Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-01-13


with the Legislative branch and changes
my relation to you from that of the
merely recomiuendBtory anu suggestive
TO an active participation in legisls
tion. And, while keenl, appreciate
the imnortancn aud gravity Of the duties
thus imposed upon Inc, | shall try TO
discharge them fsarlessly and in the
interest of wise and conservative sgis-
lation. You can do much TO assist me
in tha discharge Of my duties by
careful and conscientious consideration
of the measures that shall come before
you, enacting good and wise laws, which
will leave me the easy and pleasant
duty Of approving them.
In the discourage OF my Duties and ia
ancordancs with tho constitutional pro-
vision in that behalf / desire 10 call
your attention briefly to some of the
mora important matters that will como
before you.
CORPORATIONS.
1t will be necessary for you to enact
a general corporation law uuuer which
corporations may be created, amended,
renewed or revived, the Constitution
having, as l have before stated, de-
prived you of. the power Of passing
special corporation acts. There was Gu
power vested in the Legislature under
the old Constitution so potent for good,
when properly invoked, or SO frHugbt
with injury to the interoRts of our
people, when exercised in behalf of
men combining for evil purposes. Ii is
for you to proviue safe, we'll guarded
rand comprehensive law under which
this important franchise may be OBJ
tanned and by which the rights and
interests of individuals and The public
will be protected' and preserved. This
should not he difficult since so many of
our neighboring Staies have had such
en- act IN force for many years, and VS.
should he able to profit by their ex.
perience
DIVORCES.
While il is always 10 be deplored that
domestic infelicity should necessitRte
lawful separation of husband and wite.
| yet such i5 the case, and the legIsla-
| tive authority will be exercised in pro-
viding general and uniform law"
for granting divorces by the judgment
OF our c0urte. In doing this it is to be
| hoped that you will not lose sight of
| the Importance OF preserving as far as
| possible the homes of our State, for in
| their sacred precincts is hound up
power for the greatest good. Inyiolate,
| the family is the foundation of the
| grandest structure OF higher civilian
| tion, of the moral, religious and pa
| triotic citizenship. And, while we re-
eognize the nsge6aiiy of affording a
means OF separation in some cases, yet
! the law should discourage rather than
promote divorces. There has been an
effort by means of a commission on uni
| form State laws to obtain divorce law
! that shall bs uniform in sill tho States.
| The present state of the law of divorces
in thia colntry makes morality and
legality question OF geography. But
| tho commission is not ready to make
recon- mendations aud your enactment
of just, conservative and wise law
may materially assist in attaining
that Important result.
TAXATION.
/ In the interest OF those who bear the
burden of county taxation--the owneis
of land and personal property call
your attention to the fact that the new
Constitution after providing for very
inadequate registration fee amounting
to fifty cents per annum, provides that
1.-THE General Assembly snail provide
for levying and collecting cRpitation
tax from every mRle citizen Of tho State
of the age of twenty -une years or up
wards !" Until such capitation tax is
provided for there will be deficiency
in the county taxes of more than
twenty-five thousand dollars which will
have to be met by an increase OF the
tax rate 90 property. Under the old
Constitution the poll tax, the payment
OF which was maGe prerequisite to
voting, was tax easy of collection.
A uaptntion tax without some stringent
means of enforcing its payment would
be paid only by that GlaH5 OF our citi-
ZenH whose self-respect or whose owner.
ship of property uu. OF which tho tax
could be collected, would prevent the
evasion of it's payment The man who
ia not willing TO contribute his share
to the eSrenses OF our government is not
worthy the nRme of citizens and has
no more right to Participate in the
government OF our State or county than
the alien who lives in our midst. |
would urge that in providing for this
fax you rlothe the collectors with all
necessary powers to insure the col
lsction of the same further call your
attention to tho law onu:tol by you al
your last session providing for tho taxa
tion of Investments, &c. | need not
enter into the reaBons which led to tho
enactment OF such law. It's object
being the distribution OF the burdens
Of taxation among tho owners of all
property must meot with the approval
of faiR. IN inded citizens. 1t is claimed,
however, that defects in the provisions
of the law threaten to defeat tho ASSESS
ment and collection of tho tax contem-
plated. Ii in your judgment such de
fects exist it ia TO lie hoped that tho
law will be SO. amended by you as to
relieve it of any objectionable features
and insure its enforcement ana opera
tion.
BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.
The Constitutional Convention, re-
cognizing the far-reaching effect of
this alarming evil, has provided against
it in very sweeping and stringent terms.
Bat, while these provisions are most
comprehensive and complete in those
cases which they cover, they fall short
in one very important instance. The
provisions cover primary elections,
conventions or meetinga held for the
purpose of nominating any candidate
or candidates to BIZ voted for" but do
not provide against bribery at primary
elections held for the purpose of select
ing delegates to conventions for tha
selection of candidates This is most
important, for purity of elections can
only be attained by cleansing the
stream at it's source. If party primaries
} are TO be the OCCASIONS of bribery and
! corruption. engaged in by men desiring
: to substitute their money for the choics
of their party and TO set un Ielepatione