The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-09-18

criticism of the Levy Court for its re-
fusal to make appropriations for some
Catholic benevolent institutions, and
as there Is feeling prevalent that the
refusal was on account of opposition
to those institutions because they were
Catholic it is no more than right and
proper that the exact truth should be
known. There are, we believe, five
benevolent institutions to which the
Levy Court has been in the habit OF
giving appropriations annually OF $500
each. These Institutions are the Fer
ris Industrial School, The Children's
Home, The Home for Aged Women,
The Homeopathic Hospital and The
Delaware Hospital. They are all pub
lie benevolent institutions, supported
by private charity, and entirely unsec-
tartan.
The different legislatures recognize
ing this fact, passed enactments CIV
ing the Levy Court authority and
power to aid these institutions to the
extent of $500 each annually, as the
reforms and the benevolent work they
accomplished was so much money
saved to the county by the decrease
OF crime, pauperism and physical
administrations. But beside these,
the Levy Court has been i'll the habit
of making appropriations OF $500 each
to two Catholic benevolent associa-
lions. They are the st. Peters Or
phanage located at Sixth and West
streets this city and the st. james Pro-
tectorate near Delaware City. The
first namel is girls asylum and the
latter Is for boys. Both are homes for
poor children, but contrary to the
other institutions to which the Levy
Court has been making appropriations
they are sectarian in character md
none but Catholic children are admit
ted. ....- ..... ...... ... .
Besides, there nre no legislative en-.
notments upon the statute DO oks re-
quiring the Levy Court to make ap-
preparations for their support. The
appropriations already made to them
though for worthy cause, have been
entirely gratuitous and without the
sanction OF law though withthe gener-
al sanction of public opinion. This
was the condition the present Levy
Court found matters when it came in.
to power. 1t found besides bank
rupted county, The benevolent ap-
preparations of the year before had
net been paid. Under these cir
cumstances the question arose in the
minds of the members whether they
were iustitla6le in voting away the
peoples taxes without warrant of law
especially for benevolent institutions
sectarian in character.
The unsectalian institutions. which
the Levy Court was specially author
ICED by law to aid, were assisted il
their regular appropriations but wher
it came to assisting these two Catholic
institutions to the same appropriations
the Court hesitated and hps not We
made them not because they arc Cath
no law for making such appropriations
and the members did not feel at lii
erty TO vote away the peoples none
paid III taxes without some warrant o
law. Tho Levy Court stands rs read
to assist one MS the other, Ii all stoo
upon the same footing. These, we he
lieve are the facts in the case wnic
the public ought TO know as the II
fusal of the Court to make the upprt
Piiations has been attributed 10 500
tatian preindices and unworthy poll
ical motives.
We might as we'll say in this cor
nectton that some OF the new member
of the Levy Court, while at Dover
recommended the passage OF laws at
thorizing them to make the appropriG
tions asked to these two Catholic II
situations. Senator Donahoe is reprt
sented as having discouraged tho In
PRODUCTION of bills, as he said the
stood no chance whatever in that lee
islature, Democratic in both Houses
while but two years before, he was Ell
abled to run bill thfoug a Demt
esatie Senate and a strong Reaubl
can House to exempt certain valuabl
property held by the Catholic Chure
from taxation.
Henry G. Turner, Esq, all powerfl
In the Legislature aH a lobbyist, 1t
said,tallied to a member Of the Legi
lature in reference to special law
enable the Levy Court to make the Il
propriations when the member ~
the matter short by saying: ~ am
Presbyterian, and l would not vote f
a law to aid presbyterian beneyolen.
no more than would Ton Methods
e Baptist, or Catholic charity" NJ
Turner Is represented as saying in r
ply, you are right. won't press Ii
subject
1t Is, then, because there is no Ia
Tor 1t that these appropriations hat
not been made, and as soon as there
law for it these appropriations W
be made. 1t is because there nre Ia,
for them that the appropriations Il
made for the three non.scctarl;
homes, sand the two noH.sectarian he
pitfalls, and without these laws the a
propriations would not be made.
Our individual opinion is, tn
81