Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-04-20

having the chief executive Of this state
| amenublc to the evil influences which he
| tSaulsDnryl predicts would be the result in
| this case. | trust the gentleman will be
Ubediont to the demand Of the many
| say the many because of my personal i'll
vestigaton of this matter who hay ; de-
1 sired that this change be made and who
| feel confident to rest with ease with this
| power put INFO the hands Of this particular
| official. My surprise at this objection Is
| so great that ] declare | ain almost in
capable Of iittcring my feelings toward it.
Something that il in the line of improve
ment; something that is directly in the
lire Of reform grant YOU that with all
! this 1t may not be as good rs this bill could
| be made, but it is so clear, so evident, that
| this is in the line Of advancement and re.
| form, that trust gentlemen will see their
way clear to vote for the adoption of this
| amendment
Mr.. salisbury smlingly expressed his
qualification that Mr.. Whitemans sur
prise had not entirely deprived him of the
! power to make a pretty good speech but
| urged that he had failed to convince him
that it would not be bad pubic policy to
drag the judge into politics.
Mr.. Whiteman said that it had become
| pruyerbial in this State that when a man
became a Judge he had reached the zenith
of his political aspiration and there was
| nothing more in politics to tempt him,
| Further, that this amendment was only in
| the line of the experience and practice of
other communities. lie understood, but
| could not state it absolutely, that the
| police commissioners of Philadelphia are
| appointed by the courts.
Mr.. salisbury, in reply thought it
! hardly necessary TO remind Mr.. Whtcman,
that only few years ago one of our judges
| was so far from having attained the zenith
of his political aspirations that he became
a candidate for Congress while still OH the
| bench. He further COntcnded that Mr..
| Whitcman had made no attempt to OanswGr
| his objection that the appointing power is
a prerogative of the executive and that
/ whatever encroaChes thereupon impairs in
| hesame degree the framework of our gov
crnment and the perpetuity of our institu-
| tons.
Mr.. Whiteman replied that crcum-
| stances alter cases. This is a small cont
! monwealth with only one important city.
| The result is that we find too much the
| sentiment of the rest of the state arrayei iii
\ hostility to Wilmington, and the governor
| always comes from the rest OF the State
and is imbued with some degree of hostility
/ or unfriendliness towards Wilmington. 1t
is a mistake to give the appointing power
| to one who is not in sympathy and accord
| with the people of Wilmington. who is
not amenable TO its laws and who is NOT a
sharer in the benefits, or otherwise, Of its
municipal government. This has been
| tried and now we ask something better;
something that has been tested and found
to work better in other communities.
Mr.. salisbury was surprised at this ac-
cusdtiJn of unfriendlincss. The people,
and the governor are proud of their
metropolis. "But why not, just for once,
| he asked, try the experiment of local
.r'r government for Wilmington-permit
he people to elect their own Police Com
i...sson, Are they not to be trusted? Let
them choose their own officers and abide
by the consequences. Then, u any bad
| consequences euSue, it is not the fault of
the Legislature but the fault of the people
of Wilmington
To this there was no answer and the
! Chair directed the roll to he called on the
adontton of the amendment.
"Ouc moment - said Mr.. salisbury, "lf
this amendment should not be adopted
| propose to offer another amendment strik-
| ing out the governor and inserting the
people of Wilmington
Mr., salisbury had made good fight for
SO small n minority, for he stood alone in
| the negative when the roll was called, both
on the adoption Of the amendment and on
Il e passage of the bill as amended
The bill was taken right over to the
I Senate for concurrence in the House
amendment, and there Mr.. iflling at once
4 grappied with il.
II would like 10 enter my protest against
| this amendment. Let Us examine the
workings Of il, Our associate Judges are
| appointed for life; consequently the an.
| puintment of the commissioners will be
4 for life and the people of Wilmington viii
have to submit, and if this is Democracy
| then don't understand Democracy. We
4 did have some show Of saying who shall
| be governor. but the associate Judge in this
/ state nuds office during life or good be-
| haviOr, and, ii he is to appoint this com
| mission, then the appointees arc fixed for
! life
"Or good behavior" intcriected senator
Lacey.
IF this is democracy, or republican
| ism went on MIR. Filling then don
! know anything about it. II is wrong to
| place this power where this amendment
| intends to put it, or course, ! Will not 20
back aud bring up arguments heretofore
/ but will coniine myself to this amend
mGnt. You are placing the appointment
of this commission in a man who holds
| office for life. If this is the desire Of this
body cannot help il, but must say am
| opposed to it"
Mr. Pyle-Did understand the senator
10 say that he would appoint the commits
siunerS for life?
MIR. l'illing-No, but he holds the ap.
pointing power for life.
Mr.. lyle-Hhs is Il House amendment.
We all knew of il, and il was thought to
be more agreeable to all concerned and
more liberal that it was to take II away
from the governor ana bring 1t right nome
to one Of our own citizens, and IL was
thought that there would he no objection
TO that, and that a judge of the court
would be the proper man because he
| could not afford to make disrcpGtable or
dishonest appointment. IL was thought
that, il 50, this would be an improvement.
1t seems to meet the appreciation Of our
people; it brings il right home among us,
more in the line of local sclt.goyernmGnt.
Laughterl.
Mr. pilling-G don't think it does.
Mr.. Pilling inquired if concurrence in
the amendment required two-thiras vote.
Mr.. Williams, who was III the chair, lie
Cided, after an inspection Of tine enarting
clause Of the bill, that majority vote
would suffice. ut is police arrangement
for the peace of the city, he said IL does
not affect It's corporate powers.
Mr.. Pllling-Does not taking away the
power Of the city to appoint its own police
diminish the corporate powers of the city
The chair-rhc city OF Wilmington is
subject to the laws of the state. Il doesn't
require a twOthirds ma jortv to govern the
city Of Wilmington. That il my opinion,
1t would be hardship on the state.
Mr. Piling-lt may be hard on the State
but it would be easy on the city, think.
The Chair--Does the senator from New
Castle insist on his contention
Mr.. Piliing-No | abide BY the decision
OF the chair.
The Chair-The bill says nothing about
two.thirds vote.
MIR. Pilling--I call for the yeas and nays
on the amendment and do not appeal from
the decision of the Chair,
running debate was continued for 4