Evening journal., 1892-10-14
TROUBLE OYER RECEIPTS
THE DoUeHERTY-MKeE BUSINESS
CAUSES DlSsENSlON.

Republicans Want Commissioners Thomas
t. Issue "A Minority Report The Com
n,issioners Want IA Compromise.
The Republican managers a,e trying
TO legalize the Dougherty Mckee tax
receipts sold in bulk and TO qualify the /
men who were returned as delinquents |
by those two collectors after they had |
received their tax receipts. For |
this purpose they have carried the mat |
ter into the state department of cleo
tions for the city Of Wilmington, and |
are trying, by sheer party pressure.
20 induce Commissioner Thomas
to present minority report
dissenting from the stand taken
in those questions by Commissioners
| Dobb and Doud the Democratic mem
bers.
Both sides have secured counsel.
Senator Higgins and Hon. William
! c. Spruance represent Commissioner
/ Thomas, while Senator George Gray
and Chairman Willard salisbury,
Jr., are counsel for the Democratic ma
jority.
The stand taken by the Democratic
members Is as follows:
That in pursuance OF the act Of May ID,
1891. Pamnhlet Law, vol. 49, page l2s seoiion !.
For the purpose OF preventing fraud AT the
| general election 20 be held In the month OF
November, lsli, the department Of elections
| have procured from the clerk Of the peace Of
New castle county eeri,nea si,i ist OF All pol
| duly and legally paid their taxes assessed ~
the general assessment of 1889 and the special
assessment OF 1890. All electors whose names
appear on this list and who hold re- eipls dated
subsequent 10 November z, loso,are entitled 70
be registered, quqlined and vote II otherwise
] Ian HIt1 lad Am fDNN a.
ing himself for registration OF TO vote on tax
receipt purporting 20 be signed by JohpJ.
trict, OF by George W. Mckee, as collector Of
4 the Southern district OF the city OF Whining
ton, dated subsequent TO November z, 1870,
whose names do not appear on this certified
list Of those who have lawfully paid said tax,
should not be registered, qualified nor allowed
county tax paid in Kent county or in
SUSSEX county within two years, satisfies all
the requirments as 20 the payment OF tax As
| fully as "A tax paid in New Castle county.
| A tax paid by firm on real estate held
I'm common by its members qualities all the
members Of the nrm as TO the payment Of a
A tax paid on an undivided estate is
} | equivalent 10 the payment of a tax by each
person legally entitled to share thereof.
! The Republicans claim that the
assessment list is not complete,
: and that those persons who paid
tax 10 Dougherty and Mckee have a
right TO vote, no matter If they are re-
j turned as delinquents.
3 you do not recognize the law which
} provides that a man returned as de-
: iinauent shall not be allowed TO vote
within a certain timer asked a reporter
Of Commissioner Thomas this after
noon.
Not under that particular assessment
o His having paid a tax is unquestionable
evidence that he has a right TO vote. If
he pays a tax and is returned as a do
linquent by the collector It is not his
= fault.
His attorneys ARE revising the report
' this afternoon It IS regarded as moth
!, ing more nor less than scheme by
; which the Republicans will be enabled
to use the thousands of blank Mckee
and Dougherty tax receipts they have in
stock. Commissioner Thomas does not
$ relish the job but is forced to it by his
5 party as its representative.
:, The Commissioners Confer.
: Commissioner Dobb conferred with
4 him at 2 o'clock this afternoon. The
A most cordial relations have always ex
4 listed among the commissioners. Mr.
Dobb informed Mr.. Thomas that h'
10 would like to see the minority report
/ Mr.. Thomas told him it was in the hands
of his attorneys Mr.. Dobb then sale
that he wanted everything to be ami
cable for the sake of the eff
10 cheney of the department. Mr.. Thomas
d agreed with him. The Democratic
a commissioner then informed him tina
d he would confer with his attorneys at
ie o'clock this afternoon sld If they ad
L. vised him that the grounds cited abOvl
l. were strong and tenabe they wOull
8. stand by them. On the other nand, i
any notifications could be made to recon
cile the differences, such modification
- would be made.
- what will be the effect if Commits
:. sioner Thomas sends out minority in
p structionsg" asked a reporter Of Commis
~ sioner DObb.
~ 1T will cause trouble and detract fror
the efficiency of the board, making 1t
" partisan body. That is what we wish {
= avoid. For instance If a majority of tn
a commissioners sends out Instruction
~ telling the commissioners not to receiv
. such receipts as qualifications an
1, they persist in doing it on tn
. strength of Commissioner Thomas
= minority instructions, the only thing 70
the commission to do is to go out Their
and remove such inspectors aud put j
those who will observe the depar ment
)n instructions. We do not want al thin
Is Of that kind to have to be done.
w Clerk of the Peace Biggs read roug
nd draft of the minority report this morn
d. ing. It was handed TO him by Commi:
he sioner Thomas. The clerk OF the peac
is very much incensed and says that
libels him and his office, and that th
ia Republicans had better be careful wha
0i they publish. He claims that th