Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-01-27
AMENDING THE STATE LAWS
Work of Making Them Con-
form to the Constitution.
-FOUR BILLS REGARDING COURTS
Notice Thereof Given In the
House Monday.



the line of amending the State lawH to
conform to the new Constitution was
commenced in the General Assembly
yesterday, when REPRESENTATIVE HAZEL
gave notice, in the House, of four bills
in relation to the courts. One defines
the Supreme Court and the otherH fix
the terms, specify the seals and provide
general regulations, in addition 10 fix
ing tho salaries Of tho judges. The
Supreme Court succeeds the Court OF
Errors a1d Appeals and the Court of
Genural Sessions succeeds the Court of
General Sessions of the Peace and Jail
Delivery, Each of the other courts
succeeds tho former court of tho same
name. With these changes provision
is made that tns laws which applied to
the old courts shall apply to the new
courts, thus fixing the terms To cor
respond with the terms of tho old
courts. The seal OF the Court Of Errors
aud Appeals, which was tbe ssal Of
that court On June 4th, 1897, will be
the seal OF the Supreme Court. Each
uf the seals in use on June ith. 1887. is
10 lie the seal OF the new court OF the
rane name, the seal of the Court OF
General SessiOna of the Peace and Jail
Delivery to be the seal of the Court Of
General Sessions. Toe Governor is to
Hppuint clerk OF the Supreme Court,
who s to hold the Office until tho first
Tuesday in January, 1903, and each
person appointed thereafter is to Herge
for four years. except such persons as
shall be appointed to fill out unsxpired
terms. The clerk shall have the cus-
tody Of all hooks, papers and records
belonging to the court and shall keep
them in public office at the State
uanital. He shall receive the same fee
and compensation as the clcrk of the
Court OF Errors and Appeals, and
all laws relating to the duties OF
and Appeals shall apply to the
clerk OF the Supreme Court The
sheriff Of Kent county shall attend all
tho sessions OF the Supreme Court and
shall be the officer for executing the
process and orders Of tine court. All
powers of the former judges are vested
in the new judges.
The bill providing for the payment OF
the salaries of the judges was in blank
when received by Representative
IIazoll, but it is likely that it will be
filled out to-day, after the judiciary
committee has belu conference in re-
gard TO the matter. 1t is probable that
Tho hill when passed will specify that
the Chancellor and Chief Justice will
each receive 81, 600 annually, while the
associate judges will, in all probability,
receive So, 500 each. The salaries are
10 be paid quarterly and shall com.
msuce on the day when the commits
Bions were issued. In addition to his
ealary the Chancellor is TO receive a
Hum annually, yet to be fixed, for re-
porting the decisions OF the Court of
Uhanoery and Orphans Court of the
respective counties. The associate
judge residing il Kent county is to re-
ceive additional compensation Tor re-
porting the decisions of the Supreme
Court and also the decisions of the
Superior Court Court Of General Ses-
Hions and Court of Oyer and Ierminer
of each county. Each of the six judges
is to receive also, 10 addition to his
Halary a sum, yet to he fixed for each
day he shall be engaged in holding
court out of the county ih which he
resides. A II acts or parts of acts incon-
Bistent with the proposed changes are
TO be repealed.
The hill to prohibit the trading stamp
business, which was given notice of by
Representative Donaldson, is sweepng
and is aimed at all Gift and prize
schemes. The text of the bill is ae
follows:
Section l. That from and after The
passage Of this act any person or per
SONS, merchant, manufacturer, I'M
porter retailer, or dealer doing bust
mass within this State, who shall off er,
give or sell, or authorize, or permit any
agent, salesman Or employe to offer,
give or sell any patron, purchaser ur
customer any ticket or tickets, stamp OF
Htampa, check or checks. or other token
or memoranda, emitting such patron,
customer or purchaser to demand or
receive money or any other article OF
value, or other thing, shall be deemed
guilty OF misdemeanur, and upou
conviction thereof, shall be sentenced
to pay fine OK not less than S25 nor
more than sl0o, or be imprisoned for II
term not exceeding six months. or
either, or both, ut tho discretion oil the
court
Sec. 2. That from ami after the pas
sage OF this act. any person concerned
in or interested in Offering. giving ol
ceiling any ticket or tickets, stamp OF
stamps, check ur checks. or other tokent
or memoranda. whereby any person
Whatsoever shall be eptitlatl to demand
or receive money or any other article oil
value or other thing, shall be sentenced
TO pay tine Of not less than S25, mol
, more than 500, or be imprisoned for 9
term not excesding six months, oil
hither, or both. at the discretion of the
cnurt.
Several members have been ap.
preached in regard to the bill and g
etrong effort willhe made by Whining
ton business msn to have il pass. II
is understood that it will also meet
with some opposition and an effort will
be made TO modify it il there is d
probability of its becoming law.
The Senate had an exceedingly quiet
day, owing chiefly to it's determination
to accept no business except bills tc
make the State laws conform to tht
new Constitution. Some of the mem
bers have been approached with bills,
but, as far as can be learned mont
have consentad to handle any. Senator
Pyle has two notices on his deak, ont
10 relation to Wilmingtons propoaec
new charter and the other in relation
to the collection OF road taxBs, but ht
does not propose to give notice of an.
bills unless the Senate rescinds it
action iu regard to prohibiting the re
reption of new business.
In the House there is disposition I,
consider any measure that ID intende'
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