Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-06-27
.REGSTREI0N MONEY
Division as 10 What Use i
n Shall 10 Put. 4
DID WOULTLlKE TO HAVET
May Be Asked foj an
Opinion.
Snerai Regi4ration Fees G gfnto the
ky Treasury But the Law Jsilent.as
Money Dfived From thy City Reg
ztion, and Oh 900 Await N Owner.


|tion, and Oh 900 Await AZ Owner.
the eventlof test bling made OF
]eeslity ofthelaw upder which tho
nt city election wg hest, as has
contemplated foY the. past Two
NIL by o numberfof the present
la, 1T iA'sthe iftention OF City
ia /, according p one OF the mem.
i 81 make an eifottto have the court
d non another Aoint which has not
Ben brought sut, tho object being
~ possession3f about 81. 600, which
fhe Fnrmes Bank to the credit Of
u partmeps Of Elections and for the
sitior of which no provision ap-
to have been made.
6der tbs registration law, every per-
becom.ng registered must pay 81
That privilege. At the registration
geporal elections, according to the
'ibs Of the act, the money Is paid to
B .clerk OF the peace for the use Of the
unity, but, although tho same fee Is
Ilected from those registering for the
u election, there IL no law making
Y tiisposition of the money. Conse-
ently, the Department of Elections
&do nothing but deposit the money
|6hnk to its credit until some other
|lbeition OF 1t Is provided for by
Ter authority. Such being the con-
bn, and in view OF the fact that the
{stratlon money goes toward paying
expenses, so far as the
~ ~ is concerned, 1t is held by some
<be members OF Council that the
ley collected from the city registrn
1 should go toward paying for tho
u registration, and as Council has to
n the bill the money should be
bed over to that body. But the law
silent on the matter and nothing can
done with the money unless the
d is should decide that the iutent of
law is that it should be Iaid to the
y or the Legislature amends the law.
erefore, IL the legality OF the election
\ is to be passed upon by the court
|mbers OF Council think it would be
|ery good time to bring up the other
eject ard have the court pass upon
" feature also,
3t present the monoy in dispute
Iounts to something like 81, 600, being
4 total collections for the last two
y registrations.
Rhis matter G, disputed money is,
Eeyer, only n secondary considera-
b. Those back of the movement to
4 the law are office holders. They are
holding the proposition under nd
bment. As heretofore stated, the plan
10 induce some election officer to sue
\ ibis salary, thus forcing the issue
b the courts. Ii wa, rumored yester-
/ that the idea of making test had
Dn abandoned, but the attitude of
" Council sat Thursdays meeting
htive to paying the election officers
PEELED this notion. When the cleo
ps committee was called upon for q
|ort Chairman Johnston had no re-
u to make. No mention was made
the bill Of the Department Of EIeo-
his, which includes the salary account
the election officers, hills for rent Of
Iipg places and other election eS-
Uses. Consequently, no order was
|sed to pay off this obligation,
Dough it has been due for two weeks
I is usually paid within a week after
election.
fter the meeting of Council Chair
|n Johnston was asked why the bills
d not been reported. He said the
liter had not been presented to him
Il he was of the opinion that none of
! members Of the committee had seen
bills. IF the bills had come into
hands," he said, II would have
eaented them to Council and asked
ht they be paid, for the election
|eers are certainly entitled to their
Rney. | am not in favor of holding
PIX their pay" He thought the
utter should have been attended to
1pre. He was absent at the meeting
week aud that was then given as
ssible excuse for the non payment
*be bills.
Hher members OF Council, when
zen to about the matter, feigped
manoe. 1t was suggested that the
[>fer was in the hands of the finance
@mittee, but Chairman Kane OF that
mittee denied any responsibility for
pills being held up. Several mem
SAID they thought the matter would
xed up during the ensuing week
the bills would be Paid next
rsday night. They would not ex-
p what there was to "fix up and
not clear Just what is meant by
expression, as this account has been
- rendered by the Department of
otions and everything Is in proper
nc for Council to pay thu money, 80
ns Ia known. 1t was intimated that
y matter of disIosing of the disputed
1ney might be settled in Councils
Ifr during the week, but just how
settlement ia to be brought about
not explained.
- o matter of fact, it ia believed
q those who are bauk of the
atened contest either want some OF
election officers to force the issue
5aye not decided just what course
'-otrsua