Middletown transcript., 1901-02-16
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
View Of Interesting Happenings During Of
the Past Week.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY III

Il
Senator Harrington's bill to repeal the
act OF 1899, relating to elections in re-
ligious societies, was passed by the SEN
ate. 1t is intended to permit churches
and other religious organizations to elect
their trustees or governing officers by
vote of the members or as they see fit,
that custom prevailing until two years
| ago, when the Legislature passed law
requiring the regulations prescribed by
| the church government board to be fol-
lowed in elections. In connection with
Senator Harrington's repeal Senator Hart
will have bill giving to every male or
female church member more than q
years of age the privilege of voting at
| elections of trustees or other officers.
In the House the four Senate bills to
straighten out the election district mud
die in Kenton hundred were passed
unanimously. They were looked after in
the House by Representatives Moore and
Hutchinson. The House also passed the
House bill providing penalty of $50 for
each violation of the act requiring unin-
corporated associations Of persons doing
business in Delaware to certify with the
prothonotaries the names of their men,
bers.
After Oil Delivery Wagons.
Representative Shallcross introduced
his bill to tax oil delivery wagons for
road purposes. His measure provides for
| the assessment at valuation of one
| thousand dollars all the big oil delivery
in the State and rate of taxation in ac-
cordance with the assessment.
After Slot Machines.
Slot machine gambling seems to be
nearing an end in the State. Senator
Allee's bill prohibiting such gambling
| and fixing the minimum penalty at fifty
dollars for each offence was reported
fayorably in the House.
Senators Attack Levy Court Bill
By strict party vote the Senate passed
| Senator Allee's bill, as amended, fixing
six as quorum for the Kent county Levy
Court and making the clerk Of the peace
a member ex-officio of that body, with a
right to vote in case of a tie and yet to
serve without compensation as a member.
Senators Slaughter, Clements and Nc
Nulty attacked it as a partisan, and Sena-
| tor Alice defended it. Senator Farlow
| voted with the Republicans and Union
Republicans Senator Groves was ab-
sent.
May Reduce License For 0ysterman.
Representative Scotten has introduced
an act reducing to So, now $40, the IL
cense for oystering in Broadkiln River
and Sound and Mispillion River, exempt
ing Leipsic River, Simon's Creek and
making it unlawful to dredge in the tri-
butaries of Delaware Bay with certain
tongs or dredges.
Representative Wright has introduced
an act for the protection of sheep in
Kent county. 1t taxes male dogs so |
cents and female dogs $2.
Fi11ory Not Doomed.
Action of the House committee on
crimes and punishments is believed to |
anticipate the fate of Senator Clements
bill to abolish the pillory. The bill was
reported unfavorably to the House. 1t |
is probable that the bill will be killed |
and the pillory will be more firmly es-
tablished by the Legislature as an insti-
tuition of punishment.
No Senator Elected.
The ballot for United States Senator
was as follows
For the full term-Kenney, Democrat,
%; Addicks, Union Republican, Is; Du-
Pont, Regular Republican, 8; Higgins, |
Regular Republican, 8; Bird, Regular
Republican, l.
For the short salisbury, Demo
crat, %; Addicks, Union Republican, 16;
Richards, Regular, 9; Hilles, Regular, 8;
Higgins, Regular, |; John G. Gray, Dem
ocrat, |.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY IL.
A large delegation of Delaware State
Grangers came here in the interest of the
bills now before the General Assembly
in relation to the Communication of State
taxes to the railroad companies of the
State. The Changers urged that the bills
repeating the commutation be passed,
because either the railroad companies or
the farmers would have to be taxed to
meet the increased demand for State
revenue, and while the farmer is now
taxed more than he is able to pay, the
railroad tax is practically nothing, the
legislators at session after session having
forgiven the tax of the railroad com
panies.
The delegation suggested that the fol- ,
lowing taxes be fixed for these companies:
The Delaware Railroad Company, $780,
600; Philadelphia, Wilmington & Balti-
more, sec, 900; Wilmington & Northern, 6
$1,000; Delaware, Maryland & Virginia,
So, 200. The Grangers were represented |
by A. n. Brown, Of Wyoming, who made ;;
a strong argument in their case.
Wilmington's License Bill Passed
The Monaghan bill, which provides t
that the city of Wilmington shall receive I
one-half Of her liquor license revenue
about $30,000-when presented in the
House caused a hard fight among the I
city and rural members. Wilmington
now gives the 100000 collected for LIQUOR +
licenses into the State treasury, which
sum goes into the school and other pub
lie expense fund. An amendment made c
to the new bill gives to every incorpora- /
ted city and town the right to one-half '
Of its liquor revenue from the State i,
Treasurer. This would reduce the States !.
receipts from $4,000 to $4,000, and i
while benefting the other towns would
be decided advantage to the city of
Representative Clark vigorously op-
posed Representative Monaghan and
Robertson in their efforts to secure the q
passage of the bill but without avail, as
lhe bill was passed by 10 to 15 votes.
State Detective Service Abolished
The bill abolishing the State detective T
service passed the Senate by strict
party vote. 1t was Mr.. KNOWS bill and
5he Democrats tried to save the Demo-
cratic officials now in that capacity, but 1
1 minority report was also voted down.
Another bill of Mr.. Knox's provides for '
sanitary barber shops and BARRIERS T
A bill presented by Senator Brasure ]
provides that all transportation COM {
oanies of the State shall furnish free
transportation to members of the judi .
;iary and all State officials and members n
If the General Assembly during their
The bill specifying that the words 'Tn- Q
of temper" when inserted p
n the ground for divorce be sufficient q
eason for granting divorce, was killed
to-day by unfavorable report. 1t is Mr. n
1ooden's bill Il
McKinley's Inauguration a
The Senate joint resolution appointing
committee Of five to arrange for the
legislature attending the Inauguration a
f President Mckinley at Washington, y
,assed the House this afternoon. Ie
The House also passed the Senate joint a
D. | I,t