Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-03-14
The Legislature severely scored.

The Legislature Severely scored.
The Milford News and Advertiser,
in its issue of Saturday, thus editorially
scores the recent session of the Legisla-
ture:
Yesterday the most profligate, con-
Eoienceless and corrupt Legislature that
ever sat in Delaware adjourned sine
die. and sigh of relief has gone up to
heaven that its life Ia ended. The
elements composing IL were various,
but iobbery, inoompetenoy, IL not
vepality, we're, rampant. Bills have
bsen passed withouta particle Of merit,
for the puipuse of rewarding political
friends. Others OF real merit have been
unceremoniousiy killed because there
were no plums for faithful supporters.
Measures were introduced, not for the
purpose OF passage, but to hold up till
certain corporations should come down
with the ''stutf.
1t has been the most extravagant
Legislature IN our history; men who
have lived in comparative penuny,
seemed to think that it was their
prerogative TO appropriate State funds
Tor any sort OF purpose, public and
private. Officers have been created,
salaries raised, iunketing trips pro-
vided for, and there was no limit. It
would be unfair to put all members
in the same class, but as a whole the
Legislature deserves to be buried so
deep that its corpse can no longer
pollute the air.
The significant feature Of this savage
comment is the fact that the Milford
News and Advertiser is Republican
paper. Its Republicanism is of the
etrictest type, which fact is attested by
the sturdy manner in which it opposed
the election of Addicks to the Senate,
from first to last.
No Democratic paper, aotuated by
partisan motives, could more severely
arraign the Legislature than this Re.
publican paper does. And 1t was a
Republican Legislature, too, with a
Republican majority 10 each branch,
True, the Republican factions were
divided over the senatorships, but when
It came to partisan legislation and
other matters of mutual interest, the
two factions were without the slightest
show of division.
We believe that there is a large ele.
ment of truth in the severe charges Ere
ferrsd by this Republican paper against
a Republican Legislature. The latter
body proved partisan, extravaeant, and
incompetent to material degree. No
notable legislation of reform character
marks its record, and yet the charge
was repeatedly made during recent cam.
paigns that great reforms were de-
manded as result of years of inco,n-
petent Democratic legislation, and that
as soon as the Republicans were in
complete control an era of reform would
be inaugufated. AT last the Republi-
cans were in complete control, with a
governor behind them to approve their
good legislation, but where ia the
promised era of reformP 1t has failsd
to materialize, and in its stead We bay.
Republican organ characterizine the
Republican Legislature as "the most
prohigate, constituencies and corrupt,,
that ever sat in Delaware.
Possibly this may be regarded as
evidence that. SO far as the mere matter
OF legislation is concerned, there is not
great deal of difference between the
two political parties. Democratic
Legislatures have been denounced bv
their own party papers, as we'll as by
those of the opposition. And now wa
have the spectacle of a Republican
organ savagely denouncing a Republi.
can Legislature, almost before the
members had shaken the dust Of Dover
from their feet
Taken as a whole, it must he ad.
mitted that the Republicans have made
sad failure of their control of tho
Delaware Legislature during recent
years, and have fully measured IN In
the worst of the many Democratic
Legislatures of the past. In addition.
the Democrats have to their credit a
record of numerous sessions WHARF thu
work performed was merItorious to the
highest degree.
Inc lesson, it appears to US, is that
tine people should pay more heed to the
men they elect to the Legislature, than
to the political party that shall con.
troll IT. Good legislation ought to
emanate from good men in the Leeisla.
ture, as a natural sequence.