Evening journal., 1906-11-14
FOR AND AGAINST
THE STATE UNION
Wilmington Sees No Reason
Why We Should Oppose
AmaleamatiOn

writing 70 Baltimore paper on the
subject of Delaware-V Virginia annexa-
tion to Maryland, IL. f. w" OF West
Chester, voices his opinions on the
subject as follows:
have been more than interest ed IN
the discussion which has sprung up in
regard to the annexation Of Delaware
to Maryland. / have been absorbed in
1t. II has been in my thoughts by day
and my dreams by night The dream
of Aaron Burr in regard to the founding
Of great Western and Southwestern
empire was not more enticing. What
grand bay state would Maryland be
with union Of Delaware and the Vir-
ginia counties Of Accomac and North
ampton with the world renowned East
ern Shot, The new and greater COM
mercial influence would bring into ex-
istence vaster improvements, and the
argosies of the world would crowd our
harbors in far greater volume than at
present
"As a Pennsylvania, however, liv-
ing upon the border of Delaware and
on the shore Of the Delaware Bay. let
me say that, in the act Of annexation I
at least would insist upon the cession
of that little slice of the county of
New Castle which so strangely dis
turbs the symmetry OF our southern
boundary. II is like an uncanny bite
chewed out Of our big State by a small
neighbor; and If there is to be a con-
lsolidation, we Of Pennsylvania must
have a little chunk You must remem-
Der that Delaware was for a long time
under the suzerainty of PENNSYLVANIA,
and how we came to let it get away
is one Of the mysteries which our mod
ern politicians can't understand. II our
present political Organization had been
in power we would have kept all Del
aware and asked for more. Let me
repeat, however. that IL a breaking up
OF State lines must occur. the 'organi-
cation will see to it that we grab tho
little corner which so clearly belongs
to us, and which will so neatly straight
en- out our southern boundary. Mary
land would, of course, lose the thrifty
city OF Wilmington IN the shuttle, but
you would get everything else worth
having"
Anxious Baltimorean.
A Baltimore writer says: by all
means let us keep alive and robust the
agitation for annexation Of Delaware.
4
ing the maps Of the present as curiosi-
ties viii wonder how IL ever happened
that Delaware was not included in the
sovereign State Of Delaware, when II
was clearly marked out by nature to
form a part OF the Eastern Shore. But
the brilliant intelligence OF the present
and of the near future can remedy the
rather grotesque mistake Of the fathers
in this respect and enter into a union
which, from every point Of view, is so
eminently sensible. Congress has
shown by its treatment Of the Arizona
New Mexico question that it no longer
believes sparse populations should
have equal representation with dense
civic masses in the American Senate.
Why should we retain absurdities just
because the fathers were more deeply
/ interested in many other features Of
the erection of the republic than in the
question of state lines? 1t was easy
to let old colonial boundaries decide
that matter. no difference how arbi-
trary and unbusinesslilSe those lines
might be. Let US fling tradition to the
winds, reorganize for greater COM
lmerce, closer community OF interest
and bigger things in every way. Del
aware would secure the greater gain
by the union; nut consolidation would
make for greater interests for all con-
cerned."
A "Burnina Question"
! A Wilmington writer expresses him
self as follows: NO post-election topic
could have been brought to the front
Of deeper interest than that which has
been discussed by contributors within
the last two or three days in relation to
the annexation Of Delaware to Mary
land It is a matter which is certain
to become a burning question in fu-
ture years, IL not so much so in the
present time. / have carefully read the
fractional and meagre reports Of the
discussion of this very subject by the
body which adopted the original con-
stitution. The reasoning of that time
was good-that the smaller States
should be protected by the same repre-
lsentation in the Senate as the larger.
the latter being protected in the House
Of Representatives by a representation
based upon population disclosed by a
census taken every ten years.
From the political point of view that
argument is yet pertinent, but the COM
mercial and industrial argument has
a new basis. The territory lying be-
tween the Chesapeake and Delaware
Bays is one which is indissolubly knit
ted together geographically and indus
trially. and every growing material in
terest suggests and demands a union
I in civil administration. All the peo-
pies who make up the population would
/ be bettered. The Greater Maryland
would assume a new Importance which
cannot now be estimated. The two
greatest inland waters of the immense
coast line Of the country would be con-
trolled by the united State. and through
its influence commerce would be at
tracted to all ports as the needle is at.
tracted to the pole. Harbor improve
ments would be sought and gained for
Delaware ports which our own diminu-
tive state, with its intermittent Sena-
tors and single member of the House,
cannot secure, for the very practical
reason that we have not congressional
votes to exchange with the votes OF
the larger States. A volume might be
written upon this topic. every word in
favor Of the union, while not a single
sentence Of good argument can be ad-
Ivanced upon the negative side. / have
spoken with many citizens Of this
State in regard to the matter, and only
lone has opposed the proposition. That
one is a political leader in the state.