Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-09
OUR LEGISLATIVE LETTER.

STAFF Correspond nce of Gazette and Journal
Dover, April 1.-The funeral of the
Myers American Voting Machine bill in
the House this afternoon was short and
unceremonious. The bill had been made
the special order for $3.50 p. M, but the alb
sence of members, on committee work, Mt
that hour caused its postponement to p.
M, when all seats, except that OF Mr..
Smith, who is kept away by the death of
relative. were filled There was no discus
sion whatever. 1t is rarely that debate oc-
ours over any measure in this House.
1t was few minutes past the hour when
Sneaker Sirman announced that the Myers
Bill was now before the House. "shall it
be taken up for final consideration ?" he
asked, and the members responded Aye.
Then they sat and looked at each other i'll
silence for about minute. "The question
U.s." then said the Speaker, perceiving that
no one cared to speak, shall this bill pass
the House2" The roll was called and the
frst ballot reform measure of this session
to meet its doom went down by the follow
ing vote:
Ayes-Cranston, Day, Elkinton, Hig-
gins, Hutson, Thomas, Walton-7.
Noes-Attix, Chapman, Eisenbrey, Hick-
man, jackson, Marvel Morris, +. u, Nor
ris, r. R., Richards, Ridgely, Tindall,
West, Speaker Sirman-13. =,
The bill had been defeated by solid
Mr.. Hutson had voted for it.
1t was the position of 1889 reversed;
Then the Republican majority voted
against and the Democratic minority for
ballot reform. Does neither party want q
secret and fair ballot when IN power2
Various have been the objections urged;
that there is a cloud over the constitution.
atty of this method of voting. that we
cannot part with the ballot of our fathers;
that some men would absolutely refuse TO
vote by machinery; that the machine was
too complicated; that the machine was too
simple, the most ignorant negro could vote
on it; that the machine might get out Of
order; that somebody might break il with
hammer the night before election; that
the first cost made it too expensive; that it
has never been tested in practical cleo
ton, and dozen others But the con-
trolling reason was one that had as well be
left unwritten until the outcome shows
Just how far those who influence leglsla-
tlon are willing to let this General Assem-
bly, go in the direction OF ballot reform.
That this will not be farther than some
modification Of the Coursev Screen bill is
the outlook just now But this will, at any
rate be considerably better than nothing
at all, and everybody admits that i will
never do for this Legislature 10 adjourn
without enacting something in This line
Possibly a codification Of the best features
of the Graham, Sinalley and toursey bills
may be attemptcd-sueh a combination
bill has been talked of-hut time vii
show. The desideratnn is a bill that shall
lean little to the advantage of the party
in power.
Mr.. Myers leaves Dover tomorrow fol
New York. He says he will make M fur
ther attempt to introduce his machine t
state legislatures this year, but will let hi!
New York bill, Which he withdrew il
February, now 20 through. This bill, HI
reports, passed the lower house by vot,
OF 6S to -, and the senate by p to 3, ant
would have been approved by iovcfnp
Hill if Myers had been willing. But hl
wanted it introduced in a small state, lik,
Delaware or Rhode Island, for plausible
reasons whieh il would take too muct
space to reCaptuate. The New York bill
is a sort of local option affair, giving any
district the right to adopt the machine ii /
so desires.
THE PEACH YELLows BILE.
Following is a summary of the Peacl
Fellows bill as amended and passed by tn
House this afternoon:
section /. Within 20 days after the passas
of the bill the governor shall appoint, IN ca 4
hundred except Wilmington, three peach tire
commissioners GIhe original qualification
about both politica parties Icing rertusune
on to board OF commissioners OIL tath nun
dred has been stricken Oltl
SEC. Q. ON the application of five peacl
growers of their hundred, It shall he tho dut
ot the commissioners of any hundred TO max
two careful and searching examination OF tn
peach orchards ia that hundred, thu first in
rpcctlon between April 18th aud May !5tn; tn
second between July 18th AMI August 18th
provided tue examiuati n OF 1891 may be mad
at y time pcior to June lst
Sec. B. ] he commissioners shall mark, o
caused to be marked, every diseased :ree, an
notify the owner thereof.
Sec. I. Every owner shall. as soon as po9sibl
after such notice, pull up, remove and destr0
every condemned tree, SO that not n vestig
thereof shali remain If the notice has bee
given before june ist, the trees shall Be d,
stroyed before July 10Th, ii prior to Augui
18th, not later thnn October 18th
Sec ). Trees So ordered 10 lie pulled up an
destroyed may bn used for frewoud.
Sec. y. Any owner neg Getting Or refusing
destroy condemned thee within the tim
specified shall he Liable TO a fine Of from so
$50 AMI also in DANA se4 to any ada ent Ownt
whose orchard may be contaminated therch
sec, i Immediately after July 18th and q
toher 18th, tle commissioners shasi revts
evory orchard in which they had marked Tree
10 SEQ If they have been pu led up ana d
stroyed If this has not been done, the con
lnissIoners snail fprihwithhire men ana team
TO have it done, ana as soon a4 il has bee
done, they shall prosecute the deliuquentS
SEE. 8. Expenses incurred by commissions
in pulling out and destroying SUN trees,
well AS the pay OF the commissioners, snail
paid ottt of the state treasury. after subin
ii n of III niized accounts certified to by q
clerk vi ,hc peh:e.
day l0r every DAY necas' allly aud proper
en- Logged, and shall make report 70 tho Gle
1.-THE peace of the work done,
sec. 10. Without excluding, other symptom
or evidence Of yeilows, the presence OF snii
llowy twigs or water suouiA and prcmatu
flutAhall be conclusive proof Of he eHiyten
OF the disease
Ser. IL. Commissioners shall he exempt fro
legal liability for anything lawfully done in I
peri rtnahce Of their duty,
sec. ~. No fe1 shall be charged for tht
commissions.
Sec IS In case the commissioners shall
any time find trees affected with yellOwS
evidently undergoing u thorough relned
treatment with indications Of SUCCESS, III
may, in the exercise OF heir Judgment 81
pend condemnation OF sti'h trees until tn
next examination.
see. II. Hepeals the Sackett Peach Yel!o
act
THE SENATE SCHOOL BILL.
The Senate passed its school hll Il
afternoon despite the expressed opinion
members of the House that the READ int
of the bill is to make a good berth
somebody and that the school system
Delaware has no more need Of q st.
superintendent than boardyard dog i
of three tails. The bill, as amended il
vides that the governor shall appoint d
supernumcrarv official on the SecO
Tuesday of July, to hold office for /
years, with a salary of Sl,510 per We
The governor, state treasurer. secretary
olatc, hNtlIllF q dGcpulltS anu state 81 7
intendcnt shall comprise the state Bo,
of Education. The state treasurer sh
purchase the text books; presumably fir
wherever he pleases, since the requiTeu
to buy direct from the publishers 1t
lowest wholesale rates sc, has b,
stricken out. The State superintend
shall distribute the books, free to
schools, to the value Of one-thrd I'll
share Of the State school fund for
year, In addition to his other dut
mainly supervisory and advisory,
State superintendent shall have the en-
management control and supervision
the colored schools. The annual apl
priation to colored schools now 5000
to he raised to SlDOO The State SlIpei