Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-01

full elsew here in this issue of The
GAzETTE) seems to have irritated to an
unusual extent the ordinarily peeyish
temperament of our morning contem.
porary, and is made the basis of q
lengthy editorial in the Ne,cs of Saturday
morning. The burden of our neighbor's
contention is directed against that por.
ton of the correspondence referring ia
the probable Republican opposition to
any change in our levy court system Of
county government, now that the court
will soon be in the control of Republi-
can majority, and it insists that the
Democratic party made no utterance
whatever in favor of this reform during
the recent canvass.
1t requires but a brief journey over
the path of retrospection to prove how
utterly untrue is our NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ton that mot word about or looking
in the direction Of this alleged intention
1.-THE substitution of county commission
ers for the levy COURT can be found in
any responsible utterance of the Demo-
cratic party in this State during the late
campaign, or at any time that we ever
heard Of" The question was thoroughly
discussed by the Young Mems Demo,
cratic Club last winter and resulted in
an emphatic declaration in favor Of
county government by a board Of com
missioners in lieu Of the costly and
cumbersome levy court The Middle
town meeting Of "some private Demo-
cratic citizens who selected them
selves for the purpose" as the
Netos with very diluted sarcasm
styles this important gathering was com
posed of representative Democrats from
all parts Of the county, whose utterances
upon this absorbing question Of local
reform had all the force and effect Of the
formal platform of adelegate convention.
During the progress Of the campaign
Democratic speakers openly advo-
Gated the change and every legislative
candidate on the Democratic ticket de-
clared himselfin favorofit. Not 4 voice
was raised in defence Of the levy court
system, and as far as New Castle county
was concerned the Democratic party
was irrevocably pledged to wipe it
out of existence. 1t was as well
understood and as clearly defined
as any political issue ever presented to
the people of Delaware, that in the event
of the election of Democratic Legisla-
ture the levy court of New Castle
county should go. There was no at
tempt to make the fulfillment Of this
pledge conditional upon the possible
political complexion Of the court after
the election. Whether the Republican
or Democratic candidates were success
full made no difference. 1t was the svs-
TEN that the people were after, and the
system they desired to be abolished, and
the demand would have gone to Dover 4
with the same force and backed by the
same potent Democratic influence, had
the Democratic levy court candidates
been successful at the late election.
There is nothing surprising in the
assumption that this and all other
measures Of reform will be opposed by
the Republican minority in the Legisla-
ture, u will simply be an adherence to
the Republican polieyof the last General
Assembly, with Its Republican House Of
Representatives and its Republican ma
jprity on joint ballot Then the same
Republican majority, with lively rec
~. ,.,tts - an.