The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-05-30
Department of Elections.

Department of Elections.
A grave responsibility rests upon the
Department of Elections who are now
revising the registration for the city
slectlon. 1t should be considered tho
duty of that department to shut their
eyes and ears against partisan clamor
and act only to aid voters entitled to
vote, TO exercise the right OF suffrage
in an orderly, lawful and Intelligent
manner.
II the members of that department
intend to be guided by tho delinquent
lists, as returned by the collectors,
they will be led astray. The case Of
Harry II. Billianny docs not stand
alone of those who were disfranchised
by the delinquent return OF 1880. There
are hundreds of citizens who paid
their taxes for that yenr, and yetwere re-
tlrned as delinquents, whether design
e;lly or by oversight, remains for the
collectors to answer. They were re-
turned for no fault Of theirs. They
complied strictly with the law and
paid the taxes assessed against them.
Their return is illegal, must they now
snlrer for the Illegal action Of another?
In such cases the strict letter OF the
law strained to aid the honest voter
will better subserve an honest pur-
poso.
But there is another batch OF voters,
the registration upon which tho De-
partment of Elections is called to act.
They number possibly thousands, and
are those who were on the assessment
of 1880, paid their taxes for that year,
were carried over on the assessment OF
1890, have paid their taxes for thai
yenr also, and are still returned as de,
hnquents. This class pertains to both
Democratic and Republicans, except as
to the payment OF taxes for 1890. The
Democrats have not paid for that yeal
as a general thing, but the Republicans
have, and yet both parties alike have
been returned as delinquents. IL will
require but little research for the do.
partment to ascertain at tile same time
that the delinquent return OF the col
iectors is wholly misleading and unre
liable as basis for determining a
mans right to vote.
We say II in no partisan spirit. but
state 1t as fnct, nevertheless, that il
the delinquent list OF 1890 is to be re
He'd upon as the basis and evidence oi
mans right to vote hundreds of Re
publIcans who have honestly paid al
their taxes will be deprived OF their
votes and hundreds of Democrats wht
have paid no taxes and made no effort
to do so either in person or by al
agent will be permitted to vote Ther,
would be neither justice nor right il
such course as this. There is not thu
lea st doubt in the world that more Re
pahlicans have paid their taxes for 1s9l
and are legally qualified to vote thar
Democrats who have done the same
thing, and therefore 1t would be mani
fesuy unfair and unjust TO treat boll
as II they were violators of law.
No special favors should be grantee
to the Republicans more than to tn
Democrats, but where the first hav
paid their taxes and have legal receipt
tot the same, no Illegally made up dc
linqueht list should prevent those win
endeavored to comply with the Iay
from voting. In the absence of an,
reliable delinquent lists the Depart
ment Of Elections will have to exercis
their own good sense and judgment 1
the matter and be careful that til
rights Of none are violated.