Middletown transcript., 1898-06-11
wHAT WAS DONE.

WHAT WAS DONE.
ssPerhaps the final adjournment Of
no legislative session has left so much
doubt 10 the public mind as to the
nature Of work done, as that which
came to. close on Monday Of last
week. A month more at the least
must roll around before the laws can
be published, and until then, the peo-
pie Of this State will remain in more
or less ignorance as to what was ac-
complished by the late Eve months of
sitting In the Capitol. Despite all
this, however, the statutes enacted are
even now in full force and operation,
and it is well-known that ignorance Of
the law excuses no man.
s.The main reason for this peculiar
lack of knowledge as to the fruits Of
the last General Assembly, is due to
the fact that by far the major portion
Of its work was done In the last few
weeks of its existence. Under these
circumstances, some brief synopsis of
the most important acts passed, would
seem Of special interest and advantage.
"The new school law will, in all
probability, be published in pamphlet
form and ready for distribution in the
course of the next ten days or fort
night, and for this reason it is only
necessary to state that practically no
changes are made as to the date, man
ner and mode of school elections.
1.-THE registration law will, prac-
tically, go into active operation next
Saturday. The Governor is to ap-
point registration officers for the State.
outside Of Wilmington, to consist of
one registrar and two assistant regis
trars for each election district. These
appointments must be made, in the
case Of this present year, sometime be-
tween the eleventh and twenty-ffth of
this month; and are, further, only to
be made from lists of names furnished
him by the County Executive Commit
tees of the two leading political par
ties, the Governor to determine which
are the two leading parties.
"These lists of names must be hand
ed to the Governor not later than the
eleventh of this month, with regard to
the registration officers to be appointed
this year. There must be separate
list for each election district, which
must be composed of three names for
each appointment to be made; three
for each registrar, and three for each
Of the two assistant registrars. No
person appointed registration officer
can refuse or neglect to perform the
duties Of the Office under penalty Of
one hundred dollars, but no one exempt
by the laws of this State from perform
ing jury duty, is liable to appointment,
such as attorneys at law, practising
physicians and surgeons, preachers,
teachers in public schools, and public
officers; nor is anyone qualified for the
appointment who is candidate for
any Office, to be voted for at the cleo
tion next following the registration
for which he isappointed.
"The qualifications for registration
are much as under the old law. except
that the fee of one dollar must be paid
at the time of the application.
"In case of The failure to register by
the officers, or in case of an alleged il
legal registering, an appeal lies to the
associate judge.
''The days fixed for registering are,
the first three Saturdays in August,
the third Saturday in September, and
The third Saturday next preceding the
day of the ensuing general election.
"There is no board of appeal COM
posed of registration officers.
"The oath contained in the new con-
stitution, must be taken, if called for,
before the applicant is entitled to reg
istration.
"The new election law is mainly
taken up with limiting and defining
boundaries of election districts in the
State, outside the city of Wilmington.
Its other features are. practically, as
under the old law,-ths preparation of
ballot boxes, ct cetera.
"The three acts just named, to gether
with the new ballot law which has not
yet received the approval of the Gov
ernor, constitutes the real work of the
late session. In addition thereto, no
small number of more or less special
statutes were enacted. As to them,
only the publication of the laws COM
plete will furnish adequate knowledge.
Dover Index.