New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-13

ana on the table. said they would wait for their
receipts until he got home and left him. He
cooliy called the chambermaid, bade her sweep
up the money. as 1t was not his. and take 1t to
the hotel clerk. who could return It 20 the own
ers. The men never got their receipts and were
"delinquents" at the next election.
TWO RECEIPTS FOR NOTHING
But how about the Democratic workingman?
Oh. he never had to trouble himself about hunt
Ing up the collector The tax receipt (smply
a receipt signed by the collector. and containing
the taxpayers full name and date Of payment,
which enabled him to vote. was brought to him
by Democratic worker. in good time before the
election. whether he ready to pay his tax
or not. Hundreds OF these receipts signed In
blank. were always In the hands Of the domi-
nant party. and no Democrat was ever returned
as a delinquent" A clergyman who had set
tied In Delaware only few weeks was visited
one evening by man who inquired II ne was
a Democrat Yes" answered the clergyman
Then here is something for YOU" said the man.
placing sealed envelope in his hand He
opened 1t and found signed tax receipt. made
out to his name. But have not paid any
taxes!' said he. surprised. ooh. that's all
rightw said the visitor reassuringly You're
Democrat"
list. the unfortunate taxpayer must go to the
assessor and get his name on the list again
II the collector was evasve. the assessor
doubly so. Citizens must apply in person and
furnish proof Of identity, age and residence
proving these by the oath OF respectable free
holder which oath the assessor alone was en-
powered to administer A written affidavit
could not be receved-from a Republican. that
u.s. and there were no others, for no Democrat
was ever dropped
Above the assessor was another obstacle-the
Levy Court. which. In cases where Republicans
must be disfranchised without appeal. some
times dropped quantity Of names boldly off the
lists The Registrar also can throw out votes
from his list-or does. rather for two years ago
he dropped hundred more Republican votes
from his list foreseeing the election was likely
to be close This was really too much for the
respectable element among the Democrats. and
the Superior Court appealed to- but the
thing was strictly legal and constitutional. and
could not be punished or even reversed.
BRIBERY IN DELAWARE.
Bribery In Delaware, abominable as It u.s. is
only the natural ougrowth Of this unbearaby
Ubiquitous tax system. BY buying tax receipts
in blank from venal Democratic workers; by
paying men to stand In line. day after day to
pay their taxes; by fighting fire with fire, and
fraud by corruption the Republicans have waged
battle disastrous to the State. disastrous to
themselves. but disastrous also to the tax sys-
tenn. Voters have been bought and sold like
sheep: and even the Democrat who has got his
tax receipts from his party has used It TO vote
the Republican ticket when the bride was large
enough; S. is the current price Of blank signed
receipt, and from $40 to $50 the price of a voter
and both parties have spent great sums of money
and wasted interminable energy in profoundly
corrupt strife.
During the last few years the Democrats have
found the recoil Of their own artillery too much
for them. They have also recognized the OBJ
vious fact that II the State passed into the hands
Of the opposite party for however short term.
and through however close ard corrupt an cleo
ton. the tax machine, once turned against them.
last election in county. a Republican
collector was actually elected. The day of doom
at hand. The best thing to do. under this
conviction Of ultima tely Improbable sim was TO
cancel the whole thing. and this has accordingly
been done. The Constitutional Convention. with
a Democratic majority. has deliberately annulled
the Democratic tax laws, and a simple regstra-
ton fee replaces the tax receipt and the delin-
Quent list. The humors and the iniquites OF the
old regime over forever; Pnd hereafter. in
Delaware. as in every other civilized State death
and taxes will be the twin certainties Of life.