Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-01-12

On tho honest and careful performance
OF the duties of our county governing
body, the Levy Court, depends the
public conveniences and the safety OF
our people and their property. Ex-
travagance and acknowledgement not
only waste our substance but deprive
us Of the benefits and advantages Of
safe and easy means of travel and the
institutions for the protection against
tho vicious and the maintenance OF the
poor and afflicted.
Whatever has been the political
power of the Levy Courts in the past,
they are now rightly deprived of it and
are purely business bodies, sent to rep
resent the taxpayers in the manage
uent of tho affairs of the county. |
Honest and capable business men
should be charged with these duties
and each commissioner should be
elected in his district and held respon. |
siblo for his official conduct by his |
constituency. The election OF members |
OF the Levy Court in their districts,
either Levy Court districts as in New
Castle county or Representative dis
tricts as in Kent county, seems to meet
with general approval and i recon-
mend thnta law similar to one of those
be enacted for Sussex county.
AS the condition of the county trea-
sury and tho prompt payment Of bills
of the county depend on the prompt
ness and honesty OF collectors of county
rates in collecting and paying over the
taxes entrusted TO them for collection,
and the economy and care of the Levy
Court in contracting bills and passing
orders, | recommend such changes in
the present laws IS will insure frequent
| eatt io,,.a,4. - ,.,,tl, th,
county treasurer. And recommend
that the Levy Courts be prohibited by
law from contracting bills and passing
orders for which there is not sufficient
money In the treasury to pay. The per-
nicious system of mourning county
debts and issuing orders for the same,
when tho income of the county is not
sufficient to meet them, or when care
lessness and gross mismanagement de-
privo the treasury of the funds to
which it is entitled, is contrary to every
| rule of sound finance and honesty and
should be prohibited.
This subject has been referred TO
often by my predecessors in messages
to the General Assembly, and feel
that its Importance scarcely needs
mention from me. But as our lands
are developed and the resources of aeri-
culture become more important we are
confronted with the need of better
highways as the means Of easy and
convenient access to markets. Owing
to the even surface of our land it should
not be difficult or expensive to make
and maintain good roads. In an agri-
cultural community nothing adds more
to the comfort and convenience than
well kept roads, and few things add
more to the attractiveness and beauty
Liberal appropriations are annually
made for this purpose, and with care
ful management our roads should be
kept in good condition. But, either
through, ignorance Of. the proper
methods OF building and improving
! them or settled custom of inadequate
, patching and mending. they are far
i from what the expenditures would
| justify. Much of the money is spent
on unnecessary roads, laid out for the
, convenience Of individuals and Of
doubtful public benefit. In many
!, places they parallel each other in close
/ privea Of the needed conveniences.
!, Then, too. much of the money spent
Z finds it's way into the pockets of over
I seers in payment of the per diem in
!, overseeing two or three mon. I do moi
mean to reflect on the honesty of over
:. seers, but to condemn the system unde,
: which they act.
In my judgment it would be in tn,
!, interest of economy to cause our road
Z to be put in proper condition at onct
ID accordance with the best methods
!. and then they could be kept in good
q heondAtion with small annual outlay.
- therefore recommend that proper
!, restrictions be provided for the laying
. out Of new roads; that the Levy Court
!, or other bodies having control of high
4 ways be required to cause them to b.
~ generally repaired and put in good con
dition, that overseers be given a large
81 number of miles to work, be restricted
= as to tho season of work and tn
- smallest number of men TO be employed
~ and that the members of the Lev,
: Court be required to visit and inspec
4, the roads in their districts more fee
= quertly.
a. DELAWARE voLUNTEEIs.
Of We all feel a just pride in the Della
i ware Regiment of Volunteers. Will
" it is source of regret to them and +
y US that they were not called into activl
is service in the war, yet their ready re
u
votion to duty and their record 70
military efficiency won th~ru the com
n nlendation of their commanders an
al demonstrated that the splendid reccr,
" Of Delaware's soldiery In the past
d maintained in the present generation.
az, When the call for troops came, della
g. ware had less than half full regimen
~ of National Guard poorly equippe
re- and much disorganized, and to NEE
he the pressing emergency l asked th
nj Legislature for an appropriation G
te $50, coo TO cover the expense Of an en-
va carnpment, believing that the bes
a. means OF mobilizing our troops and il
culcating a proper enthusiasm in on
re- people. From this movement a We
Nv equipped and efficient regiment OF NOR
,ts than LOCO men was organized and rt
IN sponded to the calls for troops
"a $22, 275.S6 of this appropriation ha
M been expended This small amount WE
IN the contribution of those who RENAME
d. at home TO the proper equipping an
n comfort of the brave men who offere
20 their livesin the cause Of their oonntr,
Nv We are assured, however. that all
= this money will be refunded by Il
in Federal government.
'et STATE PRINTING AND SUPPLIES
'se Section 8 of article 10 of the Coz
~, stitutior provides: "Ali stationar,
~ printing, paper and fuel used in u
IA legislative and other deper tments
III government shall be furnished, and I'll
nj printing, binding aud distribution
ri the laws, journals, official reports, ar
eui all ofhar f,rin tiper and hip5ipey and fb