Evening journal., 1891-05-02
THEY TREAD THE WINE PRESS
ALONE.

ALONE
The Philadelphia Press should be de
Gently respectful, II not truthful and
fair, in lis comments on Delaware affairs.
It Is difficult to comprehend what good
or bad purposes the Press can accom-
plish by making statements which are
either untruthful or unfair; some times
both. The Press says:
While the Levy Courts in Delaware
were In the hands of Democrats in the
several counties, aud could be used as
they regularly were, as part OF the
Democratic mschinery for controlling the
politics OF the state they were certain not
TO be disturbed by Democratic legislation.
There never was more outrageous nse Of
party advantage than the action OF these
Levy Courts In Democratic hands. by
means OF which thousands Of Republic
cans-particularly In New Castle county
were dlsfrRnchlsed every year. But
such partisan lawlessness could not for
ever continue The methods employed
to sustain Democratic power dishonesty
aiscredited and weakened the party. Al
the last election the Republicans OF New
Castle county secured majority Of the
0hAAhs ATS WAS hub uAi UGHi FtNliit
Of the Democratic policy, but 1t did not
IL any way eonduce to the Democratic
happiness when It did come. 1t was very
clearly the warning Of a waning power
not the first but one Of the most
feroihle, and, with other recent events
IN the state, must be accepted as mean
ing that Democratic authority in
the state cannot long be maintained
The Democrats, hewevsr, are doing
their utmost to put of the calamity TO
their party. The Legislature has been
bothering for several months with
scheme to legislate the Republican Levy
Court Of New Castle county out Of exits.
tence and It has finally passed a measure,
but somewhat different from what was
originally designed.
The law of 1873 enacted for the pur
pose Of purifying the ballot Of the
brlbei, imported and dragooned negro
voters and for the purpose Of relieving
the suffrage from congested ignorance
and illegality, needs no apology.
The Levy Court was not responsible
for DISTINGUISHING those citizens who
disfranchised themselves by refusing
and neglecting to qualify themselves by
the payment Of an insignificant poll
tax.
When BY the practice Of various frauds
the Republican party accomplished the
eisreputab'e feat Of evadlng that simple
means Of determining who were entitled
70 vote and OF Identifying citizens and
taxpayers some other means OF registra-
tion became necessary to protect the
ballot. This Democrats determined 20
adopt other means. They would have
been faithless to their duty II they had
allowed repetition Of the frauds which
occurred here last November.
The change in the county government
had been determined upon two years
before the last election occurred. and the
result Of the election had no other effect
on that determination than that, as the
Press says, Of making two Democratic
Senators hesitate for fear Of being &C
cused Of partisanship II Democratic
Levy Court had been returned II would
have been abolished quicker
The abuse the Republican politicians
make Of the negro voters cause the
evils, the frauds and the illegal voters
with which Democratic statesmen Of
Delaware have to deal
The Republicans admit, and even
lament the frauds and evils In private,
but remain silent while the managers
Of the party profit by them in public.
Some Republicans through ignorance,
Ike the Press, OF through contsmptuous
indifference like many Republicans here,
do nothing whstever to assist in Kidding
the ballot Of congested ignorance and
black fraud. Many Republicans profit BY
these evils and many glory IN them,
though All admit that they are shameful
and subversive OF liberty.
4