The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-04-22
WEDNESDAY. APRIL. ss is pi.


No Slaughter Pen for Republicans.
Tho pending registration bills before
tho Legislature are not satisfa btory.
This might as well be known NOW as
at any other time SO that the se in
charge may have an opportunity TO
amend them before thoy go FIR on
their way through the Legislature and
then TO he stranded in the end. We all
want registration act but we and
when we say "wen we mean these of
us who are Republicans, want 4 fair,
Impartial, non-partisanro in act.
Someof our Democratic friends want
thai, too, but many of them-thh ma
jority of them, perhaps-do not want
this II the opinion Of that party lis TO
be Judged by the registration acts
which have been drafted and are now
before the Legislature. We have read
the one which is intended to apply TO
the State outside OF Wilmington, but
we have not had an opportunity to
read tho one known as the George I.
Brown bill, and which is intended to
apply to this city.
The one drawn originally by John
r. N oaolson, Els of Dover, W. hav
read and we gave our opinion OF 1t at
the time IL was launched before the
Legislature. Mr.. Nicholson had al
ways been looked upon as one Or the
most conservative gentlemen IN the
State, and from what VIC were told OF
him and his bill we were led TO bd lieve
that he would give the people exactly
what they would approve OF and what
the State needed. 1t came aud what
was its A more bitterly partisan bill
could not have been devised by the
most unscrupulousp politician, noteven
by the Wilmington ''roosters."
There are just seventy ELECTION
districts in the State including twenty
=. seven in Wilmington. For the pur-
poses Of registration tho Governor, a
Democrat, was authorized to appoint
the register. No provision whatever
was made for a minority representa-
ton amongst the registers.
For the 20 districts the Gov trnol
could appoint seventy Democrats We
believe Governor Reynolds to be toe
fair man to carry out the intention
Of the bill, but all Governors might
not be as conservative. The great
leading idea seems to have been to
keep things under Democratic control
the people, what they might have to
say, seems to have been very little
thought about. In New Castle County
the Republicans carried "a out OF thu
90 districts at the last election, anC
should have had the registers IN the
districts they carried, but no such pro
vision was made. The Governor doulC
II he wanted, appoint a Democratic
register In every Republican district
Even Senator Gray saw the injus site,
OF the original bill and had it cha ngeC
to provide for neutrality-suspicious.
but in no case were the Republican,
to have majority of registers, aver
in Republican districts.
Il was afterwards found that thi
bill was inapplleable to the cit y o
Wilmington, and so special bill ha
been drawn for the city which we shall
call the Brown bill. If we are not mis-
informed it provides for a board o
registration similar to the board 70
city elections which we now have.
The Governor as usual Is to APRON
Ahnna md that, ,ufll t,sn,1 ~ So
stand two Democrats and one Reput
iican. This board is to appoint tn
registration officers who are to be elC
tlon officers. There is no restriction
to keep the board from appointing /
Democratic inspector in every district
ut we believe one OF the judges IL f
ca Republican. This Is very mic
scheme all through. But the polillcs
Animus of the Brown bin lies In Tn
paragraph compelling every vote
when no registers to be qualified thu
he pays his taxes In person to the co
hector. 0fcourse all know what thi
Is for.
Now let us look at 1t calmly and ra
tionally. 1t is expected that larg
majority OF the people will vote i
favor OF a Constitutional Conventiol
on the 10th of May. We have ne yc
faltered yet in our earnest desire t
have a Constitutional Conventio
called and we never will falter in on
devotion to Constitutional reform
But we want it to come gushing warr
and honest from the people untraIhe
led by political ehicanery and partlsu
fhimble rigging. II these highly sei
soned partisan registration laws al
Intended to fill the Constitutional Col
vention with parcel of Democrat
politicians, who will give us Missl
sippi Constitution, that requires ever
voter to read a section Of the CoI|st
tuition OF the United States or cha
ter In the Bible before he votes. tt
people would do well to hesitate b
fore going SO far.
The burthens OF the old Constitute
are grievous enough to he borne wit
out assuming additional burth6n
These registration acts are nothlngb
Republican slaughter pens as tn,
now stand, and the Republicans OF Il
State decline to enter them and
guilotined. The Republicans W
fair, honest impartial non-partlsi