Evening journal., 1903-04-08
PREPARING CASE
FOR THE COURT
Representatives of Both Par
ties Want Election Muddle
Settled With Haste
ROBERTS REELECTED SECRETARY

1t is Probable That Hereafter the
Meetings of the Five Commissioner
Department Will Not Be held Re-
hind Closed Doors.
Anthony Higgins. William 8. Hilles and
Hugh c. Browne. for the Republican
members of the Department Of Elections
and ]. Harvey whiteman and Robert G.
Harman, for the Democrats, are drawing
up a case stated today. which is to be
presented before the State judges for their
decision, as to which OF the two Election
Departments has the legal right to hold
the coming city election. 1t is not expect
ed that argument can be made this week
as Chief Justice Lore and two OF the as
sociate judges are sitting at the April ses-
sion OF the Sussex County Court at
Georgetown.
AT a meeting held last night both the
Three-Commissioner Department and the
Five Commissioner Department decided TO
receive the transfer OF voters on Friday
night This means that each department.
proposes, II possible, to run the election,
and the fight will continue until 1t is set
tled-by the court.
The purpose OF the meeting last night
was to effect organization. and all Of the
members, namely, ]. II. Lewis 7. A. ID.
HutsOn, Robert p. Edwards, A. ID. ebay
tor and Martin +. Fairy, were present.
Mr. Lewis was reelected president by a
vote Of to ?. The two Democrats nomi-
mated MIR. Fairy for president and Frank
A. McCloskey for secretary.
The meeting last night was held behind
closed doors, but It was decided TO make
the meetings public in the future.
Trying to Prevent Election.
A leading Republican gave out the fol-
lowing statement last night on the elea-
tion controversy.
'The plan to have no municipal cleo
ton this year win undoubtedly, strike
the citizens Of Wilmington as preposter-
Gus and yet there is no doubt that there
is a determined effort on the part OF the
members OF Council and its officers to
prevent II possible, an election in June.
No election means they will hold over,
for two years, and IL there is a question
able election they would hold over until
their successors are qualified. The Re
publican members Of the Department OF
Elections have no question as to the
right Of the Five-Commissioner Depart
ment to hold the election but they dc
not propose that hhere Shall be any ques-
ton about it. 1t is their purpose Ito az
ford the voters OF Wilmington the op-
portunity to hold an election which can
not be questioned. They are not going
the continuation of the present admin.
istration OF affairs. It is absurd to talE
about there being no provision for the
election. 1t is the law, the voters de.
mand it and the Five-Commissioner De.
partment is going to see that they get It.
The bluff and bluster of Il few Demo.
Gratis will have no effect on them. They
propose that there shall be a legal cleo
tion. The entire discussion over this
matter comes from those who are direct
ly interested in continuing in power ths
present City Council and its officers.
"As to going into court on a cas-,
stated, Afessrs. Lewis, Hutson and Ed
wards are perfectly satisfied to rest III,
validity OF their position with The court
The main question to be disposed of will
be which board shall hold the election
and the constitudonality Of the act passe,
III at the last Legislature.
1T is not thought that the Democrats
will dare bring up the question as whethe
There can be an election or not. Two cit,
elections have been held since the con
stitution was adopted, the first In 1899 an,
the last in 1901. The question was no
raised at either election. The voters o
Wilmington can rest assured that the Re
publican members Of the department ar
going TO use all she means within thei
power TO facilitate the holding of a fai
and unquestionable election. The voter
are determined to rid the city of the in
cubus of maladministranion which nov
B has hold OF the city and has driven 1t 4
z the verge of bankruptcy. The Republi
cans are confident that there is no iques
tion as to what the outcome of the elec
tion, when held, will be, whoever ma.
hold 1t. They have no doubt or question
as to the right OF the Five-Commissione
Department to hold It.
B ''rhe people should know that all IN
quibbles about holding the election aris
from those interested in the presen
Council. The people can rest assure
that no effort will be spared by the Re
publicsns to have an election, and tina
election will be conducted by the Five
Commissioner Department.
The Chaytor-Farry department of eleC
tions also held its meeting session, an
the decision reached was to go ahead wit
the city election until blocked by Tn
court or someone else. Clerk McCloske
vas given the authority TO make the trans
proceed with their plan and ignore IN
eive-Commissioner Department.