Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-26

INL hnb"Ay 4hNh thhuu--Otncr LeEIblu-
IVA tive Notes.
itafr Correspondence CT Gazette and Journal
50. DOVER, Jan. 1s.--A good thing
about this General Assembly Is
the willingness and readiness thus far
s& manifested TO take hold of business
~ promptly when it comes claiming atten-
E tlon. This was eXempliiied this after
NJ noon, when the members of both houses
& got together in Representatives Hall
NJ and proceeded to get together on the
M judiciary problem. After u private
u consultation of an hour and half
W or so, the doors were rcopened and it
& was learned that the members had
gotten together. The main question
naturally was as to the specific sum
y that could be made acceptable to the
Judgment of the members generally for
II Insertion in the retirement bill II was
apparent that the emergency is an ex.
ceptional one, by no means likely to
happen again, and that whatever
remuneration might be agreed upon
= would, in human probability, be payable
for only brief time to come. Further
& more that the payment would be made
out of state revenues not derived, at
a least directly, from the farmers and
citizens at large but derived almost
n wholly from the taxation of RAILWAYS
a and manufacturers and from license
fees Besides there was the consdera.
tion of the long and faithful service
rendered by the henefiCiaries, of whom
"A Judge Houston has been nearly 40 years
N and Chief Justice Comegys over Ii years
on the bench, and that the intirmities Of
age find them comparatively poor men.
sNi1. a.
The conference result in an agreement
which will be generally considered US
freditable to this General Assembly
The two judges are to be invited to re-
tire upon an allowance of 81 900 each
per year, acceptance of the same to be
made within 10 days. There is no Ques.
ZION entertained but that this invitation
n will be accepted and that the remunera-
ION Will be regarded as satisfactory. A
gratifying tribute to the worth and
record of the retiring judges will be in
corporated in the preamble to the act
WHOM DOES THIS MEAN?
This is the question that agitates
several members of the bar, in consid-
Grafton of the presence of bill which
strikes out the five years practice quail
tication now required of aspirants for
the position of city solicitor for viii
mipston. Under this hill, it does not
appear that any previous experience as
a practising attorney could be insisted
on. Indeed, one Wilmington lawyer
asserts, it would make possible the seec-
ton of city solicitor lacking the
qualification to appear for the city be-
fore the court of chancery. 1t is sur
missed by the critics of this prospective
measure that the end in view is to open
the door for some young attorney, but
they do not profess to be able to name
him. There are obviously two sides to
such question, and the people of Will
mington should be entitled to the most
able legal talent the emolumcn,s and
prestige of the position will attract.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
Mr.. Salisbury introduced to-day bills
TO amend chapter 27 and repeal chapter
es, Vol. XIX, Delaware Laws. These
acts relate to Levy Court business,
n awarding Of county work, election of
"A county treasurer, NC, in Kent and Sus-
I'd Sex. Being duplicates Of each other, tho
object is to consolidate the two acts and
A thereby economize, by three rages orso,
4 IN the printing of the new Revised Code.
Id The first bill to pass either branch OF
his General Assembly-and that passed
v Jhe House by unanimous vote-was the
N DILL ratifying the Pilling- -lIutsOn con.
;titutlonal amendment. 1t was brought
down by Speaker Whiteman, and en-.
glneered through by Mr.. Cooch.
Mr. Watkins gave notice to-day of
bill authorizing the governor to appoint
n an additional notary public for VII.
mington, who, in addition to the usual
II functions, shall he a public stenographer
X and shall have authority to take any
and all ailidavits in proceedings in law
or equity in any Of the state courts.
Mr.. Spruance has received from Will
mington bill to amend the Police
A Commission act. Nothing has been
4 made known regarding its contents, but
il IS presumed to be designed to lcgis-
late the two city detectives out of Office
and to place the two State detectives
under the direction of the chief of police.
Mr.. Watkins has gwen notice of
bill amending the "valuation of
property" law, the aim of which is to
4 provide for supplementary annual
assessments by the county. Under the
present system, with the exception Of
poll taxables, county assessment is
made only once in four years, SO that
new buildings erected live stock aC
n quired and betterments generally made
during the interval temporarily escape
NJ county taxation, while, per contra,
property changing hands still stands
assessed against the former owner until
the next quadrennal visit Of the us.
SCISSOR. The Watkins bill will make the
county system conform in this respect
to the Wilmington municipal system.
Probably, also, something will be en-
bodied looking to the breaking up Of
the practice of padding" poll assess
ments, to which the allowance Of 10
cents per name is standing temptation.
George Carter was appointed to-day
clerk of the divorce committee.
DOVER, Jan. l9.-The right to local
lelf-government within the purview Of
She Constitution of the United States
! l. l.. i