Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-13
TnE DOgGR TURMOIL.
A Plain Statement Mado by Momber o
the Town Council.

u
A the Town Council.
Delawarean, Aug. stb.
One Of the town ordinances, in the
interest Of good order, and to preserve
the use of the streets and sidewalks
for their legitimate uses and functions,
reads:
President of Council, the Couucilmen,
the constable Of Kent county residing
in Dover, and Of the town constables,
TO suppress all riotous, turbulent, dis
orderly or noisy assemblages or gath
erings of persons in the streets, squares,
lanes and alleys, or other place within
the limits of said town, and for this
purpose it shall be the duty of any OF
the said constables forthwith to arrest
any such person SO offending, and carry
them before the alderman for hear
ing, and upon conviction, any such
person shall forfeit and pay fine of
not less than 81, nor more than $40, OF
may be committed to Jail for period
not exceeding 30 days, or until such
cost and fine be paid, at the discre-
tion Of the alderman.
Section 2. That any person or per-
sons standing, idling or lettering on
corner, pavements, sidewalks Or cross
inGs, or standing in group, or congre-
gated with others on any pavement,
sidewalk, crossing or corner, or in any
| OF the streets, squares, lanes or alleys,
or at any doorstep, 30 as to obstruct or
hinder the free and convenient passage
of persons walking, riding or driving
over or along any such pavement, side
walk, street, square, lane or alley, OF
to the annoyance Of passers- by, or the
occupiers of adjacent premises, and shall
fail to make way. remove, or pass on,
after reasonable request by any person
shall be deemed guilty Of common
nuisance, and upon con viction before
| tho alderman shall be fined not less
than 81, nor more than $40, to be col
| lected as fines of like amount are col.
| lected. 1t shall be the duty of the
| alderman, upon complaint of any viola.
ton of the provisions OF this section to
issue his warrant commanding any Of
! the constables aforesaid to bring the
persons complained of before him for
| trial.
| Now l submit: Is this not fair,
sensible ordinance, impartially inter.
preted and administered, as 1T has
| always been? Is il not in the interest
| las all good laws should be) of good
order and preserving our streets and
sidewalks for their legitimate uses and
| functions? Is it an onerous or oppres-
sive law TO observe? Is it not one fol
good citizens to sustain and respect, as
they have always done. and one which
has never been questioned or criticized
during the 90 years it has been In
force until the arrival of the Single
Takers in cur midst?
They were tacitly allowed to use and
| obstruct our streets for some time
| without interference until complaints
were made by our merchants, and ever
then our alderman went to them per
sonally and requested them to desist,
| telling them that they were violating
town ordinance. They arroaantly
refused to comply, claiming the right
to speak when and where they pIeaset
defyipg the laws and authorities, Wha
could be do but order their arrest
| At the next meeting Of tho council tn,
alderman and officers were unanimously
sustained in their efforts to sustain
and enforce our laws. At the sam,
time, to avoid any friction, there wal
unanimous resolution passed offering
them the use of our PUBLIC square
| (where all public meetings are held
at any time on application. Now, d.
these facts justify the charge Of IN
just oppression and abridgment o
freedom OF speech and, too, from sol
fish and partisan considerations ant
fear Of their increasing power anC
consequent detection from our politica
numbers though it is we'll known tina
our Town Council is non-pnrtisan ant
as nearly equally divided politically al
possible? Our council and townsmel
generally have borne great deal o
unnecessary abuse, and ask: Who il
entitled to the sympathy and supper
Of allNgood citizens, the people wht
are unfolding and sustaining the law
as they exist or the people tmosE o
whom are from other States) who are
here defying them, and who will ALLOW
Of no Interpretation of our ordinances
but their own, and who boast that the!
will submit to no authority. tribuna
or arbitrameut that does not suit them
We do not want any anarchy here
Our laws and legal tribunals must ant
will be sustained by all good citizens.
l NJ 4 Il