The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-07-16
THURSDAY JULY 10, 1891.


The political methods of the past few
years are receiving complete airing |
before tho public and above all Is the
gratifying thought that no harm can
como OF it. That our whole system of |
franchise should have become vitiated |
and corrupt is not surprising under
tine circumstances. The assessment
laws and the laws providing for the
collection of taxes passed in 1878 COM
menced the corrupt era and has been
kept up ever since. Those laws never
We're intended to promote honesty in
politics, ard theirintentions have been
fully carried out by the one party in
power ever since they were passed,
There has never been anhone5t assess
ment and an honest collection OF taxes
In all that timc. The laws were passed
for political purpose, to aid tho party
In power at that time and TO keep that
party in power in the future at all
hazards. Laws with such intentions
cannot fail TO engender and foster dis
must inevitably come by and by,
In tho case of these partisan dishon-
est laws they have done their work eff
feetually through long series OF
eighteen years, but their end has come
at last, and that their closing up should
be attended with political commissions
which are the greatest kind OF political
surprises is not strange. The collectors
Gratis OF the State. In their hands rest
ed the political destiny Of political
parties. For eighteen long years there
has not been Republican collector of
taxes in the State. In the hands of
those thirty-thrce collectors, twelve OF
them in New Castle county, was held
the power to disfranchtse poll taxables
at will, There was no penalty for re-
fuslng to accept the taxes OF any poll.
tax payer, and the collectors generally
the most unscrupu Gus politicians that
could he found, knowing the work ex-
peeted Of them, had no difficulty in
taxable voter and as littlo difficulty In
keeping the Democratic poll taxable
voter enfranchised, at least supplied
with tax receipts to enable them to
vote whether they had right to vote
or not
Such system was veritable train
ing school OF political corruption
Nobody had any respect for law that
made it possible for such a state Of af-
fairs to exist, and total disregard o.
the laws seem to have become Il politi.
cal virtue. Every tax collector under
these late laws from krehie Given dowi
to Mckee and Dougherty worked thl
political racket the laws intended, anC
kept the Democrats in power though
In large minority in the county b!
DISTINGUISHING Republicans. The fate
OF circumstances compelled the last
two namod collectors to give tho Re
publican party the advantage which
was never intended for any but Demo
Gratis. With this has come the politt
SAi IFNOAuLAbil LttkN bililA5 tilD llDilLicu
corruption of tho day to the outsid,
where it can be seen of ALL And
siekening exposure it is. However 10
it come.
Let the curtains be torn aside anc
and lot the people soc the rotten mess
II Republicans through tho genera
political eorruptions OF the times hay
b cen drawn into the vortex the,
must suffer with the others. King Aha
was forever in Holy Writ designated
as tho man who made Israel sin am
that history is repeated In the Demo
cratic law OF 1876, that spread eorruE
ton amongst the people of Delaware
the Democratic party is responsible
for it nll.
In changing from the old to the ne,
system OF tax collections, let us hop
that the corruptions of the past ma
be left behind. The people haze had
surfelt of political frau d, thoy ar
sick Of it, and they want a change fu
the better. VIII the now system brin,
that changer Though the Indication
so far are unfaYorable let US hope til
favorable change may come.