Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-01
What the Legislature Will be
Asked to Correct.
THE LEVY COURT MUST GO
And a Ballot Reform Law
Will be Passed.
Correspondence New York Times.

with the duty OF ful1llfng various prom
Uses made TO the people during the last
campaign. Frequently campaign promises
are made only to be ignored after the cleo
ton, but the pledges involved in the re-
cent election were of such grave import
ance, and related to reforms so impera-
lively demanded by public sentiment, that
the legislature will be unable to ignore
them, and will have to consummate them
or basely break faith with the people.
Both parties We'd with each other in
making reform the battle cry during the
campaign, but since the struggle resulted
in a victory for the Democratic party there
are ample indications that the Republican
minority will resist all efforts to change
existing conditions on the plea that Demo-
cratic reform is no reform, and that only
through Republican agencies can real re-
form be accomplished. There is Repub-
lican minority in each branch of the Legis-
lature of sufficient strength to make de-
termined resistance to any Democratic pro-
gramme, although not strong enough to
defeat it. The leader Of the seven Republi-
can members-elect Of the House is John g.
Higgins, a brother of United States Senator
Higgins, who is not one whit behind the
senator in political intrigue and manipula-
ton. He is leading farmer, and
as president of the Delaware State
Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, to
which office he was elected after his cleo
ton as representative, will have a pro-
nounced prestige and an unusual influence
among the farmer members who compose
majority Of the body. in all matters
i'll which the dividing line of politics Il
not sharply defined. Among the four
Republican members of the Senate are
John Filling, prominent wooden manu-
iacturer of New Castle county, and A. q.
Richardson of Kent. father Of Harry A.
Richardson, the late Republican candidate
for governor. Both are men of strong
n Mp i,l, ,,f., 4.
the advantage and experience of service ut
the. previous session. The Republicans
will thus go into the fight with able leader
ship in both houses, and will battle skill
fully against the attempts of the Demo-
cratic majority TO enact the reforms that
both sides promised before the election
One OF the most interesting struggles will
be over the measure to abolish the levy
court of New Castle county, the local gov
erning body, composed OF one member
from each Of the II districts, and substi-
tute system Of government by board Of
five county commissioners. Before the
election both parties denounced the levy
court and declared that it would have to
go. While it was a Democratcbody il had
been guilty of such reckless and eNtrava-
giant misgovernment that the Democratic
party openly pledged itselfto wipe it ont Of
existence. The Republicans denounced it as
apolltlcal machine whose chief object was
to distranchise Republicans by preventing
them from paying their taxes and thus
qualifying for voting. But it so
happened that the existing lew
court proved heavy drag upon the Dem
cratic party IN the last campaign 1t had
oent money recklessly, piled up big
1nded and floating debt, and persisted in
aging the sheriff 30 cents per day each for
ne feeding of tramps and prisoners, while
corn was a drug at 40 cents per bushel and
wheat commanded less than dollar. The
result was that many Democrats, particu-
larly among the farmers determined to
make sure Of change in the court, us
some measure of security in the event that
it should not be abolished and the conse-
quent Republican victory in New Castle
county carried with it Republican ma
jority of the levy court.
With this political machine in their pos
session the music of reform is not SO de-
Ightful to Republican ears, and now thew
declare that there is no necessity of ahOl-
lshing the levy court system that for years
they held up to public view as a m0nstrous
engine Of political outrage and oppression.
The reason for this change of heart Is
obvious, Administered in partisan
spirit the functions OF the levy court can
be so perverted as to disfranchise thOti-
sands Of Democrats too careless to attend
to the matter Of preserving their suffrage,
and place i'll the hands Of Republican
workers tax receipts enough to work ont a
portions. The partisan spirit in Which
the Democrats manipulated the levy court
was bad enough, but it is generally adj
mitted that in work Of this Kind they are
school boys in comparison with their Re
publican opponents. With the levy court
and all the election machinery ii carries
with it in their possession, the Republicans
of New Castle county could manufacture d
majority large enough to overcome the
Democratic margin in Kent and Sussex
and give the electoral vote Of the state 30
the Republican candidate for President in
1882. And no one doubts that they wuuld
seruple at nothing to secure such d result.
For this reason the Republicans iii the
Legislature will oppose any attempt to
abolish the Levy Court, now that it is in
their control. But the Democratic repre-
sentatiyes, influenced by political consid-
erations as we'll as desire to keep faith
with the people, will doubtless make good
the party's pledges and abolish system
that never was satisfactory and is ever ca
pable of being manipulated as a mere no
litical machine.
Another reform which the people Of
Delaware demand III all sincerity, but
which the Republican party will oppose
with desperate earnestness, is the enact
ment of some satisfactory measure Of
ballot reform. An attempt was made at
the last session to pass an admirable Aus
trallan ballot law, but all the Republican
set their faces against it and il was de-
feated. The Republican leaders do not
want secret ballot system in Delaware
for they well know that with this reform
would disappear the possibility Of ever nlr-
chasing another victory in this State. The
men who defeated ballot reform at the last
session were elected BY system Of ballot
debauchery and wholesale purchase Of
of votes that would be impossible under a
well-deyised Australian ballot law The
etieetof such lawupon the c1lured voters is
also feared, as il would not only prevent
the pollution Of the ballot by horecs of
negro repeaters but would open the path
of independent voting Ia many intelligent
negroes, who would otherwise be I'M danger
of their lives if they dared to vote against
the Republican party, In Dover at the
last election ii col0red voter whonnnoInrpd
his intention Of voting the Democratic
ticket was dragged from the window bv
MS inluuated comrades and bulied and
harried until he consented TO return and
deposit q Republican ballot The fear Of
losing their grip on the cdlored vote and
Of being deprived Of the chance Of pnr-
chasing victory when q large campaign
fund is at their disposal is the ,crrct il
Republican opposition TO ballot reform i'll
this State.
But MI indications are to the effect thlt
the days OF pRGlI and shameless dtbNatp5-r
Of the suffrage in Delaware are ga8e faf-
ever, The Democratic state cOhYruGiit
inserted a declaration III favor ei taa
Australian Ballot system III the IeH1-
cratic pRtfdrm and THE reform St- 44
dprsed by Democratic speakers AMI 9Y
every Democratic candidate frgm5uHe e6l
Of The state IL TIL 8ther, The Dents Ftti2
members Of the Legislature cannot PJlte
reereant ~ the solemn pledges If t.lr,r
party and there is no reason to doubt HAT
the reform 80 long needed will be applied
to future elections in this state
A most important question for the Leg
islature to wrestlc with, and one into which