Middletown transcript., 1896-10-03
RIGHT OF FRANCHISE,

4 ViOA 40 oAVAW
RIGHT OF FRANCHISE.
| This is the season when the spread.
eagle orator talks Of the great Ameri-
can privilege Of the ballot aud the
duty Of every good citizen to cast a
vote for good government. Such talk
sounds we'll and it we're we'll If every
good citizen could enjoy the privilege
Of the ballot, but he cannot-not in
Delaware at least. This is the time
when in this State the difference be-
tween the privileges of Republicans and
Democrats is mads apparent. Every
registration officer in the State is a
Democrat and we presume the most OF
them would not deny being partisans.
Under the law every voter must be reg
isteled before these partisan officers,
which counts for much to the party in
power though every one of them were
strictly conscientious since their incli-
nations and prejudices are all in favor
| of their own party. That is human ma
ture and not word of protest would
be made if the advantages stopped
there. They do not. Republicans are
now awaking to the fact that in every
community are men who will not be
| allowed to vote on Nov. 81. Some
whose names appeared on the assess
ment last spring are informed by the
tax collector that they are not on the
tax duplicate. They have been dropped
in some mysterious way. They give
their names to the assessor aud see
that the name appears on the posted
list. Returns are made to the Lsvy
Court. these are passed over to the
Clerk of the Peace, duplicates are
made FOR the collector, aud lol the
names of Republicans are missing. No
Democrat is ever treated thus. Indeed
1t is well known that to them tax re-
ceipts are without money and without
price, or to such as ask them that way.
A minister Of the gospel and a teacher
in the schools are among the intelli-
gent citizens Of st. Georges hundred
who are thus deprived of their votes.
But it is before the Registrars that
the difficulties of Republicans are
brought out. We shall cite four of
several that have baen held up in regis
tration in this town. Not citizsn of
the town who does not know Mr..
George G.. Rowe, a resident here for
fifteen years, merchant and a tax
payer. Two years ago he found that
the collector had his name George W.
and last spring he saw that the middle |
letter was corrected by the assessor,
but 10! it turns up in error and his reg.
istration is held up. The assessor is
willing to vouch that Mr.. Rowe is the
man assessed but even though he is
permitted to qualify he is put to the
extra trouble Of another. visit to the
Registrar.
Two years since Mr.. Martin Paynter
found that he was assessed as Mortin
and he was refused registration until
he produced an old tax. receipt. Now
he is Morton" Paynter but the tax
collector assured him that it would
"be all right before the Registrar.
That officer thinks it is not all right
and according to our courts he is the
Judge. In six years Mr.. Paynter has
been allowed one vote. /
On Saturday Mr.. Charles A. john
son who came here from Smyrna and
has been employed for over a year in
the electric light plant was turnsi
down on receipt for 1895, though our
Constitution distinctly says that a citi-
zen having paid tax within two years
may vote.
George Dennis goes before the Regis
trar and is told that his tax receipt
should have an L. as middle initial,
the receipt is taken and marked as no
good and he is refused. More or less Of
The same work is being done in every
one of the 60 election precincts in this
eounty, and without doubt also by the
in Kent and Suss. x. Poll
ticians laugh and approve of such
work but not SO with hundreds of hon.
est Democrats. Officers should do
their duty but when only Republicans
suffer in these matters no fair man but
Acknowledges that it is a great injus-
lice not only to the Republicans as in
1ividuals but to the cause Of good gov .
It is an injustice that has /
helped more than all things else to c
bring the politics of this State 10 it's b
present. status, 10 make good honest 7
citizens shut their eyes to methods ad- t
opted to meet these wrongs. There are d
about 100 Registrars in the State and e
,he advantage they are to the party in Il
power even though their duty il dis
charged conscientinusly is apparent, 4
out when number of them are ex-
RENE partisans it may be- seen that c.
hey can make or unmake maj rites Il
We hope Tie four men referred 10 as a
,itizens of Middletown NAV no, be de-. S
lied the right to vote and We but cite "
heir cases to show our unpreiu.iiced
itizens the injustice of our tax laws. o.
s,
DUTY OF REPUBLICANS. e'
There have been earnest pleas among "
incere Republicans for compromise st
ot L 4.