The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-02-22
DIRECTORS
DENOUNCED.
Iii Scatfing Terms the Dem
ocratic Party Pay Re-
spects to Street and
Sewer Department.

The Democratic League Mt Fourth and
King streets. held a meeting last night
and the Street and Sewer Commission
was denounced for granting the blanket
francbi.e to the Universal Conduit, Heat,
Light and Power Company. x-Senator
j. Pyle was tbs first speaker and he said
In part that tho question of the day IL
whether 1t was proper to give away tho
last vestige of tho peoples right,p All Of
You are In terested, but tho people alo in
different. 1t |, said that, eternal vigilance
Is tho price Of liberty" ard that Ia pretty
near right, Here is the act under which
the Street and Sewer Commission was ere.
a.ed. It gives them tho right TO govern
the streets of the city, to keep them in re-
pair and in tho proper condition. Tho
commission was to take tho place Of City
Council, and tho duties woe the same as
those OF Council. But 1t seems that the
stream has risen above its source. Your
arc Interested in this question:; 1t is
your business. There are some things
which look funny aud are hard to UNDER
stand"
Here Mr.. Pyle referred to Mr.. Addlck's
applicable in 1890 TO lay gas pipes in tho
city. The Same authority (which granted
the blanket franchise said mo" The case
was taken to the court in 1S9? and Ia there
yet As an evidence of good faith Mr..
HuulCkS SDBnu NtNUthl u u'i"
lars in erecting Il plant. Eight years
later" continued the speaker, the Uni
We sal Conduit, Heat. Light and Power
Company came along and were granite
tho free use of tho streets, and we don't
know who they are. They have spent no
money and never will because they have
no charter. IL was wrong to grant tho
privilege in 1870 ii Is wrong now; II 1t is
right now it was right then. few weeks
ago tho " ilmington City Railway Com
parry waa granted au hority to lay tracks
on Wcst Six h street week later the
grant was revoked md tho right was
given to tho Branlywine Springs COM
pany. If the directors wnro right in tho
first case, why did they not stick to their
decision
Tho arbitrary government of Charles 7,
cost him his empire end his head and his
son went into exile until thu storm blew
over; 'and' said tho speaker. "somo
aarcr home will 20 into exile If they don't
look out, The question is. dill the St!oot
and Sewer Department havo the right to
give away this great franchise. Iho eX-
ten: OF its authority is to Keep the streets
in good condition. and tho source Of such
authority Is tho Legislature. Tho lhslS-
laturr rmaaatcs from Tho people. In the
people is the power and always will BE-.
And the only power the department can
get is through tho Iagis'a urc. from the
people. No Legislature over dare to grant
such power, or obey too, VIII go into ex-
lie"
President of Council Alexander Brand
cd the act rs an outrage nn the people. Tho
people will and DO demand that thu hand
of the commission he stayed, He conSld-
cred tho grautirg Of such franchise
nothing more or less thun highway rob-
berry.
Several other Interesting addresses woro
made including thaS Of Councilman
William Quinn who said in part hat he
was i'll Council when tho first commission
was named and he opposed it md was
brandul ns ".IuiaS' ana "Benchict
Arnold 10 his party fn' So doing, but
predicted then thai in fifteen years the
men who calIol him Judas would convict
themselves, II, was opposed to commits
sions on the ground that they are fo'cign
10 the fundamental principles OF our gov
eminent When hp p,1plO cannot gov
crn tl.cmsclvc, tha right of franchise
should no taken from them. The commits
si0ns became masters III stead of servants.
The prorlo have no recourse. 1--WE nrO
not governed by king said Tho speaker
but we are guvcrn'd by nbout 5000
miilionlirr!, ana The people are
poNcrlGss Mt their feet. liy great strides
they arc moving to IL Capitalization Of
power.
Mr.. Quinn was tho only Demo rat who
opposed tho Water Commission. He did
ST. on he ground hat the rights Of the poo
pie were takon away under the charter He
would like to 500 meeting OF citizens
ire ,pcCtivo of political ties, to set tho
foot Of information on the comm! ssions.
The time IA not far off when all the rights
Of tho people will DO taken away. In con-
ciu sion he said Il am fearful for the
welfare Of the coming generation. We arc
moving back ward ms cad OF forward We
had hGttor look aftur our own internal at
fairs before going 1000 mites away to civ.
iliH harbal ians and uanealers, Wo want
civilization at home