The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-05-08

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sions. All through the session bills
hnys suddenly disappeared in very
mysterious manner and others have
lkAn changed by blotted mot" or
some other process of mutllation.
There has been so much tampeling
with Legislative bills that, now near
the close Of the session. nobody can
tell whether this or that bill is what
was intended, or whether any bill in
which certain parties were interested,
has not been changed in some man
n.r. ...
This Is n deplorable state OF affairs
md calls upon the Legislature to use
every possible effort in its power to
discover the guilty person on persons
aud forbid them ever entering tho por
ials OF either house again. 1t is hard
10 conceive OF Il mores detestable char-
actcr than sneak hanging around the
Legislature ready to get hold OF and
mutiate, change OF alter any bill for Il
consideration from those interested In
the hill.
OF course there is no positive proof
that William II. Lee changed the House
bill No. 55S, to lengthen the term Of
John A. Mitchell, Auditor OF the City
OF Wilmington. to August 1895, there
by continuing him in Office over two
city elections, but like all tho other
bills lost and mutilated, Mr. lee seems
TO have been around, and is suspected
of having had finger in tho pie. We
nre not surprised at this.
Several weeks ago, when the blotted
"nor bill formed the focus for excite
Inent, the REPUBLIcAN contained a
short editorial to tho effect that If
William Ii. Lee would stay at home
an attend 10 tho duties of his Office
as Secretary of the Board of Health,
for which he received a large salary,
there would be fewer missing and mu-
tllsted bills in the Legislature.
We were thought very cruel at the
time, for this seemingly harsh asper-
sion upon the character OF Mr., Lee,
and that gentleman himself was
enough exercised over 1t to write q
carl, which we published, denying
thnt there was anything crooked about
him, and maintaining that he was an
h 'nUrable. upright and truthful man.
We do not pretend to say that Mr..
Leo is guilty OF all the charges laid at
ibis door since he has been 80 assidlous
ly attending the Legislature as enroll
or OF bills. lobbyist, or whatever char
acter ho may assume, to accomplish
his purpose, but we are justified IL
saying that circumstantial evidence
Indicates that he is more implicated
than any other person who had the
handling OF lost, delayed or mutilateC
bills.
The record of Mr. Lees career n
Dover this legislative session, is no
an envious one. He turned up early
as lobbyist for the Five Commission
er bill in its most Objectionable form
and his name was sounded forth as I
coming official under It, And who
knows now, whether that bill has no
been tempered Nith2
Next Ito was active in trying t
quash the bill to permit the board c
health TO elect its own secretary. Tit
board is Republican, aud, by the way
there never was better one, but
Democratic Council assumed the au
thorlty to select the secretary, and I'll
selection made by Council was Willial
ii. Lee. The board never got alun
right with Mr.. Ice. Everything the
did In confidence was diseluged by Til
secretary, and the board was hamper
ed in its action. More than that,
was positively asserted that Mr.. lie
took Lribe OF $50 from Thomas II
gan for his influence in getting linn
contact. Under the circumstanc,
the board wanted 10 be relieved I
such secretary, and applied to Ii
Legislature for the privilege OF elec
Ing their own secretary.
The bill was introduced in the Sci
at, and thenforawhile got lost. Vine
hunted up il was found that Mr. LIE
had been carrying it around in h
pockets, and when it made an appeal
ance again, it was loaded with umenl
ments, which the Senate did not ente
tain. Hhe bill passed the Senate unan
mously and went TO the House. 1t b
gan to look bad for Mr.. Leo. Soc
Afterwards, an announcement can
through an evening Democratic pap,
that Mr., Leo said, THE bill is lost, W
will never hear Of it again" But Sen
tor Richardson went over to the Hou
one day and resurreoted the bill agai
but it has never been put upon its pa
sage, and pardon us for predirtiT
that It never will be as long as Air. l.,
has free access to the bills,
Next comes the plotted not bI
creating notary public for the "
inington Board OF Exchange The b
stated that the duties OF the nota
shall not be confined to that buildin
When the enrolled bill appeared L
word mot was blotted out by a splot
OF ink from tho cork OF an ink bolt
Mr.. Lee lie notary public, and handl
The bill during its enrolment, We
not say he blotted the mot"
WHEN FARM produce was low Dem
Gratis said 1t was the en- use OF the \