Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-23
The ConstItut,onnl Convention.

OF the approaching Constitutional Con-
yention Of this State He particularly
refers TO the recommendation con
tanned in the act of Legislature provid.
ing for the convention, that the mem-
bors Of the body shall be equally di
vided between "the two leading politi-
cal partiesn of tho State. meaning,
Of course the Democratic and the Re
publican parties. On this point Judge
Fisher writes;
In the first place it may be objected
that inasmuch as provision is made,
both in the 9th article Of the Constitu-
tion of 1881, and in the act of assembly
passed at its last session, there are to
be ten members Of the new convention,
(no more and no loss elected from
each Of the three counties-the whole
number of members being the even
number Of thirty there might be, es-
pecially il party spirit should run
strong among the ueAbers, very
serious obstacle in tho way of organ.
izing convention for il it should 30
turn out that the two leading parties
should arrange in each county that an
equal number Of members elected
should be elected from these two lead.
ing parties, there might be and proba.
bly, would be tic vote in tho begin
ming ballotting for the president or
secretary Of the convention, and posi-.
bly,, the convention G;ight never organ
ize. Similar doadlocks have frequently
occurred in our General Assembly, and
why not in convention called to make
or amend tho organic law OF the State
as well as the Legislature, whose en-
actments are inferior in Importance TO
the people. A better recommendation
we think, would be for the two
leading parties to vote for SIX or
seven members Of their own party
and three or four members selected
from the opposing party's ticket. This
would insure minority representation
in the convention and prevent fail.
ure to organize that body after it had
been elected by the people mud thus
entail tho loss of all the time and
money that have been expended. Or,
II after the convention had organized
and gone to work making tho new CON
stitution there should he d question aa
TO the adoption of any one Of the arti
Giles or sections proposed having real
or imaginary party complexion it
might fail to be adopted. however salu.
tory its provisions, through mere party
prejudice, and the lack of ono vote.
Our own opinion is that the conven.
tlon ticket should he made out by
tho two leading parties in the same
manner as the legislative ticket each
party making a complete ticket from
Its own members.
While an equal division Of the con
vention undoubtedly suggests serious
difficulties, the objection 10 the plan
proposed 10y Judge Fisher is that it
subjects the convention to tho danger
OF being composed entirely Of mem.
bors of one political party. OF course
should one party carry one county and
the other party elect its ticket in tho
other two counties, as has been tho
case frequently at elections in this
State, minority representation would
be secured. But it is not assured by
this system. There have been elec.
tions in Delaware when the Democratic
party elected its legislative ticket in
each Of the three counties. Occasion
ally, when this happened, there was
the saving grace Of one or two oppos-
tion holding over Senators, to give the
minority at least semblance Of renre.
sanitation, but this would not be so
with the Constitutional Convention.
1t is to be but single body Of ton
members from each county, and a
victory by other party in each of the
three counties would make it a purely
partisan body, without hope of the
much desired minority representation.
Undoubtedly an effective plan, could
1t be arranged, would be for each party,
IN each of the three counties. 10 vote
for but six members Of the convention.
by this plan, the majority party in
4 each county would elect six members
N he convention willis the minority
party would elect the four highest can
didates on its ticket. Should tho same
parly be in the majority in each of the
three counties, il would elect eighteen
meolners Of the convention, while the
minority party would elect twelve.
rms would make minority strong
enough v prove effective, except in
cases where extreme partieauship was
resorted to. And even then, it could
make an eluphatic protest.
" IL ycgy doubtful however. il tbe
leaders Of iho two political parties win
he able 10 come together upon fair and
equahlo basis for uzming minority
approximation Al the election. III mis-
ease the convention vii acure minority
representation only by3ho success in
one county of the party That is defeated
in tho other two.
The question is an interesting one.
and should receive the carefuI consider.
alton of th1 voters,
Ibe extent 10 which the law in En-
land against bribery and corruption al
elections is enforced, was shown mare
cent contest of the euai az l.ibera
candidate for Parliament who was re-
turned as elected for I.itchHeld. tn,
only form Of bribery alleged was a elf
Of E25O given BY tho uaaoated member
to miners strike fund twelve month,
prior 10 tnc election. although it WA,
not denied that during tue ensuing
campaign his agents mad, Tia most q
. his generosity, Heretofore il has beel
held that the bcstowal Of such Gifts h,
political aspirarts SO far ii a1yauri
d The election coUId not 81 considered
violations Of tho Corrupt Pra lices act
, which was regarded as applicable on,
4 aftlr the election agants wrrn estc.io'