The sun., 1898-01-12
WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, WEDNESDAY,, JANUARY 12 1898.

were approved and copy of the resolu
tions ordered forwarded to Mr.. Vincent
In the Senate the morning session was
very tame
All the members were present and tho
usual opening routine was carried out
and the notification from the House that
that body had convened and was ready
for business was received.
Senator Alrichs made a motion that
the members be sworn in under the new
constitution. This motion Speaker llar-
rington declared to be out of order lie
stated as Il basis for his ruling that he
had taken legal advice on the matter and
the step was unnecessary.
On joint resolution offered by Senator
Pyle, he was appointed to be one OF the
joint committee to notify the Governor
Of the meeting OF the Assembly.
Secretary Of State Hughes was admit
ted and presented the Governors mes
sage and the report made by Fruit In
spcctor Bancroft on the 'San Jose Scalc'
which has created such havoc among the
fruit growers profits.
Two hundred copies OF the governors 5
message were ordered printed and Ban
crolt's report was referred to the house.
At the afternoon Senator Meredith offer
ed set OF resolutions, providing that
no business, except that bills or meas
urcs, except those amending statutory
laws of the state should be reconsiderpd
at this session. Or motion of Senator
Banby the resolutions were made Il
special order for this morning.
At the conclusion of the session the
majority Of the members left town,
several OF the Nemocratic contingent
who usually stay over going to Whining
ton, to attend the meeting ut the Young
Mems Democratic Club.
Governor Tunnel was among the
number, and with him went number
OF Wilmington politicians who attended
the opening session.
Governor Tunnels message reads IS
follows:
State Of Delaware, Executive Depart
ment-lovcr, Jan. II, lS!|S.--(ientle-
men of the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives: While the object and pur-
pose of your assembling in adjourned
session at this time are generally under
stood, yet feel it my duty to call your
attention t." such matters a. | deem
cxpedicnt for the welfare OF our people
An adjourned session is something
so unusual in this State that your pro-
ccedings will be watched with the keen
est interest by Il constituency, who,
while they expect a careful and con-
scientious consideration Of the import
ant business that will come before YOU,
will demand that you address yourselves
to its dispatch with the least possible de-
lay. To members OF the Legislature
called for the first time TO sit as the law
makers Of the State, the duties and re-
sponsibIilirs which confront them are
50 new and difficult that it is not sur
prisng tIat the wheels 90 not always
move smoothly and that some delay and
frequent mistakes mark the first weeks
Of the session. But with your proiitng
i."m -" rp|uabl2 experience which yoh
have derived from your previous ! 'ng
and busy session, it is not 50. Availng
your:ev!es OF the useful knowledge Of
legislative affairs, which You have
gained, you should be able to perform
your duties intcIIigentIy. cXpcdIiiously
and TO the satisfaction OF an cXpectant
public. There is Il wholesome Scnti-
mcnt among our people that We nave
too much legislation. This feeling is
largely due to an unWisc desire Of each
Lrgis .aturc to leave behind it il vol
luminous record of changes in oar laws
to testify to its industry or to account
ior its unnecessarily long session. This
desire often results in the repeal or
amendment Of statutes which have not
been in force long enough to demon
Stratr their virtue or their inatcuCacy.
1t is most important to the welfare OF Il
people that they should have fixed laws
which should only be changed after Il
careful, judiciona and conscientious
consideration. Experiment in lcgisla-
ton affecting thc right OF property,
the lives, liberties and persons OF citi-
zcnS is not ont y unwlsc but often little
less than criminal.
Sine" your adjournment the Consti-
tutinnal Convention has concluded its
lNbors and adopted and promulgated d
new Constitution, differing widely in
many important respects from the old
one. Much Of the machinery OF our
State government has undergone i'm
portant changes whether wisely or not
the test OF future experience must de-
tcrminc. Thus we mark in the history
OF our State Il new epoch. We have been
Il conservative people, slow to recognize
the necessity OF change and reluctant to
give up the tried and understood, though
recognizing its defects, for the new and
untricd. The Constitution under which
we now live is but the framework Of our
=, vcrnncn. 4 Constitutional Conycn-
ton can but provide those necessary
rules of the government which are not
suhjcct to the frequent changes, while
the Legislature, composed as it is OF
members coming fresh from the people
clothed iththeir authority and familiar
with their desires, must provide for the
varying necessities Of each year. Hence,
with You will rest in no small degree
the successful application OF the new
Constitution. 1t is by your cnactments
that its most important provisions can
be carried into effect. In doing this,
however, let me caution you that you
change only those laws which it is ncces-
sary to change to put it in fowce. BY
the express provisions ofthc Constitution
all laws not consistent with it are con-
tinucd in force. You are not called upon
to unnecessarily disturb the existing
statutes which have been long establish
ed and by judicial Interpretation are
well understood
The Constitution has placed around
you many restrictions and has deprived
you of many of the powers which have