Evening journal., 1907-12-11
What | Know About
Delaware Politics and
Other Things
THIRTY.sIMTH ARTICLE.
By WASHINGTON Hastings

mating and exacng in this respect than some OF orr
neighborng states cannot be denied we need not
farther for example to prove this than ust across
our noIhern boundary line nto the great and properly
influential Commonwealth Of PENNSYLVANIA and take
Retrospective view Of only few Nears
nave heard by the way that some. doubtessly recl-
less and rroycront historian ampheteer of long
forgotten period claimed that Pennsyvania was
AT one tme territory belonging to Delaware / am too
young to know a matter o personal information
whether this is true or not and in did know 1 would
pc very careful about saying The side of our
norhern border.ne but viii venture to say on this
side of that line, that il true Beunsyvania would
De no worse Off in some particulars, at least had
renainec part Of our territory.
While all that has been said with reference to our
cafeIufess i'm the selection Of proper Ind men for
exalted official position IS true edually true that
we have hecuently been remss ana careless IN our
choee ci men Cor the management and government of
our municipal affairs True we have had spasns of
pohuca, virtue, 80 to speak, IN city government and
Wnen Things did not appear TO be going the way we
wished Them to go have arisen in otr wrath and
turned one set of officials put another set n
generally Of The same knd,-iust neighbors in
fhladelohia did few years ago-but our efforts in
TINS direction have been spasmodlc and have
lacked those qualities OF perseverance
which only can give to such efforts effectiveness
ier any lasting benefit Oar attitude pracNce in re-
spect OF municipal government and anairs-and in this
we are very similar 70 most other cities of the c1untry
reminds Of what Macauay says the English people
IN their en"is at reform IN other directions He says
Ne know Of spectacle so ridiculous as ahe
British pLbic in one OF It's periodical fits OF
morality In general, eopemens, divorces. and
faniy quarrels, pass with little notice We read
the scandal, talk about it for day forget
a. But once in six or seven years virtue
becomes outrageous We cannot suffer the laws
OF religion and deceucy to be violated we must
make g stand against vice We must teach liber-,
tines that the English people appreciate tho inn
portance of domestic ties. Accordingly some un-
fortunate man. in no respect denraVed than
hundred whose offences have been treated with
lenir, Is singled out expiatory sacrifice
If he has children they must be taken away from
him. II he has profession. he is to be driven
from IT, lie is cut by rhe higher orders and
Missed 10y the lower He is in TRUTH OF
Whif ping hoy. by whose vicarious agonies all the
other transgressors In the class are il Is
supposed TO be sufficiently chastised. We reflect
verr complocently our own severity and COM
pare Mtll great pride the high OF
morals established ia England with Partisan
victim is ruined and broken hearted And our
virtue goes doieiiy to sleep for seven years more"
Changed from a question of morals to a question of
politics and this simile is almost a perfect picture of
the manner Of dealing with the question of municipal
government m American ctes--the CITY of
Wilmington not excepted
what Is the remedy2 This question has often been
aSked qng y often answoredi answers need not
pc reated Mere as all are less familiar with them
neither VIII presume TO prescribe a remedy But will
attempt 70 state what think are some OF the causes
OF the rouble In our community, which much needs
But first wish to say that this state and especially
this city have never in recollection been notorious
as some other communities boen dishonest men
In our minor political positions trust There have been
few dishonest ohice-holders it is true but compara-
sNey very Few and they have in every instance
detected ana promptly indicted 10y the grand jury tried
IN the criminal courts and punished their crime And
s mas generally been brought about through the
mentality of the political party which placed them in
office Our local officials have always been with these
lew eNeeplons' men OF good character and standing
among their fellow citizens who would scorn to steal
public money or countenance it in others; and they
ote,so To-Day without exception.
The trouble in our municipal government has not lain
IN ls direction and for this may justly be grateful
Ohe 90 our chet deficiencies has been the wonderful
inaierenee ON the part Of many voters to tho
vital spot in local body-politic-t primary elec-
IONS lor ue selection OF candidates, which referred
70 IN former number Of this serial which we are
all Doubtless glad to observe. has materially improved
under recently primary election laws and H.
steadiy continuing to improve.
But the greatest evil Of all, in my judgment not only
~ NNnlns'V' D1t IN almost every city of considerable
size has been and Is to-day, the interminpling
~ ana intimacy Of partisan politics in the
"sement ana transaction OF municipal business and
Affairs. Tnt former has proper connection or
association with the latter than they the man
agement of the largest manufacturing or mercantile
establishment the smallest blacksmith shop or peanut
stand IN the city Why should mayor city council
sewer. water police election park commissioners or
policeman, county constable or a Justice of the
loe' or any oncer whose sole business IL is 70
the community in conducting its local business and for
wmeh the community pays him his wages, be selected
soey' or even partially, Tor his ability in managing
party primaries choosing delegations to National or
state conventions selecting proper and TT statesmen
LOT United states senator's and feel IL incumbent upon
him to perform all OF these I'm addition
to his official duties and by reason of his official
poslton. II u We're not so serious matter the spectacle
would be ridiculous in the extreme
would not abridge or curtail any mans inalienobe
risht 70 assume and perform all Of his public duties
trammeled unhndered but I think that former
President clevelands famous pronuncameno about the
"pernioous political activity" Federal office holders
5Iuelt i'olseVets recent notice TO officials
his administration to keep out Of the business of National
making came pretty hitting
the bulls eye in the public estimation
have always been a firm believer in this kind Of
political ethics though bound to confess maj I'm
my early and caow days in politics did not alyga,s
practice It, In the course of controversy in which was
engaged with the editor of Democratic evening news
paper o. this city In 1873 in which trying TO vindi
cate my action IN supporting candidate of my party
Of whose nomination I did not approve. / wrote on
August the 9TH Of that year. among other things the
following: 0
Il should be very glad Mr. Editor TO see partisan
politics entirely divorced from municipal affairs have
always believed that the of right MOTH
ing to do with the other; and that the payers would
be much better off under condition OF things
no one can doubt But see no indication a desire
on the part Of citizens generally steps I'm that
direction W all appear be to abide at home
in city as well as in State and National affairs; and
while lhs remans The case 90 not he..Ha ar---