Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-03-19
Aadleks. bach and nast,ns..

On Sunday the Philadelphia Press
printed Interviews with Edward &.
Bradford and Washington Hastings Of
this city, with reference to the mode
Of electing delegates to the Constitu.
tional Convention TO be held IN De.a'
ware rext winter
Mr. Bradford fully anJ unquaIifediy
endorsed the proposition to make the
convention entirely non partisan by
dividing the delegates equally between
the two loading political parties, He
said
Before the Convention bill was passed
| took much interest in the subject and
was then, as am now, in favor of an
equal division politically Of the dele-
gates from each OF the Counties
What the people of this State desire
and sorely need is new Constitution,
and in order to attain this object any
Constitution framed by the convention
should, in my opinion, be submitted
to and ratified by the people before it
takes effect 1t is, therefore, most de-
sirable that any proposed Constitution
should he framed under such clrcum-
stances as will create the least antago-
nism to its ratification. If Constitu.
tion should be framed either by q
distinetive.y Democratic body or by a
distinctively Republican body, it would
in all probability be considered by the
party whose members were in the
minority in the convention, partisan
measure, and would undoubtedly, upon
its submission to the people for ratifi-
cation. be sntagori2ed as such by the
undivided strength of that marty, as
well as by those in tho State who are
constitutionally opposed TO any change.
should have little hope under such
circumstances Of the ratification OF a
| Constitution thus framed.
On the other hand a Constitution
| framed by convention equally divided
politically would, upon its submission
TO the people, he ratified almost to a
certainty. / am also of the opinion
| that If 1T wern understood by each OF
| the two leading parties of the State
that its delegates to the Constitutional
Convention would have to cope with an
| equal number Of delegates from the
opposing political party the result
| would be that each party would select
| the ablest and strongest OF its own
members as delegates. IL is true that
unon those features OF proposed Con
stitution affecting the machinery OF
1 popular elections there might be an
! equal division in the convention; but
4 it is hardly to be anticipated that such
/ a body as a Constitutional Convention
| thus comprised will consist of pCthoust
politicians. On the contrary, strongly
| incline 10 the belief that the members
OF the convention would largely consist
OF the best element in either party.
OF course, it is not to be expected
that either party could in such con
vention obtain all it might desire.
| There are, however, many important
subjects Of reform affecting vitality the
interest and welfare of the people al
large upon which the convention would
unquestionahly act favorably. And SO
| far as providing for the qualification
OF voters and other matters pertaining
to election, there would necessarily be
some concession by each of the political
| elements constituting the convention
4 For these and other reasons unneces.
sRry to be given. /, in common with
many Other Republicans, believe that
| the recommendation jointly made by a
Republican House, as well az by a
Democratic Senate should be carried
| out.
Mr.. Hastings took exactly the op-
posite view Of the matter lie favored
the nomination by the Republican
party of full delegate tickets in each
county lie wants to SEQ Republican
convention. The Republican party, he
nsiste 'has always been the Now
Constitution party, and it cannot
afford to surrender its principles at
this time, lie thus arrays hlmseli
on tho side Of Addialia and Bach in
opposition to II non partisan Constitu.
tionaI Convention.
The proposition TO unite in securing
purely non partisan convention stand.
at present in this shape: 1t was recon
mrnled by Legislature comprising 6
Democratic Senate and Republican
li0ose; it is publicly favored by two
representative Republicans, MIR Brad
| furl and eX State Senator John Pilling
| il ia also favored by at least ono Repub
licaH paper and by several journals o
Democratic faith; it is opposed b,
AdsIicka Bach and Hastings.
Aaiicks Bach and Haatings This
is a puGination which tic people o
Delaware, regardless OF politics, shoult
resolutely aet their faces against.