Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-03-07

star Correspondence OF Gazette and Jomnal
Dover, March 1.-The city OF Will
mington was given two severe raps yes
terday, when the Senate killed the
House bill dividing e.half of the
liquor license fees among the cities and
Incorporated towns, and also killed the
House amendment TO the House bill
prescribing this method of apportioning
the public school fund among tho
school districts.
bill concerning the division of the
liquor license fees, but the alleged
deception Of Senators Farlow and Har-
rinRton defeated his efforts. 1t is said
both had promised to vote for the bill
but when his name was called, Sena-
tor Farlow did not respond and to
avoid voting, Senator Harrington with
drew from the Senate chamber, like he
did when the confirmation of the ap.
pointment Of Dr. Caleb r. Layton to
be secretary of State was being con
sidered in executive session. The vote
stood eight ayes to seven noes, one
short Of what Senator MoNulty would
have claimed tn be the constitutional
majority. Senators Clements, Hart,
Knox, Maui, McFarlin, McNulty,
Slaughter and Wright voted in the
affirmative. IL the bill had received
nine votes, Senator McNulty would
have claimed that number to be tbs
constitutional majority, and President
pro tenn Ellison would have ruled that
the bill required three fourthJ vote.
In that event, Senator McNulty would
have appealed from ths decision of the
acting president; aud if the appeal had
not been sustained, the courts would
have beon asked to settle the question.
The bill having been buried twics, it
Is improbable that it will be resur-
rected again.
The House amendment to the House
bill prescribing the method of appor-
t,oning the public school fund was
engineered through the House by
Representative Baynard. The Senate
killed it by unanimous vote. Will
mington has 264 teachers and 1000
pupils; rural New Castle county, l5a
teachers and 5000 pupils, Kent county,
III teachers and 5000 pupils, and
Sussex county, 2l3 teachers and 10. 900
pupils. Under the old law, the school
fund IS apportioned according to the
number Of pupils; under the pending
bill, the fund is to be apportioned
according to the number of teachers.
Allowance is innde for 101 teachers
each IN rural New Castle, Kent and
Sussex counties, and IT'S in Whining
ton. Each school district must raise
800 by taxation to entitle it to receive
the apportionment contemplated by tho
bill. Before the bill was amended, il
provided fer the appropriation of
$3.50, OC0; the amendment increased the
appropriation to s13j, coo. Under the
amendment, Wilmington would have
received sil, 225; the killing of the
amendment reduces its apportionment
to $4,000. Under the pending bill,
rural New Castle county will receive
S35, 9h5; Kent county, $40, 1856, and
Sussex county, $50, 055. The new
apportionment will give each school
district 1926 per teacher, about S35 per
teacher more than at present. The
Constitution provides for an equitable
apportionment OF the fund, and advo-
Gates of the amendment assert that the
apportionment proposed by the Senate
is manifestly unfair to Wilmington. II
the. courts are asked to settle the con.
troveisy advocates of the amendment
declare, Wilmington will receive more
and the other districts less.
The House bill authorizing the Board
Oh Ihrh Ouulntseiuuers oI WllulnRbOn
to borrow $50, 600 for park purposes has
been reported unfayorably to the
House.
The Senate has confirmed the follow
ing appointments made by Gov. Hum
George Fl. Hollis, to be justice OF
the peace for New Castle county, ia
succeed John'A. Kelley, term expired
the Rev. William NJ. Green, to be a
justice of the peace for Kent county,
to succeed William r. Draper, term ex-
pired; William H. Belts, to be justice
of the peace for Sussex county. Mr..
Green resides at Camden, and is a
supernumerary of the Wilmington
Methodist Episcopal Conference.
The governor has also appointed
James Ii. Wright TO be clerk of the
peace for Sussex county, vice John b.
Dorman, deceased.