Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-03-05


A reporter of The Gazette called
on ex-State Senator John Pilling, ut his
home In Newark, Tuesday afternoon,
and ascertained bis views concerning
the selection Of delegates to tho Com
stitutional Convention, which will
meet in Dover next December. Mr..
Pilling has been an advocate of such a
convention for several years and he In
therefore we'll able to talk on matters
. bearing on this highly important sub
ject. lie is an ardent Republican, hut
he is wholly unbiased in all his
thoughts and utterancea concerning
the revision Of the Constitution OF
Delaware.
When Mr.. Pilling was asked how he
thought the delegates to the convention
should be selected he replied az follows
my idea 10 that, aa each party will
hold two State conventions this year
one for the selection of delegates to the
national conventions and the other to
choose nominees for State Offices the
question as 10 how the Constitutional
Convention delegates shall be selected
should be taken up and settled by each
party at the convention held for the
purpose OF choosing delegates to the
national convention, The Republican
State convention will, in all probability
be held in May, and my idea IL that
this convention should decide what
method the Republican party desires
TO pursue respecting the selection OF
delegates TO the Constitutional Con.
vention. In fact, we are forced 10 take
soom definite action at that time. II
the wish of the party, as expressed al
fhat convention ID Tint ua have . non.
partisan convention, aa recommended
by tho act Of the last Legislature in
calling for the convention, then il will
be in order to proceed to call on each
county to select five OF its citizens { Re.
publicansl to 60 on the ticket, and
am in favor OF allowing the people &c
make such selection by whatever regu.
latlon they may adopt This is the
method shall advocate
I'VE are somewhat dependent, II
the Republicans pursue this policy and
tho Democrats do not favor a non par
tisan ticket, then our action will be oI
no account. But il this action is taker
at the first convention, we will have
sufficient time after the Democratic
State convention, IL our action is moi
endorsed by the Democrats, to pursue
some other COURSE | shall advocate {
non-partiHan convention, and ! shal
do 1t In the Republican convention.
Inasmuch as we meet first, the &C
tion OF the Republican convention will
have great influence on conservative
people throughout tho State. II thC
Democratic convention came first, i
would be Of tho greater importance
81 cannot understand where ther,
would be any advantage to any mart,
in the event of one party gaining con
troll OF the convention. | cannot sec
what difference it would make whether
the Constitution were made by 90 goot
Democrats or 20 good Republicans, 81
far an the instruments being Of any as
HiHtance to either party il concerned
For instance, il we go to tho convention
with Ii delegates zach, | cannot 500
what difference it would make who VIZ
set up to preside, whether he be gooC
Democrat or good Republican.
cannot see what difference 1t woult
make whether the clerk who takes thu
minutes of the convention be Re
publican or Democrat IL does MAKE
difference, however, whether thu
members Of the convention realize thu
important duty to the people that fall
TO their lot.
my idea is that the Democrat
should select five good men in eacf
county and the Republicans five goot
men and that the names of those II
men should be placed on both the Re
publican and Democratic tickets il
each county at the election next fall.
II the party organizations in or
ganizing. agree to do that, il is equiva
lent to an election. The organization
of the two parties will be held responsi
bic for the character of the men the,
put on the ticket.
| am going to advocate when tn
Republican convention meets that thu
suggestion Of the Legislative act b'
respected. II one county objects, tina
upsets tho whole thing, and the onl,
way TO provide satisfactorily for the so
lection Of delegates is at the State con
vention of each party, for in that con
vention the entire State will he repro
sented and the action taken wouli
most likely be agreeable to the party al
over the State. 1 say settle tho ques
tion at the State conventions, !"
In conclusion, Mr.. Piliing remarked
~ am in favor of making the COnsti
tuition so as to allow the people to OK
press themselves by the most conven
lent methods. -
Rendered Unconscious by n Fall.