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

noL exceeding MY dollars Tor each person
defended.
This resolution, which had been pri-
vately under consideration by members
OF this General Assembly since Monday
evening, when it was brought down
here with the backing of some pretty
good Democrats, came into the House,
from the Senate, this afternoon, with
the expenditure limited to the COVER
nors discretion. The original wording
empowered the governor to draw upon
the State treasurer "for reasonable COM
pensation for any services rendered
under his direction" In this shape the
resolution bad passed the Senate with.
out objection. Senator pilling was not
IN his scat ut the time, and Senator
McMullen did not say word against
the resolution. of the Democrats, Senu-
tor Ross was likewise temporarily alb
sent and Senator Williams had gone
home Senator Pyle moved the adop-
tion of the resolution and II went
through without any hesitation or dis
cussion.
In the House the resolution lay on
the table for an hour or so, till called
up by Mr.. Spruance. Captain Dasey
thereupon submitted an amendment
limiting the expenditure to $50 per case,
which was adopted and the resolution,
as amended, CancurrGd in. This was
also done without word of objection
or debate. The obvious intent Of the
amendment was to limit what would
otherwise have been left as a somewhat
Indefinite appropriation. This was the
intent OF Captain Dasev, and it was SO
understood by the House.
1t was, therefore, a surprise to mem
hers of the House to discover, aflcr the
return Of the resolution 10 the Senate
tor concurrence in this amendment, that
restriction inspired by economy and
prudence was regarded by some Of the
Democratic Senators as II suggestion Of
extravaganza. 50 apparent was this
feeling that Mr.. Pyle did not feel war
ranted in calling up the resolution for
concurrence in the House amendment,
prcierring to let it lie oyer until to-mpr.
row. possibly till later. The ultimate
late of The amended resolution is, at this
writing, little uncertain.
There are II of these cases before the
Federal court-mcn, it will he remem-
bercd, who We're snatchcd up by the
deputy marshals ana held in S3 600 bail
by Commissioner Macalister,a bail bond
sufficient to warrant the imputaton Of
some grave felony At the full amount
of $50 each, these IA trials would aggre-
gate only 800, and it Is srcpresented that
considerably less than this would prob
ably be called for from the State. But
even were the State to foot the whole
bill, it would not be heavy expendi-
turc for the defence OF the right to CON
n m all 4
laws, and the expenditure would hardly
be repeated, since the incoming Demo-
cratic administration should certainly
be relied on to promptly wipe from the
statute books every Yestigc Of the Fed
eral election system which the nation
condemned so overwhelmingly at the
polls last November.
THE HALFWAY BILLS.
Two Of the electric railway bills have
gone into committee, with Il prospect of
staying there until the members know
more about them. These are the Will
mington ~ New Castle Electric, known
as the Cooper bill, in the House, and tile
Wilmington " Brandywinu Springs
Electric, in the Senate. With regard to
the latter there is 4 feeling that the
franchises asked are pretty broad, to
draw il mildly On this connection, it
may be said that Mr.. Pilling, who intro
duccd the latter bill, did 81 to obligc n
constituent and is by no means to be re.
garded as personally committed to it.
1t often happens that members intro
duCG bills which come TO be associated
in the public mind with their games
when, as matter Of fact, they may not
be ready to support them. The same
remark will apply to Representative
Spruance and some of the measures
which are introduced by linn purely
in the line of his obligation To some of
his constituents.
But without prejudice to special cleo
trio railway project, 1t may be said that
the members of the Legislature generally
are in mood to wait until they have
learned to their satisfaction which, If
any, among the number Offering are
genuine and substantial, and which, il
any, are merely speculative. And they
are furthermore disposed to make it
condition precedent to the granting OF
charter that the projectors shall cove
nant to begin the actual construction of
the railway within specified time, say
from three to six months, and to com
pletc the road and have ii in operation
within one or twu years. With four
companies protesting to want to build
an electric line TO New Castle, certainly
such road should come before another
year.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
The following were adopted in joint
session:
WHEREAS, Chief Justice Comegys and
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