Smyrna times., 1895-01-23

we have before expressed our hearty
| approval of the choice of the Hon. N
b. Smlthers as the new Secretary o.
state. We can now only repeat what
We stated then; that the learning and
ability of Mr.. Smithers is too we'll
known to the public to need any repeti
] ton at our hands. We have not the
slightest doubt that the new secre.
tary Will NIL his position ably and with
credit to himself and to the State. Il
Governor MarVil but use his appoint
ing power in the future as advisedly as
he has in the choice of his secretary, he
will receive only commendation from
all sides.-DOUer Eder.
DIR. Hulburd of Grace Church, viii
mingtOn will be more careful in the
| future when travelling. He placed his
dressing case, which contained a dress
suit and the manuscript of three lect
ures, on the floor of the waiting room
against one of the pilasters of the build
ing in the Pennsylvania depot in Phila-
deldhia, on Friday afternoon He
stepped away for a few minutes tC
speak to an acquaintance and when he
returned his Valise had disappeared
Now he is mourning the loss of his
manuscripts. Moral - Hold on tc
your valise when travelling.
LOCAL OPTION. Says an exchange
What is more reasonable than that the
people of each county shall saw
whether the liquor traffic shall continue
or cease. 1t should be left to vote OF
all the people Local Option simply
gives the people Of county or com
munity the right to say at the ballot
box whether the saloon shall go or
stay. We do not see how any reason
able person should object to this, in a
land where it is claimed that the voice
of the people should rule. This is not
a partisan movement as will be seen by
the proceedings of the convention, that
a large number of our most respected
and influential citizens, representing
all shades of politics are in it. What
they ask is reasonable and we do not
see how IA broad spirited legislature
can refuse their requests
The GROWTH OF CORRUPTION AT
ELECTIONS. MIR. Thomas B. Coursey
of Kent county, giving some details in
the ECery EUening of the origin and
development of debauchery and cor
ruptiOn at elections in this State. Mr..
Coursey writes from personal know
ledge, as the matters of which he speaks
came under his own observation. Mr..
COursey shows how the corruption
began in the payment of the taxes of
men who claimed to be too poor to
make the payment out of their own
means, aud soon political parties began
to raise funds to be expended for this
purpose. Then came free rum and
free dinners, and it was but short
time until the debauchery assumed the
form of the open purchase Of votes for
such sums as the venal wretches who
consented to barter their suffrage de-
manded. The amount kept constantly
increasing, until the climax was
reached at the last election.
GOVERNOR MARvILs WRITING.--
The reporter of the Wilmington DaHv
Republican has the following in yester-
days payer: Your correspondent had
a very enjoyable chat with Governor
Marvil to day. He expressed himself
as feeling fairly we'll in health. He
also showed your correspondent several
blanks which he had signed. He said:
DO You consider that fair signature?"
(meaning his name which had been
signiug.) Your correspondent said
that the writing was above the aver
age 1t is a good deal better signature
than that of Ezekiel Cooper, registrar
of Kent county. Speaking of sigma
lures, your correspondent was in the
lobby or front room of the capital hotel
and seeing three or four registrars
notices hanging up against the wall
MS attention was attracted to them
b. the peculiar scratch or scrawl Of the
registrar. He tried his best to decipher
the name appended that gave the
registrars order official recognition,
hut it took fully three minutes to de-
cipher the name of the registrar.