Evening journal., 1913-02-08
Republican Ballot Bill
Gets Favorable Report;
Grist of New Measures

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER, Del, Feb. S.-With a dash
and whirl, the Legislature yesterday
went through the motions of receiy-
ing, reading and referring many bills
intended by somebody to be enacted
into law. Both branches were on the
move until about $3.50 o'clock, when
the Democratic members left to go to
Philadelphia to attend the dinner
given in their honor by Willard Sauls-
bury, United States Senator-elect. at
the Bellevue Stratford. Some of the
Democratic Assemblymen didn't 90 to
the dinner, and some Of them who did
go thought that special car at least
might have been provided for them
from Dover to Philadelphia Some Of
the members recalled, too, that two
Republicans elected United States
Senators in recent years, entertained
Republicans aud Democrats alike in
the Legislature, at dinner following
pressed wonderment that the dinner
was not given at the Hotel DUPONT, in
Wilmington
Monday will be the last Gay for the
introduction of bills in the Legislature
and an avalanche of new measures is
expected.
Hearing to Council.
Representative King introduced and
had adopted by both branches, a reso-
luton providing for the Legislature in
Joint session on Friday afternoon next
to give { hearing to Wilmington City
Council on all measures introduced in
which Council has an interest
Favor New Ballot Law.
With a favorable recommendation
the simplified ballot bill introduced
by Senator Ewing was returned to
the Senate yesterday afternoon by
the committee on elections. The bill
was prepared by the Republican State
committee, and abolishes the present
Australian ballot, and provides
straight ticket for each party on a
blanket ballot, to be marked with
pencil by the voter at the head of the
ticket, and to be cut by writing in the
name of the candidate desired TO be
voted for.
The bill If enacted would enable a
voter to prepare his ballot either at
his home or In the voting booth, as
provision is made for a distribution
of the ballots by the recognized po
litioal committees A voter could call
in any voter to assist him in marking
his ballot il he required assistance.
There is a provision that the intent
OF the voter shall be construed in
counting the ballots, and that il a
voter makes a mistake in marking
one name IL will not invalidate the
remainder of the ballot. In several
respects the bill does not differ much
from the Democratic simplitied ballot
bill. introduced in the House by Rep
resentative Hammond. IL provides
that the ticket of each party shall
be on a separate sheet of paper, MAX
ing the strip form.
AS the Republican ballot bill would
abolish the present voters assistants,
it is expected that the Republican
majority in the Senate will defeat the
voters assistant repeater which has
passed the House, and will urge adop-
ton of the Ewing simplihed ballot
bill as removing much of the objec-
ton to the present ballot law and
also repeal the voters assistants as
we'll
Public Utilities Bill.
Senator Gormley introduced the
amendments to the law creating the
Wilmington Public Utilities Commits
sion by strengthening the law, eni-
powering the engaging OF experts to
assist the commission, to compel the
production of books and records, etc.
Prisoners on Roads.
Senator Walker introduced a bill
TO empower the judges sitting in the
Court of General Sessions at Will
mington to sentence prisoners to
work in building and improving the
county roads, the intention being that
the prisoners shall be under the sup
ervision of the trustees of the work.
house while doing such work on the