The Wilmington daily Republican., 1892-01-06
wEDSEsDAr. JANUARY .. lsoa.
Reform Knoc Ised out.

Reform Knoc lsed Out.
In 1873 the present assessment laws
and the laws providing for The collec-
tion OF taxesrepealed by the Five com-
7 missioners Act, were passed, and 1t
has never been denied for dishonest
political purpose the disfranchislng OF
the colored vote of the State. A col
lector in this city had been heavily
fined before the United States District
Court for returning colored men as
removed from the State and dead,
when they were alive and we'll, for the
sake OF disfranchising them. This be-
ing very plainly against the law, there
was nothing. left to do than to convict
the collector. This was before Mr..
Bayard had the law charged to compel
the Jury Commissioners to put as
nearly US possible one half Democrats
on the panel.
At the next session OF the legislature
the assessment and collection lnws
were passed giving collectors arbitrary
and absolute power to disfranchlse
voters,at will In accordance with law
and relieve the collectors from the
terrible strain OF conscience of swear
ing that healthy, live persons We're
dead when they returned them as de-
linquents. where they were daily
seen walking up and down the streets
of Wilmington. Those laws were in
Suation some eighteen years before
were repealed anG everybody
lows how they worked. The RepUb'
Means who no doubt had during all
THAT timo and have yet majority of
voters in the State, were never per-
mitted to qualify them. Sometimes
the poll taxables were SO nearly all
dlsfranchised that they nominated and
ran no ticket at all, at other times the
vote Of the State was SO ridiculously
small as to make elections the veriest
farces. But the Democrats giGgled
along, merlly all this time.
They got all the Offices and were
happy and they elected Mr.. Buyard
B and q Salisbury to the Senate with
wonderful regularity. But all this
time there was trouble brewing; this
always the case where there is SO
Rch dishonesty practiced. At the
OF these eighteen years perman-
debt of nearly s5op,Ooo had been
Eactcd, and floating debt besides
ne SS3.000. The tax payers were
ssed and were calling for relief,
he reign OF such tax collectors
I. Dickey Patrick Neary and
pf like ilk, who considered 1t TO
chief duty under tho law to
hise Republican voters more
collect taxes. The corrup-
were in the height of theiI
n Dickey and Neary We're tax
for some flve years, and
Wier Thomas Toy, Howard
nd other such men were In
llrt. The County was ac
pied and general dishon,
Bet Then oane an upris
ing Of the people in 1890.
l There were honest reform Democrats
J who voted with the Republicans Il
relegate this corrupt crew to the rear
and 1t was done In no uncertain man
ner, and for the first time in twenty
years Republican Levy Court wa,
elected. The Democrats were nov
!. boiling over for reform. John L. Dick
Ney, Patrick Neary. "Bill' Lee. and {
host of other reformers trotted OF
"A 20 Il,
their pockets to have rushed through
the Legislature, knocking out the lie
publican Levy Court and putting Tia
eorruptionists back into power again
They found no trouble rushing theiI
bills through the lower housa but the,
struck snag in the Senate. where tn
Democrats only had a majority of one
and In that majority were such homes
men as James Williams and Ex-Goycr
nor John w. Hall.
Everybody knows the result OF thu
>ag winters wait until Mr.. William
PIE to get To the Senate, wnc
coAmise the presen
.M6noner bin was passed
licse are good refurmatory meas
|n tho bill none will deny. Tha
lially In regard to the collectioi
Lxes is highly eommendable.
Tut here commenced difficulty !
IS necessary to leave plrt of the ar
Uniting power in the hands of til
Governor and 1t was reasonably SUI
posed that he would huve appolnte
some person as Receiver OF Tax /
hearty accord with the reform spir
of the new law. But hore was Il
laws weak place.
Though exalted TO a high position
Governor Reynolds could not forgt
the oongenill habits OF the low poit
clan, and preferring low polite
methods to the honest Intentions
the Five Commissioner Act appontC
John T, Diekey the man renndiated
the people at the polls, Receiver
Taxes. He preferred the old CORFU
| method of keeping the Iemocrat
party in power to the honest meth,
intended. Does anybody suppose til
James Williams or John ". Hall won
have voted for the Five Commission
Act had they known that Govern
Reynolds would appoint John
INH