Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-01-17

ilGbiUu VI uulJ ou tnp Iui Y Vi bhonO "
whom the supervision of the roads has
been intrusted. / would suggest that
those whose duty it is to supervise the
roads in the various localities be made
more directly responsible to the govern
ing bodies OF the several counties for
the proper expenditure of the peoples
money. Under the present system the
large sums OF money spent appear to
make no improvement whatever In the
conditions of the roads, and that fact
itself is strong testimony of mismanage.
ment In this very imnortant work.
THE CARE OF THE tNsA r.
Among the many public institutions
that claim the support OF State there
are none more deserving than those
which provide home and proper
medical treatment for the INDECENT in
sane persons of the State. We of Della
ware feel a Just pride ia our State
Hospital at Farnhurst. This institution
is thoroughly equipped in all depart.
meuts for the work required of it and
SKILLED physicians and nurses are in
constant attendance upon these poor
unfortunates who are confined there.
| The efficiency of the institution has
been gradually increasing and 1t is
under the control Of a board of trustees,
composed Of competent physicians and
laymen chosen from tho whole State.
| During the past few years tho record
| shows that the demands upon the Insti
| tuition by reas n of the increasing mum
| ber Of inmates have tbeen much greater
| than heretofore and that tie amount
of money appropriated thereto is INV
| inadequate to meet the increass ID needs.
| While in all departments of State gov
erument proper economy should be ex
| ereised, the efficiency of such an insti-
| tuition as our State Hospital should not
| be IMPAIRED by the failurs of the Gen
| ersl Assembly to make appropriations
adequate to the needs OF the institution.
DELAWARE COLLEGE.
Another public institution of which
Delawareans should be able to feel proud
is our State College at Newark. The
education of the citizens is matter of
supreme importance to every State.
While in this day, we believe the
foundations uf education are best
secured to the people by an efficient
public school system, still every State
should foster one institution at least,
where those OF its youths who desire
can secure the higher education at as
small an expense az possible and within
the confines OF their native State.
While no reflection is attempted. the
4 institution does not seem to have met
with the measure of success in the PAST
that we should hope for it. We find
constantly larger number of Delaware
students attending colleges and uni
versities outside the State than attend
our own college. In State of the popu-
latIon of Delaware this should not ba
the case. Many of the students who
i attend outside institutions are from the
city Of Wilmington.
Permit me to suggest that perhaps
the removal of the college to the city
of Wilmington, where there is large
population to draw from, where the
railroad facilities are much superior to
Newark. and where the general contact
, with the outside world is much closer,
might attract many students from Will
mington who now attend other schools.
and might enable the institution, by
, contact with a more energetic atmos-
phere, to take the rank among similar
institutions that properly belongs 70 it.
. The city Of Wilmington. to secure the
advantages of such removal, should
, offer to pay to the collie a reasonable
amount for the buildings and property
, | now belonging to it, or should erect
proper buildings for ii. | would sug.
gest that the Legislature consider this
matter, and il they deem any actior
with respect thereto proper or possible
( to take such action.
I STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
Referring to the public schools of the
State l think We may congratulate
J ourselves upon the efficient basis upor
! which the system has been placed by
9 the recent public school law. l agree
I entirely with my distinguished pre-
9 decesslr in office. and recall to your at
: tention the remark made by him il
3 that part of his message which treats
! of this question. While the Legis
I lature should not fail to make adequate
appropriation for the public schools
it should be seen to that the amounts
required to be raised by each schoo
r district actually is raised and any in
. crease in State appropriation should b'
' accompanied by an increase of thu
' amount to be raised by the school dis
4 tricts.
al STATE MILITIA.
O The splendid body Of men who com
q posed the First Regiment of Delawar
|, Volunteers, with whom Delaware re
r sponded to the call of the Nation at th
l beginning OF the laie war with Spain
Q caused Delawareans to feel proud tina
D the glorious military record OF the Stat
. in the past is not f rgotteD and, that
3 while our State furnished more than it
. quota of troops in the Civil War, it fur
4 nished more than three times its quot
y for the Spanish war.
o Much has been said in recent year
f in favor of and against State Militia
q but it certainly seems that tho Stat
i should see that at least one regiment o
Q militia is provided for and maintaine'
o in the State. This can be done at
Q comparatively small expense and
would recommend that the Genera
Assembly make suitable appropria
q tion for thst purpose.
+. ELEcTioN AND REGISTRATION LAWS.
{ TIE operation of the present registra
o tion and election laws has demonstrated
y that they are great Improvement owe
9 the old election law. The opportuni
Z ties for bribery and corruption hav
% been greatly lsssened and the chancs
J. for dishonest practices in voting an,
IL counting the votes have been very muc
10 reduced.
Is In government such as ours, wher
q the will of the people is supreme, ever
d possible opportunity should be give
1t for the full and free expression of tina
it will and every safeguard should b
Il thrown about the method of its eS
}. preston to secure the honesty thereof
l. While the present laws concerning
l. elections have gone far toward attain
e ing these ideals there seems to be tw
f. resErcts, at least, in which they shoui