The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-03-28


We do not hear SO much lately from
our local Democratic papers in de-
fence OF tho assessment law OF 1873.
II seems TO have lost all its loneliness
and honesty since the last election |
that resulted in Republican victory,
and there is a general demand for its
repeal. Who is there who reads the
local papers, who does not rccollect
the sturdy defence of this law especi-
ally by our contemporary, the Every
EVENING" How often has it told US
that IL was the fairest law that could
DO devised, that 1t offered every fair
opportunity TO qualify for voting that
could be offered, thut the tax collec-
tors were always waiting and willing
to accept taxes, but the Republicans
would not go and pay them. How of
ten has Mr.. Bayard declared from the
Opera House forum that there was no
better law in any OF the States under
which voter could more easily quail
~ to vote and our local Democratic
organs have answered you are right
Mr.. Bayard. there are none!
When Mr.. Bayard declared that II n
man did not qualify under this benign
law 1t was his own fault, the organs In
concert said ''thatss So" Why don't the
lazy Republicans pay their taxes like
we Democrats do? Why don't they
get assessed like we Democrats do !?
There is nothing wrong with the law.
IL is as fair for one as the other, All
such remarks have come thick and fast
from Democratic organs. What is the
matter now with the law? There it is
just as 1t has stood since the spring OF
1873, when i9was started ON its mission
with Mr.. Bayard's benign benediction
upon it to cheat and suppress the Re-
publican party. Why such a sudden
uprising against it? Ali, gentlemen
OF the select committee appointed to
steer your party out of the dilemma
In which 1t has been placed, you have
all along been qualling the froth
from the cup, but now you have got a
taste OF the dregs.
They don't taste good, do.they2
Do not make wry faces over it, we
Republicans have been compelled to
take the nauseous stuff for seventeen
years. Yon want to repeal that
law now do you? Well, let il go. 1t
ought to go. II ought never to have
breathed a breath of life. The Repub-
licans do not want you to drink the
NORWOOD and the gall of disiran-
chisement as long as they have drunk
them. Although they have turned
your own guns against you they dc
not want to use them any farther than
to force the enactment of honest as
sessment and election laws. Your
Five County Commissioner bill will
not do this if it is to permitted TO go
into effect now and defeat the will of
the people. To pass it would be only
to increase the bitterness of the cup
you are now drinking. You might rs
well act honestly md square in this
matter. Pass your County Commits
sion bill with either five or three Com
Inissioners. Let the law apply TO The
whole State. Let the Commissioner
be elected by tho people al the mex
election and let them assume powe
the first of January or the first OF Feb
ruary succeeding, no matter which
Then pass your registration bill if you
will. but pass an honest one. Let moi
the Shiny trail OF the political trlckste
mar IL as it did the assessment law o
1873. There is a right way Tor oui
Democratic friends out of this dilem
ma, aud that way might as we'll be SO
lected, but for the present let us hay,
no more dishonest political chicaner-
laws like the assessment laws Of 1873.