Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-27
lIsCHIIAKroun RECORn
WHAT the People MAY %.


What tho People May DO.
The doings Of the extraordinary session
Of the Pennsylvania Legislature, now
sitting at Harrisburg, are a wholesome
revelation. They show conclusively what
the people may do in the cause Of good
government, once they apply themselves
10 the stern duty Of remedying political
evils and making their votes count for re-
sults
The Legislature now in special session
nc Harrisburg is the same body which,
yenr ago, obeyed every behest Of corrupt
political leaders and imposed much venal
legislation upon the people, at the same
time rudely refusing TO even consider tho
measures Of reform recommended by the
in6nitesimal leaven Of good which at that
time was only barely discernible in ring
ridden Pennsylvania. Il is the same
Legislature that enacted the Philadelphia
"Ripper" bin and voted 10 erect statue
to Matthew Stanley Quay
At the election Of last November, the
people Of Pennsylvania voted a rebuko
to the dominant political machine which
clearly indicated what would follow at the
election next ensuing, when a much greater
opportunity for enforcing reform would
be presented. The verdict Of that cleo
ton swept away the power and influence
OF the machine leaders, and left their
hitherto servile followers trembling and
suhservient before tho people instead Of
the bosses. AZ last the members Of the
Legislature realized that the power Of tho
people was greater than the power Of tho
machine, and whom the governor, in obedi-
onco 70 the popular mandate, called the
body together in special session. the as
scmbling found an array Of legislators as
willing and eager to do the bidding Of the
people, as hitherto they had been willing
and eager to do the bidding Of the machine.
The result is already seen in good legis-
lation. The Philadelphia "Ripper" has
been repealed by the unanimous vote Of
the Legislature that enacted il. Other
reform measures are under way, with
every assurance that they will be made
into laws. In fact, so eager are tho former
henchmen Of machine leaders 10 serve the
people and not the machine, that they
have asked the governor to enlarge the
scope Of tho proclamation by virtue of
which the special session was convened
in order that they may enlarge tho SCOPE
Of legislative reform. It is altogether
probable, therefore, that az the hands of
the Legislature which struck the deadliest
blows at their vital interests, the people
of Pennsylvania viii receive the needed
reforms for which they pleaded in vain AZ
the hands Of the leaders of the dominant
political party.
This encouraging result in Pennsyl-
vania shows how potent is the power Of
the people when concentrated for any
good purpose. At the last election in
Pennsylvania, party lines were obliterated
In the campaign for reform. Democrats
and Republicans joined hands in the good
work, the former aiding in the election Of
reform Republicans in the city Of Phila-
delphiai and the latter making sure the
election Of a reform Democrat to tho Office
OF State treasurer, in order to save the
money of the people from dishonest
manipulation by machine Republican
officials. Thus, the fight for reform was
conducted by the people, for the people,
and, Of course, was successful.
What the voters Of Pennsylvania have
done, the citizens Of Delaware may do.
The latter have been cursed for years with
an awful corruption Of the ballot until the
conditions have become absolutely do
grading. A reform movement is now
under way, and only the hearty co-opera-
tion Of the people is needed to insure its
success. IL may not be necessary,as It was
IN Pennsylvania, for the honest voters of
the State to unite In common voting TO
secure the desired result. An organiza-
ton, without regard to party lines, for the
purpose Of compelling hribers and vote
buyers to suspend their devilish traffic
viii be sufficient. With such an organiza-
ton in the field, the vote-buyers Of all
parties will be driven to cover and so over
whelmed 10y the fear Of the law that they
viii not dane 10 tempt a single voter with
money. This result the people Of Della
ware may achieve IL thew So desine