Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-02-05

| " lp sISuhS lOf Ahlutdlt76butld al flull
who will be here in person tomorrow
argues that the State can do no less, Il
maintain its standing among sister states
than to appropriate say 100000 annually
towards the maintenance of proper
military organization. He would have
the expenditure of this sum entrusted
to board of officers to be appointed by
the governor, who should set aside SC
much for the quartermaster's depart.
ment and so much for the commissory
Department. think that is the order,
but not being military man | am NOT
sure-and SO much for each of the other
departments; and then, if there should
be enough left, let the boys hold an
annual encampment or do whatever
they please with it. This militia ques-
ton may stir up the capitol as much as
any business of the session, but fortu-
nately there need be no politics in it.
A SENATORIAL ARMIsTIcE.
It was Mr.. Pilling who brought the
Senate out of its attitude of armed
neutrality into the more peaceful past
ures of innocuous desuetude. He got
up to-day and told his brother senators
that it was all nonsense to 60 on glazing
at each other; that, as intelligent men, it
would be wiser to recognize that four
could not beat four and, therefore, to
| fix up truce of some kind, so that
business could go on without further
interruption. The others hailed the
| proposition as one that went right to
the spot and the following agreement
was duly drawn up and signed by the
eight members present:
| We, the undersigned, do hereby pledge
ourselves that we shall not legislate before
next Tuesday upon anything of a partisan
or political nature; the minority shall de
termine when the matter is brought up
whether it is of a partisan or political char
acter.
"We're band of brothers,
pro tenn, is the new motto.
THE MYERS MACHINE.
Duplicate bills for the adoption of the
Myers voting machine are on their way
through both houses now, and members
are casting about for ways and means
to reconcile the machine ballot with the
constitutional ballot. Could everybody
be required to vote on the machine it
would make little difference whether
the ballots thus cast were constitutional
or not, since no candidate would be in a
position to raise the question. But since
the right of an elector to vote for whom
ever he pleases must be conceded, and
since ordinary ballots are provided in
the bill for irregular voters, there Is
room left often for contest. To get
around this it has been suggested that, as
the constitution is silent upon the time
for the canvassing of votes, saving that
by implication the vote for governor
must be canvassed by the General AS
sembly before the successful candidate
can be inaugurated, it be provided that
the counting of the scattering votes be
deferred for year or so after they have
been cast. There is one significant pro-
vision of the constitution, article Z, sec
ton IL, which runs in part thus: "The
Legislature shall = provide by
law for choosing inspectors
and judges of elections, and regulating
the same in such manner as shall most
etfectually guard the rights of the citi-
zens entitled to vote" Myers has gone
to Albany to look after the chances of
his machine in the great state of New
York, but he is to return sometime this
week. 1t argues a difference of opinion
among the judiciary on what consti-
tutes legal ballot that Judge Grubb,
after taking the time to satisfy himself |
in regard to the operation of the ma
chine, signed the petition for its adop- |
ton.
The town election of Dover comes off |
on the first Thursday in March. The |
Doverites do all their voting on that &C.
casion at one polling place. The sample
Myers machine is here and will prob |
ably be here on that day. 1t has been
suggested that this would afford an ex- |
cellent opportunity for testing it in a
practical way. Being corporation
election, there would be no question of
constitutionality. All that would be
required would be simple legislative
enactment covering this one election,
and the novelty of the thing would
doubtless bring out a bigger vote than
usual. Mr.. Hutson, when the idea was
broached to him, said at once that he
would consider it and probably bring it
to the attention of the town council.
THE INSURANCE BILL.
Commissioner Fooks' insurance bill
having been duly enrolled, was signed
by the speakers of both houses to-day
and is now law. Since the publica-
ton of the provisions of the bill, letters
have been arriving which show that 1t
is misunderstood by foreign insurance
companies 1t does not advance, but on
the contrary reduces the license fees ex-
acted from such companies. "Under
the old law" says Mr.. Fooks, 'tthe agent
pays the State $50 license and "a per
cent on the gross premiums collected,
making S25 tax on the $1,000. Under
the new law he pays 1926 and l ] per cent.
making $l5 tax on the $1,000. The bill
is not retroactive, therefore the pre-
miums on last years business will be
paid under the old law, but the reduc-
ton in license fees goes into effect at
once"
Senate.
Dover, Jan. 2s.---The Senate met at 80
a. IN. Williams absent.
Secretary Of State Marvel presented the
certificates of approval of the bonds of the
State treasurer and State auditor. ~
Notice. BY Mr.. McMullin, bill to vest
in q certain person certain escheated lands.
lntroduced BY Mr.. Ross, petition from
citizens of Nanticoke City to have that
place annexed to Seaford.
On motion Of Mr.. Pilling the inaugural
address Of Governor Reynolds was referred
to special committee.
Recess to o'clock p. m.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Senate reassembled at 8. 30 O'clock.
Notice; BY Mr.. Pilling, to authorize the
recorder of deeds of New Costle county to
make certain induces.
introduced: House bill to repeal and
supply chapter Ill, Vol. XIII being the
insurance bill), Read twice and referred
to committee on Revised Statutes.
House joint resolution asking Senate to
appoint special divorce committee 10 act
with the standing House divorce com
mittee non-concurred in.
House Joint resolutions in relation to de-
fraying expenses of Inauguration: in rela-
ton to the oIeomargarine traffic; in rela-
ton to equalization and of taxation; CON
Cured in.