Middletown transcript., 1896-08-22
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

aThe most disorderly convention eve
held in the State" is the verdict passet
Unanimously upon the Democratic Stat
Convention, held at Dover on Tuesday
The opponents of Hon. Peter J. Fore
claim, that his friends packed the CONVEX.
tion and tliat they undertook TO force his
nomination from the outside. The Ford
men in New Castle county accuse Their
opponents Of adopting guerilla politics be-
| cause the anti-Ford men refused to go into
caucus, Is Of the 81 delegates refusing to
caucus. Mr. Ford had A votes in this
county Kent county was not pledged but
it was supposed that more than half her
delegates backed up the choice of Sussex
county which had consolidated upon Ebe
w. Tunnel, who was defeated two years
ago by Governor Marvil Ex-Governor
Reynolds had been made chairman and he
found it impossible to control the mob, not
the convention. Ex-Attorney Gen. John
Biggs and Willard Salisbury put Mr.. Ford
in nomination. Col. E. L. Martin and w. +.
Causey performed the same service for Mr..
Tunnell There was little riot when the
chairman named tellers not acceptable to
resulting Tunnel 1os and Ford II. Mr..
Ford must have gotten SO votes from Kent
county and the IS votes which he lost in
New Castle defeated him. His friends claim
N a. he r,oc f,,rpod 1oup hacoueo ha is n
Catholic and they threaten in the heat of
their disappointment to knife the ticket.
Their opponents laugh and say they dare
not do it.
But little attention had been paid to the
congressional candidate and not more than
half the delegates remained i'll the hall to
take part in the ballot. Mr.. Ford's name
was mentioned but his friends would not
listen to it. John Biggs might have had
the nomination but declined. Finally
Gen. Theodore F. Armstrong and L. Irving
Handy were put in nomination and an eff
fort was made to ballot but the confusion
was so great it was impossible. A recess
was taken to get some kind of order. On
the final vote was Handy 81,
Armstrong 10, and Ford 2, and Mr.. Levin
Irving Handy was declared the nominee,
The caucus electors were ratified and the
ticket in full is:
Governor, Ebe W. Tunnel of Sussex
Congress, L. Irving a andy. of New Cas-
tie.
Presidential electors, John III. Rodney,
New Castle; John Harrington, Kent; Payn-
ter Frame, Sussex.
The following is the platform adopted:
1.-THE Democratic party of Delaware in
State Convention assembled declares again
It's allegiance to the cardinal principles of
he Democratic faith, which have so long
,een illustrated in past party platforms
md through many years of successful, prac
ice in he>governm'.sst of the state.
"ft pledges itself to securing and main
aiming the economical conduct of our state
which has characterized its
,ast administrations. to secure as far as
,os sible. the equitable distribution of the
,urdens of taxation. which should be so
djusted as to release from Restraint. as
ar as the industrial activities of ourNi
'eople.
'In the election of a constitutional con-
'ention it demands such changes in our
rganic law as shall meet the exigencies OF |
he present day, and commended by the ex~
oerience of the past and that the work of
hat convention shall first be ratified by the |
,eople before becoming operative.
"It denounces the prevalent debauchery
# the electorate of the state by the cor
upting hand of ambitious wealth. and it
ppeals to healthy public opinion to sup
'ort rigorous execution of the laws
gainst bribery and corruption at the polls.
"Pledging the electors this day nomina-
ed to the support of the candidates, Will
iam J. Bryan and Arthur Sewall, for Presi-
lent and President. by the National
Democratic Convention held in Chicago on
he 18th of July last, it presents to- the
thoughtful consideration of the citizens of
Delaware the high character and citizen
hip of the candidates nominated for the
rusts which the votes of free people can
onfer"
The Single Tax delegates from New Cas-
lie hundred were admitted to the conven-
ion without protest but their delegates
rom Wilmington were shut out Harold
udeIl, prominent Single Taxer, was a
,ember of the committee on resolutions
nd made an effort to put in minority re-
ort but it was declared out of order. which
as plain violation of all parliament
Try practice and personal rights, and Mr..
udell was shut off without a hearing. He
ished to get the following before the Con-
ention:
1--WE favor the abolition of all taxes upon
bor, on the products of labor and the re-
uction / of the poll tax to the lowest
mount possible.
1--WE hold that all taxation should be
upon that form ofproperty
which all men have an equal natural
ghth, viz, Land values.
"We would thus exempt from taxation
4 improvements, factories, stores, houses,
arms, machinery, tools. live stock, &c
aving labor free to produce unchecked by
.xation, and would make it Improbable
hold land idle by taxing it as heavily as
it were being put to its best use."
MY MARYLAND,