Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-30
polltleal corrpp.lon oonfs..sa.

Republican Glasses In last issue OF
Sunday Star were reminiscent in char.
acter, and were marked by q decidedly
"honest confession. " Whether it is one
that will prove good for the Soul'' re-
mains to be seen.
The theme was the new Constitution.
and It's abolition OF assessment and pay
ment Of poll taxes as prerequisites to
voting, and the writer gave many thanks
that the Republican politicians did
not now have confronting them the task
OF securing the assessment nf their
voters and the payment of their taxes.
And referring to the troubles attending
this work in the past, the writer said /:
In many cases where they found their
voters assessed by Democratic assessors
the names were found to be misspelled,
and thus they had to be assessed again
in some other ward, usually by the
one Republican assessor of the upper
district of the city.
Sometimes the Republican workere
would raise a small pot of money and
bride the Democratic assessor to do his
duty, to fulfil bis oath of Office by as
sesslng his Republican nsighbors.
Again committees OF Republican
workers would sit up night after night
at the house of the Democratic assessor
whom they had bribed for the privilege
and took turns in writing up" his
assessment so as to make euro that
every man should have a chance to vote
in the following fall.
All this praTphpd hnuinauu ,,,,,pb al
which was bad and debaHing was made
necessary by the laws and practices
suggested, dictated and put in forct
by the Bayards, tho Grays, the Grubbs,
the Dickeys and the Nearys
Occasionally when the Republican
politicians were found out in thu
doing their sacred duty to the Stat,
and their fellow citizens, hypocritica
editors of Democratic organs woulC
hold up their dirty bands in simulated
horror at the wickedness OF Republi
cans. Once In a while a law suit woult
grow out of these struggles for FIRE,
vote and fair count.
Thus was the State dragged into tht
deepest mire of miserable politics aut
all for the purpose OF keeping it unde
the vicious and dehasng control of tht
minority.
Those were great times for the Demo
cratic rooeters of Wilmington, and the,
began their nefarious work invariabl,
at Christmas time, since this was tn
period for assessment, the beginning o
the work of qualifying Democrats AM
disoualifyirg Republicans. The Re
publicans OF Delaware ir general AM
the Republican workers of Wilmington
in particular have cause for great 70
joicing during this holiday season O
1697-9S.
This sounds like pan of praise, blu
tuken altogether, it may have clilfsren
application, il not different meaning
The allusion 10 the occasional brihin
of Democratic assessor is significant
In the work of assessment, it ia nc
go sure that the Republican politician
found il such difficult task. The
always had, in this city, at least one
the three assessors, and their briber
plan occasionally gave them another
And then how they did pile the flct
tioua names on the assessment boob
1t was no uncommon thing for them
have more nauIes assessed in one di
trict than there were voters in Il
entire city. 1t required the create
care on the part of the tax collectors
keep them from procuring tax receip
for These bogus names and conyertir
them into good Republican votes
the registration and election. This vi
fertile field Of Republican fraud al
it was worked most industriously.
Altogether, it Ia not so sure that d
Republican politicians have cause Z
congratulation over the changes effect
by the new Constitution. This old co
ditions gave them great opportuniti
for successful frauds upon the ballot
as will be seen by the above confession
which they will not enjoy in the futur