Evening journal., 1896-02-06
SPEAKER DONAHOE'S VIEWS.
HE WANTS A LIEUTENANT GOV
ERNOR CREATED.

for State and County Oricers and Taxa
tion Of Interest Bearing Securities.
Ex-Speaker Of the Senate John P.
Donahoe who was IN the State Senate
two terms when the question OF con-
stliutionEl reform was taking tangible
shape and rapidly working It's way to
the fore as living issue, has some
/ desided views upon the changes needed,
even while uPholdlng the old constitu.
/ tlou as too sacred a thing 10 be wiped
out entirely by the approaching Con-
stltutional Convention He believes not
no much in a new constitution ss in
proper amendment OF the old one
/ Speaking TO an EVENING JOURNAL re-
porter OF the changes that he thought
would be essential to make the Constitu-
tion acceptable TO the people. when sub
mitted to them for ratification. he said
"Creste the Office OF lieutenant cover
nor Have him elected &C the same time
and In the game manner aa the governor
now is. Provide that his duties shall be
60 preside ever the Senate as lts speaker,
with the SANS salary that the speaker OF
the Senate would have. Restrict his vot
ing TO questions on which there Is tie
vote
II have always found that the griev.
anoes Of the dissatisfied Democrats were
occasionsd by the appointing power which
is now vested In the governor, especially
In the matter Of Court House appoint
ments, concerning which there has
always been more or less factlonal rivalry.
In fact. u has In some instances been
most ruinous 10 the dominant party.
"The dissatisfaction OF Republicans
went further. They denounced the
constitution In It's entirety, aud said
that nothing good could como out Of
Nazareth, They must have new
constitution. out and out. but I noticed
that their clamorings ceased when Hon
Joshua Msrvil was elected and insugu-
rat,d as governor In 1889, when they
carried Kent and Sussex counties. l DO
not remember Of any striking reforms
that they made or OF any decided effort
ON their part to give their suffering
brethren In Wilmington and rural New
Castle county any relief from the cons,i-
tutlonal or statutory Ills from which
they we're alleged to be suffering.
suppose they will excuse themselves by
saying that even had they sci such
reforms on foot the Democratic Senate
would have killed them. For the lie OF
me l cannot remember whero or when
they attempted 10 or did formulate any
intelligent measure Of legislative 70
form for either Wilmington or
rural New Castle call to mind an
Incident at Seventh and Market streets
ono afternoon In the Fall OF 1890 A
Republican prominent In the STATE and
municipal councils Of his party, stopped
mo and asked: Senator, what will you
folks do with that Three Commissioners
bill p 4 will never let it pass Ia It's
present shape, / answered, II I can
prevent it; for 70 has too much Rspubh-
can policy In II to meet the approval OF q
Democrat He alked. How's that,
sonator2 Why II Is ceniralizlng
In it's entire character, replied, and
places the power Of government In three
men, who are only human, aud
ms orlty OF whom will be elected by
one or the the other Of the
great political. The small number
6ill tend to create rings under the infu
enoe OF which the two members Of
which will be very apt TO fall These
rlngsters will be clothed with dangerous
powers which will be used oftener for
their own benefit than for the benefit Of
the people. Senator he said, 4 hspe
to God there won't be letter In the
present law changed. Just let us get
NhAo AnNNf - Au nNW 10 NuA ybu MNl y
get it back from us in twenty years;
and you bet your sweet life we
won't alter word or a letter. Why |
Thought ven folks wanted an entira
change. I said 'OA. senator, he re
piled, that's our campaign gas, aud for
the sap heads only.
III the conservative eitizsns will pause
and calmly scrutinize the candidates
who are put forward TO be voted for with
the same care that they would use II they
were selecting them TO transact impor-
tant business for them OF as they would
seek to obtain the best Of counsel 60
manage q court case for them, we should
b sure OF having only good mea elected
and they would execute their trust
properly and not be continually tlnkerlng
aud patching up our laws every time
| Legislature meets.
"What Constitutional amendments
would you suggest2 asked the reporter
"Glve Wilmingten two senators and
two representatives aud. II necessary.
let City Council have a competent clerk
Ia each house to assist them, especially
with the business relating TO this city.
This would enable the members TO scan
closely all bills much better thap they are
able to do now.
/ Ahke tne per ulam OF tenatoiS % huu
for the representatives So and limit
the session to ninety days. Restrict
the pay to actual service rendered by the
members.
make all state and county Offices
sslsried, and have the fees turned into
the state and county tressuries. Make
provision that there shall be no reap
pointments to ofhcs carrying with them
a hve-yesr's tenure.
Put minimum tax on bonds mort
cages and interest -bsaring securities OF
every nature whatsoever SO that tbs
holders shall assist In raising the revenue
necessary for running the state govern
ment
Make provision that at taxes col
lected In Wilmington from liquor
dealers. manufacturers, merch hants, etc
shall be eqzally divided among the
state. county aud city. By so doing the
present tax rate could bs materially
reduced even while Improvements went
on
New Houses 10 he Built.
Building Inspector Grnhb grsnted
permit this morning to Phllemna Cband
Ter FOR the erection OF two tWo-story
houses and manssrd roofs At Tenth and