Evening journal., 1909-03-17
FIGHTS
OVERLEGISLATION
Senate Kills Road Bill and
House Defeats Act Fix
ing Court Quorum
SENATE AIDS
PEOPLES RAIL WAY
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.

Special TO THE EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER, March 17.--The House Of
Representatives had a spirited fight 1T
noon over the Donaho popular primary
election bill providing for the direct
selection of Senators at primaries held
by both parties at the same time. The
bill was killed by a vote of % to 5.
The eight in favor of the bill were
Messrs. Bryan. Connolly. Donaho, Han,
Hudson, Marsh, Soper and Speaker
Cooper. A significant feature of the
voting was 49, 49, Bryan" was the
e~~' to vote for the popular election
Of Senator in Delaware.
The Senate passed the registered
nurse bill, providing that three nurses
and two physicians, one from each Of
the old schools, constitute a Delaware
Board Of Registering Nurses, appoint
ments by the governor being made
from nominations by the nurses Of tho
city. Mr.. Drexler led the opposition to
the bill. The vote was: Yeas. ;; nays,
4, with one, Dutton. not voting.
A lively personal tilt took place be-
tween Senator Drexler and d. J. Lay
ton, attorney for the Sussex County
Levy Court, but the court won in it's
effort 10 have the celebrated Vines
Corner road bill killed.
Layton contended that the bill would
bankrupt Sussex county. Drexler charged
that the Levy Court was squandering
money on a worthless system Of road
overseers and declared IL the court would
build practical hard roads that would
lift the carriages out OF hub-deep sand
there would be no necessity for such leg
islation. The bill was defeated by vote
of 10 to 3.
Another spirited fight ensued over the
Spruance constitutional amendment chan
ging the quorum of the courts so that
one Judge shall constitute quorum, ex-
cept In oyer and Terminer Court. which
shall be three. and appeals from Orphans
Court, which shall be two and contested
liquor cases which shall be two judges.
Kent and Sussex counties were solid 20
oppose the one Judge as a quorum, and
they killed the amendment after addresses
had been made by James il. Hughes and
Henry NJ. Ridgeley. 1t was declared that
the lawyers and clients would have more
confidence IN a court of three judges The
bill was defeated by a vote OF II ayes and
i6 nayes. All New Castle county favored
It and Rawlins. of Sussex voted for it.
The bill repeating the oyster law re-
garding power winders was defeated.
Professor II. V. Holloway and the
county school superintendent made
strong appeals in the Senate for the
manual training bill for the public
| schools Of the State. The bill re-
quires that every district shall raise
$3.50 before getting aid Of the State. AS
this would, involve an expenditure Of
about $4,000 year by the State, Sem
ator Monaghan got a motion through
to refer II to the finance committee to
see IL the State can afford it.
The Senate passed the amendment
to the incorporation law defeated two
weeks ago, allowing other street rail-
way companies to extend tracks iown
Fourth street. Wilmington, to the
! wharf Mr.. Sparks made remarks at
length explaining his position. finally
supporting the bill. although he did not
think it a good one. The bill passed
without opposition.
The eSnate passed the collateral in
heritance tax substitute House bill.
st. Patrick's Day was marked in the
Senate by Mr. Conner, who appeared
in his famous green hat made of a
billiard table cloth. Senator Monaghan
gave each Senator a green carnatlon