Evening journal., 1913-04-02
WILMINGTON VOTERS Will DECIDE.

r n view Of the fact that on the Delaware River
l. waterfront question the people unable to
obtain justice at the hands OF the State Senate those
who opposed to the Wilmington Terminal Com
pany and its associates getting away with the 600
acres Of state land the Federal bulkhead ILL., and
the control Of the cty's waterfront to be con-
graduated that the Wilmington Waterfront Associa
ton has decided to carry the fight to the polls in the
forthcoming city election. Il is something that ap
peas strongly to everyone who has the future well
fare OF the city and the sancty of public property
close at heart We feel perfectly confident that when
the Of city the question their man
date to the city officials viii that the interests Of
the public shall protected and conserved at all haz
ards.
The public conscience has been shocked by the sug-
gestion that through the operations the Bulkhead
Law Of 1901, the guabity OF the members OF City
Council and the Legislature that time and the
refusal OF the Senate to TO the relief Of the
people at this session. the Wilmington Terminal Com
pany and its associates shall be permitted get away
with this precious possession Of the State. and the
key to the future commercial advancement city
The selfish private interests which are endeavoring
TO obtain that public property through the Bulkhead
law no doubt will resent the suggestion that the
hood OF Wilmington be permitted to pass Judgment
at the polls upon The waterfront question That
matters little The average Wilmington voter loves
his city and has high regard for its commercial future
He also admires fair and dealing and stands
for the protection and conservation OF the public in
tcrests when small group Of of speculative
turn OF mind seeks to get away with GOO of
state land, Federal bulkhead valued at PERHAPS
100000, between two and three miles of the cty's
Waterfront on the Delaware the control Of the COM
mercia destines Of growing city of 80 600 nhabit-
ants, the Wilmington voters will know what TO do
when they 20 to the polls.
Tho Wilmington Terminal Company and its associ-
ates and their partsans may pirate of the expense and
the delay OF litigation to the consttutionality of
the Bulkhead Law OF 1901 The reply to that is that
the city has waited twelve years for these specula-
tors to do something toward the development Of that
waterfront under the niQuous law Of 1901 and that
il can afford TO spend money and time now to
prevent those spectators from getting away with
that public property. The City Solicitor of Whining
ton has expressed the formal opinion that the Bulk
head Law is unconstitutional He has expressed the
formal opinion that If it be constitutional the
title to the land under water beyond water mark
vests in the State because the littora owners
have carried out their part Of the agreement under
grant that never should have been made Therefore,
there is every reason why the city should fight to
protect its vital interests and by resort to liti-
cation or other steps defeat the plans Of the marsh
land spectators
We have heard 1t said in behalf Of the Wilmington
Terminal Company and it's associates that their status
would not be impaired by a repeal Of the Bulkhead
Law OF 1901. We noticed, however, that when the
Ilahtlahu bulkhead Law Repeater was IN the Legsia-
ture and had passed the House by unanimous vote
and had gone to the Senate. that the Wilmington
Terminal Company lobby exerted itself to the utmost
and with success to defeat it. II its repeal meant
nothing, why did it fight that repeal and why did its
friend Senator Renhardt pirate about "confscation,
and its other friend, Speaker pro tenn Marshsll
work himself into such ather of apprehension and
such heat OF eloquence?
Submission OF the question to the voters OF the
city OF Wilmington in June will be in the nature OF
an appeal from the decision Of the State Senate and
when the question in the courts it will be
fought out ON it's merits, with the private interests
that are bent upon getting away with this public
property deprived of the friendly Intervention Of one
Or more Hobbies, and Of Rcnhardts and Marshalls