Evening journal., 1897-03-20
SATURDAY. MARCH 90, 1897.
pERNIcIous LEGISLATION.

PERNICIOUS LEGISLATION.
There are two bills at Dover which
possess no virtue whatever, so far as
the public or the Democratic party is
concerned.
Both are designed to keep certain |
men in office for a period greatly ex-
ceeding the time for which they were
elected by the voters or appointed by
the mayor.
The first bill introduced was the one
extending to the Fall of 1898 the terms
of the present mayor and City Coun-
ell. together with the various subordi-
nate offices.
Tho second extends for the period of
one year the terms of the present mem
bers of the Board of Health.
While the bills in question benefit the
present Office holders, they do not offer
any inducement for special commenda-
ton from the people at large, for the
voters would doubtless elect, and the
powers that be would doubtless appoint,
men just as competent as those who
now hold the offices.
There is no political exigency which
calls for such perniclous legislation.
The new members of the Board of
Health would be Democratic and The
Republicans are so hopelessly divided
that the Democrats would, in June,
sweep the city from end to end. Con-
sequentlly, it is apparent that 1t Is not
for the benefit of the Democratic party,
but rather for the benefit Of few men
that the two bills in question were in
trodnced.
We fail to see the wisdom of carry
ing our city election over to the general
election. In the first place we should
strive to keep our city affairs separate
and distinct from national and state is
sues. We can gain nothing by making
the fate of our city ticket hang upon
the fate of the national and state
tickets.
The greater the stake the harder the
fight. and three tickets on the same bal
lot would lead the Republicans, who
are never averse to using money at
elections, to use extraordinary efforts
to carry the election. The value of the
stake would be more likely to lead the
warning Republican factions to come
together, for then there would be offices
enough to go round and it would be
very easy to set up a deal whereby
everyone could be satisfied.
Mayor Jefferis may resent the at
tempt which is now being made by the
members OF the present Board o
Health of this city to extend thei
terms for the period of one year b!
means of legislative enactment, but HI
must remember that he took the ini
tiative and is endorsing the bill nov
at Dover extending the time of nearl!
all Of the present city Offices including
his own, for period of about a yea
and a-half
There is no question as to the mean
ing OF the Board of Health bill. TIL
members know that unless the Genera
Assembly comes to their relief he wi
GUST them all at the first opportunity
which will be the coming May. This
not because they are untitled for tn
offices which they hold, but becaus
some Of them promised to vote to max
his Son secretary of the board, and the
failed to keep their pledges. To begi
with, the mayor had no right to exa
such pledges in behalf of member
his own family, and he disgraced h
administration by so doing. Meth
had the men with whom he enter'
into the deal any right to give him sue
promises, for by so doing they we
bartering away their right of ind
pendent action at the altar of nep
tism.
If the mayor and his fellow offiC
holders are to have their terms exten
ed by legislative enactment, we do Il
see how he can consistently dema
that the General Assembly keep han
off in the matter Of the Board
Health.
Both bills are bad in principle a
their passage cannot work to the la
ing benefit OF the Democratic par
Such shortcuts are bad at all tim
and especially so when there is
earthly excuse for making them.