnnClp6
service, thereby imposing new and addi-
tional burdens upon the people. We de-
nounce these attempts as inconsistent with
sound principles and good government, as
well as unjust and oppressive to the tax
payers, and we call upon you to arrest
them at once and to make no apPropria-
ton of public money unless for purposes
of undouhted utility and where ali equivo-
lent benefit will inure to the people. We
also denounce the practice of making Off
ces and appropriating money by joint
resolution, without due consideration or
time for objection or investigation. All
propositions of this kind should be referred
in the usual way to a committee to investi-
gate and report.
WHO BLoTTED THE BILL?
Governor Reynolds appointed Re-
publican notary public, John Craig,
today in disregard of very strong pres
sure for the appointment of Thomas
McCorkle, Democrat. The appoint
ment is for the Central Exchange, Will
mington, and Craig was approved be
cause he was the man whom the inmates
of the building wanted; the position
being purely business one. In fact
the governor was seen before the bill
was introduced and informed that the
Exchange people would ask fer Craig's
appointment if they got their bill
through But the contest tested the
strength of the governors spinal column
Notwithstanding, and engendered some
feeling which may or may not have
had something to do with the fate of the
bill.
1t was Senate bill No. II; an act to
authorize the appointment of notary
public for certain corporations domi-
ciled in the Exchange Building. The
original bill provided that the duties Of
said notary should not be confined tc
that building. In this shape the bill
passed the Senate and, subsequently
passed the House, Mr.. Eisenbrey voting
against it in the latter body because Of
the presence Of this very word mot
The bill was enrolled, signed by bott
speakers, and returned to the Senate by
the clerk of the House. Then it disap
peared. After diligent search, Mr.. w
f. Smalley, the attorney in charge o.
the bill, gave it up for lost and prepared
duplicate bill which he proposed hay
ing passed through both Houses in it
stead. After the duplicate bill had beer
prepared, Speaker Donahoe found thu
original bill in his desk, together with
the enrolled copy. The enrolled bill
was handed to Governor Reynolds, a
his authority for the appointment. Thel
the discovery was made that the wore
mot" in the original bill, had been en-
tirely obliterated by large blot of ink
William H. Lee enrolled the bill, blu
Mr.. Smalley says very confidently tina
he does not think Mr.. Lee made the bio
and he asked that Mr.. Lees name b
not mentioned. But the story, in all it
essential details, was already semi-puh
lie property around the State House.
Mr.. Eisenhrey, who is indignant owe
this attempt to do by underhand mean
what he himself endeavored to d
openly and by his vote on the passag
of the bill, has agreed to take charge {
and work for the passage of supple
mentary bill restoring the obliterate
mot" John NJ. Eisenbrey is the in
placable and outspoken foe of every
thing crooked in legislation.
THE TYPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY.
The House joint resolution providin
for a typographical survey of the Sta
and appropriating $4,000 to pay Dell
wares half of the same went throug
the Senate this afternoon by the cloi
shave of to A. There was quite
spirited debate on the motion to concu
in which Messrs. Hall, McMullin ar
Pilling participated. Mr. McMull
couldn't see that it would be
any particular public benefit. Mr.. Ha
feared that it would be $4,000 as goo
as thrown away. Mr.. Pilling said the
was not cents worth of interest
him in the measure, but he thought
would be good thing for the agrict
tural interests of the State. The We
on concurrence was: Ayes, Housto
Pilling, Richardson, Ross, Speak
Donahoe; noes, Hall, McMullin, Moo
Williams.
Governor Reynolds appointed tod
the following p, w. & B. railroad co
stables: William T. Jones, Am
Hunter, Dorsey J. Slicer and Lawren
Kettlewood.
THE BLOT WILL OUT.
The quickest time on record was ma
in the House Friday afternoon The /
''to amend chapter %, Vol. XIV" "
introduced, read by title and referred
committee, reported back from co
mittee with the title amended, read
third time by paragraphs and pass
the House, all within Is minutes.
took two motions to suspend the ru
also. The title had to be amended
Cause the bill was necessarily intrnduC