The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-01-31
SATURDAY, JANUARY 81. 1891.



Now Then. The Sensible Plan.
As 1t is evident now that the Five |
County Commissioner bill cannot be |
rushed through the Senate except un- |
der the very greatest party pressure
in time to become law and go into |
effect before the newly-elected Levy |
Court of New Castle county is sworn
in on Tuesday morning next, without
the greatest danger of committing
acts Of injustice which will be injur-
ious to the county by sudden change
ola government that has stood the test
OF one hundred years and more of
trial, why be in any haste at ailin the
matter? Would the more sensible plan
not be to let matters take their course
for two. years more, just as the people
Intended they should at the late cleo
tion and in the mean time prepare a
respectable, decent County Commits
sioaer bill, such one as Mr.. Nathan
lei Williams, with few amendments,
his drafted; let the officers under it be
elected at the next election and let it
take effect. the first of January, 1898,
as proposed in the bill?
The changing OF county govern
ment is something that cannot be done
in q few days especially where it is
urged in the interests of few selfish
politicians, without committing inju-
ries upon county interests. 1t is q
matter that should receive the most
mature and unselfish thought from
the best authorities on county govern
ment that can be found.
The Levy Courts of Delaware have
come down from colonial times, and
though they are dusty and musty with
age. there is kind of relic sacredness
about them and in all such a manifest
fairness for small rural populations
that they cling to the people with great
tenaeity Of power and sympathy The
system adopted by the Bayards, the
Glaytons, the Rodneys, the Reads and
the Riddles of the State in its earliest
days comes down to the present age
with too much veneration and sacred
ness OF character to be brushed aside
as IL by a magic wand in the hands oi
such men as Patrick Neary, Henry Q.
Turner, $50 Billy Lee, ex-Assessoi
Megloskey and Tax Collectors Dough
erty and Mckee.
Nobody denies that the Levy Court
system has become subjected to great
abuses, in fact in these days of ad
vanced government, entirely toe
clumsy and mwieldy, and should be
substituted with better system. In
fact the people at the late election de
cided that matter, and yet the verdict
was more against the men who run il
for selfish purposes and ends than
against the system itself. The people
:. voted that the Levy Court had to go
that Is The Levy Court then in powei
had to go, but not that the Levy ,ourt
system had to end abruptly with the
ending of that Levy Court. We doubt
II such thing as that was over one,
seriously thought of during the cam
paign. That the system of count,
commissioners should snpersede tn
Levy Court system at the proper tim,
was Formulated by Republican lead
ers, put in the Republican platform
and was boldly proclaimed from TIA
Republican rostrum and by the Re
publican press.
Nobody is going to deny this--i
fact Republicans are unit in favor G
change at the right time and TIL
right place, and the place to max
that change is at the polls, and III
time the election of 1892 The idea {
. sudden change OF the Levy Coru
was of Democratic origin and wa
never thought of until New CAST
County had unexpectedly to thei
elected Republican Levy Court, an
they found that they had safely pulle
through in the lower counties with
Legislature on their side. Docs an
one believe that any attempt woul
have been made to get county con
missioners to take office immediatel
II Democratic Levy Court had bet
elected? There might have been som
thing done towards having coun
commissioners in 1894. perhaps nnd,
extreme pressure In 1892, but the ii,
4 of having them now to take the pla
of newlg-eleeted and unaaimo
Democratic Levy Court would ha
been looked upon as preposterous
the extreme. How the .foostel
would have laughed at the idea
railroading a County Commission
bill through TO take the place OF
newly-elected Democratic Levy Cou
II is only when the Republicans c.
ried the Levy Court that such viii
winged angels OF reform as 'Pt
Neary, Billy Lee, Lawyer TulI
and Boss Wier hurried off to Dos
and became the advocates of sn
Judgment County Commissioner b
Now that no County Commission
bill can he passed in any kind of a
cent manner to go into effect by ne
Tuesday, let the law-making solons
the Legislature take their time to
and pass decent commissioner bill
go into effect January list, 1898.
Look Out for Your 1890 Tax.
A great many poll tax payers hayi
paid their taxes for 1889 have
tirely forgotten that they owe anotl