Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-05-12
IN THE LEGISLATURE.

stan correspondence OF Gazette and Journal
Dover, May j.--.The General Assembly is
making arrangements TO make Thursday,
May Goth, great Safe occasion. On that
dar committee OF tue Legislature will
present TO the Stare all vi the por-
traits Of former Governors that can be
obtained. So far % have been procured
aud several more may be in the hands Of
the committee by that time. 1t is proposed
to have Gov Tunnel here and have the
ceremony take place ut the State House in
the presence Of State, county and municipal
officers and the public. City Solicitor Henry
G. Conrad of Wilmington will be asked to
make presentation speech us a Representa-
tive OF New Castle county, for the portraits
Of the exGovernurs from that county, and
Judge James Pennewill OF Dover will be
asked to perform a similar duty for Kent
county. The speaker from Sussex county
has not been selected. but 1t will probably
be Judge James H. Boyce of Georgetown.
Gov Tunnel will receive the pictures on
behalf OF the commonwealth. The portraits
will grace the rooms In the State House.
The building committee deserves great credit
for lis efforts in collecting the pictures.
Dover, May The General Assembly
had nm unusually lively day yesterday,
and matters assumed shape resembling
days Immediately proceeding adjourn
ment, although that important event
! will not take place until next Friday,
| and, possibly, not then. The joint
committee on claims got down to husi.
ness and Rdiugtvd tho appropriations
for newspapers and others having claims
against tho State
One OF the surprises OF the day was
the passage by the ilouse, by vote of
Ii To l. of thu bill providing for the
appointment Of a joint committee to
refurnish the State House and make
necessary repairs The bill was passed
some time ago, hut tho vote was subso-
| qunntly reconsidereh and it had been
hanging fire ever since. At the time
there was much opposition to the hill
for some reason, but when the vote wat
taken yesterday all voted ior it except
Mr.. Dempsey. Speaker Riegin named
the House members of tue former
building committee, Messrs. HAZEL,
Smith and Lliason. 1t is likely that
the Senate will concur, and tina Senate
members of tue former COMMITTEES,
Messrs. Pyle and John NJ. G. Moore,
will probably be numad. The CON
mittee will reiurnish the Senate
chamber and Representative Hall prop
eIly furnish the new rooms on the first
tioOr. have the outside of thu building
painted and the roof repaired, the
limit OF cost to be So 600.
Dover, May THE greatest result
of yesterdays session of the General
Assembly was the passage by tho
Senate of the Registration till which
was drawn by the legal commission and
recently passed the House. II provides
for three registrars in each district
and allows Wilmington tn have a de-
| partment of elections. Tho men out
side of Wilmington hre to he appointed
hy tho Governor and in Wilmington by
tho Department OF Elections, the terms
to be for two years. When the bill was
read Mr.. Stewart objected to the
features giving Wilmington depart
ment of elections anu excluding the
city from the operation of the feature
permitting the county committees to
recommend. men. lie said that under
the bill it would be- possible for all OF
the electiUn officers in Wilmington to be
from one political party. Ito held this
to be unconstitutional and said it would
he contested 10 the courts lie claimed
that the registration would ba uniform.
MIR. Pyle took exception to his view
and Mr.. AIriGhs commended thu bill
generally lie said he appreciated tho
non partisan spirit shown by the Nom
bers in the majority. AL voted for the
bill except Mr., Stewart.
Tho Senate yesterday rather unex-
pectcdly killed the State Hospital
Steward hill.
The Senate passed the Senate bill
providing for q Justice OF the pence in
the Southern district of Brandywine
hundred, and tho House hilla to nay
james IL. Wolcott, Jr., 500 for pub
lishing the reports of the late Chan
cellor Wolcott and also providing for
State House improvements, Messrs
tenlmore and j. NJ. q. Moore being
named on the committee provided for
by the latter bill.
Tho House passed. tho House eIll
regulating the granting Of fractional
Licenses. The bill providing for the
appointment OF Robert Wier OF viii.
mington as notary public was called
up and deferred ma there were rot
enough affirmative yntcs TO PASS it.
Several bills we're read and referred.
Dover, May 10. The Senate ysste,
day RECONSTRUCTED itn action of Inst Fri
day. in passing the Registration bill,
ard RECONSTRUCTED the vote R1u passed
the WbiteinRn bill, all of the members
present voting in the affirmative. Some
of the members had boen informed, on
high legal authority, that the bill
passed. on Friday was unconstitutional,
the main objection being to the provi-
sion for department of Elections in
Wilmington, thereby differing from
nther parts OF the Stats SENATOR
AlrichR had objected to the bill on tbs
ground that ouiHidu of Wilmington tho
county committees we're to submit tho
names TO the Governor and in Whining
ton the Department of Elections had
complete control of the matter, no
recommendation of uunos being noces.
sary. Others Rgrsed with Mr., Alricbs
and looked unon this aa an unconstitu
tionai feature. In cunseuueuce of 30
much objection to tho bill in the nhape
in which it passed, tin action noted
above was taken. The Whitman bill
| provides for four departments of regis
tration, one each in Wilmington, rural
New Castle county. Kent county and
Sussex county and under its operation
the Democrats will have control OF the
election machinery for five years, in.
stead OF being changed with the cleo
tion of the next Governor.
The bill was taken to tho House, and,
while on first reading, all further action
thereon WINS indefinitely postponed. II
may now be necessary to appoint com
mittee Of conference to adjust the diff
ferences between the two houaes.
Tho Senate passed the bill requiring
the board OF revision and assessment in
Wilmington TO classify property in Viii.
i Inlnltnn for tina nIlrIinsnn ,E M