The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-22
POLITICAL NOTES
BY OUR REPORTER.
I. Cannon Short Taking a Lively Canvass
for United States Marshal.
PROPERTY QUALIFICATIONS
Winked at by City Council. The Good Old
Days When Tissue Ballots Cut .. -
Figure In the Third Ward
What the Editor OF the
q. & Sraws About
Politics.

We wonder II the editor Of the Every
Evening remembers who his competitor
was in tho Third ward when he was re.
turned elected from that ward in 1884
and ugainjn 1886, and how tissue ballots
figured largely In tho returns when the
count was announced ''electing" him as
member of City Council. We wonder IL
Mr.. William II. Blake could not tell some
thing Of the means used in those elections
that knocked Thomas johnson out and re-
turned his competitor elected and how the
nominations and elections wero run by the
Democrats who controlled the political
machinery in our city. and how the editor
was made chairman OF the printing com.
mittee during his two terms in that body.
The Council was then composed OF
twenty two members and the Street and
Sewer Department was then under the
control Of council. He could II he wanted
tell how the returns In tho Tenth ward
sion to make up the necessary majority to
elect tho Mayor. 1t would BIO very inter
esting reading matter now that he Is "out
Of politios" to give his readers the tricks
that wero practice in those years by his
party associates whose bidding he obeyed
as member OF council from the Third
ward.
The chairmon Of tho standing commit
tess wore mad, up in 1884 as follows: FL
nance Dennis j. Mention; water, Martin
Fcrrcll; streets, George Adele; public
buildings, A. II. Taylor; opening streets,
John NJ Newell; law, James McKenna;
printing, Merits Taylor; fire companies,
William H. Blake; lamps, William G.
Bangh; police, James Murray; navigation.
Alfred 5. Denney; education, James Nc
kenna; accounts, Thomas B. Brison; on
grcssment, John M. Newell; now maps,
Alfred S. Dsnney, sewers, Martin Farrell.
John p. Wales was elected Mayor In
1SS! for torn of three years, Hugh Nc
Council being appointed by him Chief of
Police. The police force then consisted of
four sergaants and thirty two patrolmen
and six specials. The salary OF the Mayor
was us now IL 800 per year.
The police force now numbers Chief OF
Police, tw 0 captains and ten scrgeants and
some seventy patrolmen, two mounted
police officer, and six bicycle mounted Of
floors, Everything in those good old days
Of Democratic control excepting the police
department which was appointed by tho
NJ lyor.
The Water Department was taken out
Of politics, and control Of City Council by
an net passed by. the General Assembly
on April 18Th 1883, and declared Constitu-
tional after rrotracted legislation by tho
Court of Errors and Appeals in July 22nd
ls3i, The first commissioners named
in the bill wcro William Y. Porter
Chief engineer Joseph A. Bond was
then appointed for the position which he
has held, ever snca His salary was then
81. 40Oa year which has since been increas.
ed to 5000
City Council has since been cut down to
thirteen momberS one member bong elect
ed from each Of the twelve wards and tho
president by the votes Of every voter In the
city.
THIRTEEN AN UNLUCKY NUMBER.
Thirteen mcmbers this year for the first
time appears to DO an unlucky number rs
it has thus far enabled one member Of the
majority party in control of council to
dictate his term to his six associates.
The caucaus that was hold last evening
by tho Democratic members of council
did not appear as harmonious us it should
have been and tho slate has not yet been
fixed up satisfactory to the members from
tho First ward, who still Insists and is
holding out for his rights as he soo' them.
PROPERTY QUALIFICATIONS
The property qualifications as required
by1he law to enable citizen to become
momDer legally Of city council don't up.
pear to cut much of figure when the sue.
cessful members present their deeds to
city council. Tho law is only partially
complied with. We have been told Of
numerous instances when members elect
have presented deeds for property which
after being examined by the committee
appointed by that body FOR such purposes
have been the following day destroyed. tho
law only in letter having been complied
with.
We can't SEQ how members of Council
can be properly qualified according to the
law, whom they have no property recorded
IN thGlf name and none Assessed to either
OF them or their wives, or never have paid
a city or county tax upon the same. But
then US we have often remarked politics l,
funny thing, and the juggling done to
make members appear qualified is somc-
thing that the proper authorities should
some day take hand in. As it Is now and
has been cxacted by Council it is n hollow
mockeTy. When election day rolls around
again the qualification of the men who
arc voted fer will be clearly looked into Us
socn rs their election is announced.
Mr.. Delaware Clark of Pencader Hun.
dred was in our city yesterday and con
siderea 1t an outrage that the appointment
of T. Cannon Short Of Sussex county us
an applicant for United States Marshal
should for one moment DO considered seri-
ously by the authorities at Washington.
Mr.. Harry H. McMullen Is also 81 tho
same way of thinking
Mr Clark was making hustlinE can.
vas yesterday amongst the Republicans in
our city getting their opinion as to tho
appointing. Of Mr. Cannon to the Mar.
shilshtp. He can't see how the appoint
mcnt should seat an applicant away down
in Sussex county. Ali the Same from
what Mr.. Short said on his call at the RE.
PUBLICAN he has great expectation of being
! he coming man. Ho Is making lively
hustle for it.