Middletown transcript., 1897-01-30
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The work of the members OF the
Constitutional Convention begins to
make a show for itself. OF necessity
the formulation Of articles for the new
constitution has been slow in the COM
mittees, that is comparatively slow but
fast enough when its Importance is
considered. The press, organizations
and individuals are offering criticisms
and making suggestions. This is as it
should be. The members of The Con-
vention will do well to take time to
hear and consider all outside matters,
to discuss them in committee of the
whole that the people who read the
daily reports may know what is in the
minds of the members respecting their
propositions.
The work of the Convention b gins
to take form and shape. OF course the
reports of the committees will be sub
ject to amendment when taken up for
final passage, but the apparent absence
of party feeling, the ability and earn
estness of the members as shown in
committee of the whole, is a guaran-
tee that any changes made will be be-
cause of a different judgment and not
fion outside selfshness or partisan pres
sure as is too often the case in legisla-
tive bodies. We believe that the work
Of the convention is being done to the
satisfaction of the masses. Here and
there one will hear the idea of the poll
ticiaD, plausible and taking. We think
such is The fear expressed by some
good people in lower New Castle
county respecting the influence of the
city Of Wilmington upon the nomina-
tions and elections of county officials.
The politicians of the city will not
dare to ignore the country districts in
the nominations for fear of wiser action
on the part of their opponents in a
union with the interests of the country
people. Those matters will take care
Of themselves. The days of stuffing
primary ballot boxes are past and the
worthy candidate stands as good a
show before the people as he does in
petitioning the Governor. The judg-
ment of the Convention upon the the eiet-
ton of county officials is the correct
one aud in accordance with the oft ex-
pressed wish of the people.
1t is with sincere regret that we note
the calling in question the legality of
the organization of the Convention.
We have repeated over and over again
that we believe the whole Union Re
publican ticket In Kent county was
elected in November and they are en-
titled to the offices but rather than
have no Convention and under our
present election laws to have another
election in two years with bitter feel
ing growing more bitter it were better
to endure some wrong. That is done
every day. The organization was ap-
parently the only one possible under the
circumstances and the calling of hard
names cannot lessen the character of
the men who manfully accepted the
unwelcome situation before them and
their work shall speak for them.
The 'Smyrna Times'' usually SO
mild in lis expressions says "we are
vergiDg on chaos'' and editorially and
by communications opposes rati6ca-
tion of the work of the Convention, or
that is the influence exerted. Of two
evils always choose the lesser. In the
quotation below the "Times" says the
partisan reports in the philadelphia
Record" "throw some lighton the SUBJ
ject.'' The trouble with Republicans
has been that they have let any disor-
ganizer from the outside bring preju-
dice within the ranks-the Demo-
cratic papers have worked this plan
very effectually. We do not believe
any member Of the Convention is op-
posing men but favors principles and
opposes measures as he honestly sees
them. This is no fattery but a con-
viction formed from the work and
methods so far. The "Times' says:
ttUNi.a Go1,k;k,4:o~o1 Toouook;o, -
going ahead with the full authority of a
regularly elected body, with some very
knotty, il not radical questions. If
they vote in the end as they now vote
and talk, it will surprise some people
that the Convention can be so partisan
In its makeup and non-partisan in its
deliberations. Some very important
changes have been made by the Con-
vention, acting as whole.
It has decided to have the State and
County officers elected instead Of ap-
pointed /; it has decided also to give the
governor a veto power and to provide a
acknowledgements, who shall be
president of the Senate; to punish
bribery and corruption at elections and
to try the cases before the judges of the
court instead Of before Jury and it
has also decided to provide board of
nardnns All of these matters were
very ably discussed before flnal action
was taken by the committee of the
whole, so that the convention has
really made up its mind to incorporate
these reforms into the new constitu-
tion.
During the week the farmers of the
State will be given hearing on agri-
cultural matters and so will the colored
people who are interested in better
schools for their race. 1t is also likely
that number of people interested in
education in general will be given a
hearing on educational matters, before
long.
Since the above was written, the fol-
owing has appeared iu the Dover CORES
pondence of the Philadelphia Record,
which may throw some light on the