The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-03-09
THURSDAY, ,LaRcH.o. Isoa.


- F'shHtutN etttt NtshAtut%1abhs
If the Legislature is really very
anxious to pass new Commission
bill. the members can find some very
sensible suggestions In q plan out
lined by the Legislative committee OF
the City Council. The suggestion or
that committee is that the mayor OF
the city shall always be q member of
the commission, whether he be Re-
publican or a Democrat. Every two
years anyhow, the people will have
chance TO say by their votes of which
party lie shall be, lnregard to the ap.
pointment OF the other two commits.
missloners, the excellent suggestion is
proposed that one shall be elected on
either side OF Sixth street, say for
four years.
This would keep up an equilibrium
In politics In the Board, as the mem
her elected south OF Sixth street would
be sure to be Democrat, and the one
elected north of Sixth street would be
Sure to be q Republican. No better
plan than this has yet been suggested,
But we are very much afraid that 1t
will not suit the Democratic pol,ti-
clans who seem determined to have a
police commission governed entirely
from Dover. 1t is time for the people
to wake up on this subject. There is
too much governing of Wilmington
from Dover, Governor Reynolds
made such a lamentable ilz2le in the
appointment of the first police com
miesioners the city has had that we
would suppose the people would not
care for any more OF such govern
mental interference from the chief ex-
ecutive Of the State.
The people of Wilmington had moth.
ing whatever to do in the present ap-
pointment OF tho present commission
except SO far as they elected Mayor
Wiley to be O member OF it. The ar.
rangement was entirely made up be
tween John L. Dickey and Governor
Reynolds. 1t was all nicely arranged
that Mr.. Jack was to be the Democra
tic Chief Of Police and that somewhere
along 'Shan" Dougherty was TO have
had prominent position on the force
Even after the deeps cheme OF Dickey
and Reynolds had failed, and Shan
Dougherty had turned against both Of
them, the two plotters tried to conci..
Late 'Shan" by the chief executive OF
the State, offering to barter the par.
don OF criminal for "Shan's" inIlu-
ence to elect Mr.. Dickey tax receiver
and county treasurer.
The people had nothing to do with
all this arrangement. Ttiwas entirely
the work of politicians, and a pretty
fist they made OF 1t. The police com.
mission bill now pending in the Sen
ate, while 1t will name those who will
be the first commissioners. will still
revert back to Governor Reynolds fol
the appointment to vacancies that may
occur in the board. At any rate thu
appointments are to be kept entirely
away from the people OF Wilmington
who are the parties most interested
The proposition for the Mayor to b'
CONTINUED as member OF the board
and the people to elect the other tw,
member by districts, one south AM
the other north Of Sixth street, is get
ting back to old principles. where th
people have something to say in re
gard to who shall conduct the affair
Of the city, and the sooner they gel
back to that point the better 1t will b
for good government.
There Ia an unmistakakle demand
on tho part of the people that the.
shall no longer be lRnor cd in the sc
lection of their local rulers, The.
are growing weary aud impatient o
the Inference of parties from othe
parts Of the State not Interested /
ely government, and they are dt
mandlpg return to the days wAe
they were entrusted with the selec
ton OF their own officers, and whe
commissions piled one upon anoti
sfi we're not Known as q necessary al
junct IN municipal government,