Evening journal., 1891-02-03
THE FARMERS DEMAND
He Cries for Reform and 1t
Must be Needed.
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION READY


lewancss-TO Make Convlcts ssIf-sup.
portlng-Roads-T Reduce Legislative
Allowances Five Per Cent. Allowed
Collectors.
STAFF Correspondence EVENING JOURNAL:
DovER, Del. Feb 2.-Never in the
history Of Delaware have the farmers
manifested such deep interest in legis-
lation. Never have they, as a body, beer
so prominently identified in framing bills
dealing with important reforms. There
seems to be spirit rife all over the state
that the farmer is factor in this state
that must be recognized, and not only
recognized but respected
This prominence is not Of a mushroom
nature. 1t has been the growth Of years,
the natural result of the meetings and
discussion held in oranges, Institutes
and other places. But the farmers as a
body just seem TO realize that they are
power in the land. They no longer hold
back from the halls Of legislation and let
their demands and suggestions be passed
by, and be TED on promises made TO the
sRr to be broken TO the hope
Yon now see them around the State
House, and it is a singular fact that
nearly all the members of the present
Legislature are farmers or largely in
terested in land. There is not q lawyer, a
doctor, OF any professional man in the
Legislature. Il is peculiarly a representa-
tive body. There is no brilliancy. or at
least it has not made itself manifest. but
when you look at the faces, Democrats
and Republicans, you see that IL is the
kind OF Legislature the political jobber
is afraid Of
Being . Legislature Of this kind the
farmers feel that their interests will be
properly considered. The most impor-
tant measures that will come before the
body win be FROM the farmers, and they
are fully set forth In the appended in
tefview They have been fully discussed
BY the farmers and with full considera-
tion They are presented in a manner
that commands respect, and they will re-
ceivs 10 during the session.
History of the Movement.
AT meeting of the Farmers Institute
Of Kent county, in February 1890. a
committee consisting OF j. Alexander
Fulton, DR.. Henry Ridgely and William
7 Case. was appointed TO make an in
vestlgation and report upon the financial
affairs Of both the state and Kent county.
and a general invitation was given TO the |
farmers OF Kent county to attend |
meeting TO be held in the Court House on |
the goth Of the same month to hear the |
report
This meeting was largely attended and |
was the largest agricultural meeting |
ever held in the state,
The report was made by the chairman /
Il was quite volumilous, and it was
afterwards printed in pamphlet form for |
general circulation by order of the insti /
tute 10 was accom- panied by resolutions
setting forth line Of legislative action.
Ia pursuance of the invitation above |
given, the Farmers Institutes of New /
Castle and Sussex counties, the Pomons |
Oranges of the same counties and Capital |
Grange o. Dover, appointed the following |
named men as cooperative members or |
the committee; Nathsuiel Williams.
p corbit, William P Peach. |
and Abram Palmer OF New Castle Insti |
tute; ,. Walter Anderson, Charles p.
Pepper, George A. Jones, T. j. Perry and
William P. Corsa Of Sussex fnsti-
Lute: Thomas #. Dilworth, Joseph
Derickson and Edward Woodward OF
Pomona Grange OF New Castle county
Samuel Il. Messick, Edward L. Martin.
g. g. Brown, Daniel Short and Robert G
Houston Of Pomona Grange Of Sussex
county Abner X Cole, Webster d.
Learned OF Capital Grange, Dover, max |
ing In all twenty three members, and |
representing the agricultural interests Of |
the three eonnties.
This committee met In the state capitol |
IN May 1890. At which meeting they dis |
cussed all the points that had been |
= aaft ~ al Hr-N
adjourned to meet in the same place on |
June 10 following.
AZ this meeting every proposition was
carefully considered and discussed. ana |
the following propositions unanimously |
adopted:
]. That the following kinds Of propertv |
be sdded 10 that now subject TO taxation |
to wit Bonds, mortgages, stocks and All |
other investments yielding revenue or
prohs. And by this enumeration IL is net /
m meant or intended to exempt other prop-
erty which should be taxed, although not
herein mentioned.
There should be but one assessment
for all kinds oi property; one uniform
rule Of leyying taxes and one collector
Of ali kinds Of taxes In the same hundred |
or district
3. That the allo vance TO the sheriff /
for keeping prisoners should not exceed |
20 cents day for each prisoner.
C0nvicts should be made self-sup- |
porting By being put to work on the |
roads or public works.
5. Tho repair Of the roads should be |
sold TO the lowest bidder.
6. The legislative allowances should be !
reduced TO q just compensation for the |
actual services rendered or work done |
and greatly below that Of late wears.
2 Appropriations for military encamp
ments anc excursions should be abel |
ished
The commission allowed collectors !
should not exceed per cent.
3 a law providing for a secret ballot |
should be- enacted; and also a more eff = |
cient one against fraud and corruptions
at elections,
TO- That the chairman be instructed 10 |
prepare bills embracing the foregoing
propositions and submit them to the
Legislature for consideration and |
enactment
These propositions were laid before the |
JOINT meeting q the institutes last week,
anc unanimously reaffirmed
The Secret Ballot.
The EyRElEe JOURNAL. corregpopdept
called upon Alexander Fulton, chair. |
man OF the committee. this evening and
asked MIN how be was getting alopg
said
The Ballot bill introduced in the |
Housa by Mr.. Houston and by Senator
Hall in the Senate. which is the Austria. |
Ian system, adopting the Meyers machine
for ug8 has the approval NJ fha sw.es |