Smyrna times., 1903-04-08
UNION REPUBLICAN VIEW
VOTERS ASSISTANT LAW
APPEAL TO GOVERNOR HUM WITH DESIRE
TO HAVE THE REPEALER DEFEATED,
The Law as II Now Stands Has Two Sides,
Despite the Continued Opposition Of Regu.
lar Republican and Democrats.

lar Republican and Democrats.
The UEion Republicans of Kent and
Sussex county have appealed to the
governor not to kill the voters assis-
tants law by signing the repeater
passed by the recent Legislature.
Their appeal was presented Thurs
day in company with a request for an
opportunity to be heard in the Senate
Chamber at the. capital next Tuesday,
April IA, which is a few days after the
date set by Colonel Benjamin Nields,
and other Republican leaders of New
Castle county to be heard by the gov
ernor in advocacy of his signing the
repeater.
The voters assistant repeater was
passed by coalition of the Democrats
and Regular Republicans in the Legis-
lature, and was signed by the speakers
on March II, so that the governor has
until Thursday, April 16 to make up
his mind as to whether or not he shall
sign the bill and make it law, or give
1t the ''pOcket veto" by letting it die
ON his desk.
The bill presented to the governor
and on which he based his decision to
grant the public hearing asked for in
the Senate Chamber next Tuesday,
was as follows:
Text Of the Appeal to Governor Hum.
The Voters Assistant law has been
subject of fruitful discussion for at
least two years past, and many things
have been said concerning t. There
are some, however, that have not been
said Whether this is due to wilful
neglect or to ignorance of the facts
involved IN this matter it is not neces-
sary to state, but it is proper that the
other side shall be given to the public
at this time. Under the present cleo
tion laws of this state if the Voters
Assistant law is repealed, the Union
Republican party is deprived by state
law of any judge, clerk, challenger or
or other election officer. This being
true, it is at Once seen that the real
anlmOus of the present opposition to
the Voters Assistant law, both on the
part on the Democrats as we'll as a part
OF the Regulars, is the desire to rob
the Union Republican party of any
participation in free ballot and fair
count. The statement is made ad-
visedly. The law gives the Demo
Gratis and Regulars all control of cleo
tions. This has been the case for
eight years. From the opening of the
polls until the closing of the ballot
boxes, no Union Republican has the
right within the election booth as an
officer of election. The party that has
the undisputed control of affairs In.
and the majority of the voters of two
counties out of three in the state is
robbed by statute law of any official
participation ia the holding of the
election. 1t was only after the passage
OF the Voters Assistant law that the
Union Republican party had one off
Ger of election to conserve their inter
ests. Equal representation under this
law is given to the two PRINCIPAL con-
testants before the people. A repeal
OF it would mean a restoration of con-
troll of elections to two political or
CARNATIONS, both of which are op.
posed to the Union Republican party.
both of which have been in acknowI-
edged sympathy with each other, and
both OF which united are fin the minor
ity in Kent and Sussex Counties.
Want Equal Chance on Election DAYS.
If fair electio ns-honest elections
are desired, why has not some effort
been made by both Democrats and To
give some show of justice in this mat
ter. Certainly there is clamor enough
for one to suppose that purity of cleo
tlons IS matter of great moment.
Notwithstanding, however, no one
has proposed to strike at the root Of
the matter aud give the essentials for
an honest, viz: Fair representation
IN the conduct of elections. What
would be thought of law in a neigh
boring state that gave the absolute
control Of the ballot box on election
4ay to one political party alone, with
abundant opportunity to work all
manner of fraud and by law excluded
the other party to the contest? And
yet this is the law in the State of Della
ware, if the Voters Assistant law is re-
pealed. We repeat that the repeal of
the Voters Assistant law is not asked
for In the interest of fair and honest
elections, but to restore an unjust and
fraudulent condition by which on cleo
tiOu daV tho anarosas &c A. Tr-:-