Evening journal., 1913-03-27
mol orr 7a.hoo REAnERs.

TT is seldom THE EVENING JOURNAL makes spe-
cial request of its 10000 readers to peruse care
fully and understandlngy an article appearing in the
local columns OF the paper. II makes such a request
Of them with respect to the statement Of James
II. Semple secretary OF the Wilmington Waterfront
Association. because It deems It to be OF supreme
portance that every person shall know something def
mite to the attitude certain Of the Senator'S par
tcuary Senator Reinhardt OF this city and Senator
Marshall Of Milford toward the Granuand Bulkhead
Law Repeater and the Wilmington Terminal Company
and It's associates.
That Mr.. semples statement relative to the hostile
atmosphere he encountered and the discourteses he
suffered may be understood fully, let these facts be
borne in mind
That the Wilmington Terminal Company represents
speculative interests which trying through the
Bukhead Law OF 1901 TO get away with the city
waterfront from the mouth Of the Christana to Edge
Moor 900 OF State land and a Federal bulkhead
and All valued at hundreds OF thousands Of dollars
That the Grantland Bulkhead Law Repeater was
framed to prevent the accomplishment by those spec
ulative interests Of thing disastrous TO city
and its people
That the Wilmington Waterfront Association. that
now has enrolment Of than 500 members and
IL increasing constantly organized for the sole
purpose Of protecting the cys waterfront for the peo
pies benefit and also to do everything possible for
harbor interests OF city It is composed Of former
Mayors. former Presidents Of Council. former city.
county and State officials, manufacturers merchants
mechanics and. in fact, in all walks Of life and
OF all shades Of political opinion.
That It TO transmit to the state Senators reso-
utions adopted by that association and other informa
ton for the enlightenment Of the Senators that Mr.
semple was sent to the State House. He sent
wholly and solely in the public interest
That the Grantland Bukhead Law Repeater
drawn by the City Solicitor OF the city Of Wilmington
at the instance OF Councilman Slower. chairman Of the
legislation committee OF City Council; that II was
ando nv ffv nv vofo ~ 3 20 n hat .
had the endorsement OF the Wilmington Waterfront
Association which then had $50 members, and Of
thousands OF wiimingtonians who had not organized
and that had passed the House OF Representatives by
vote of 80 to O. Republicans and Democrats joining
hands in putting It through and the Wilmington Ter
mna Company lobby being powerless to block IT,
That the bill reached the Senate the
Wilmington Terminal Company lobby prepared to
smother Il and failing in that to slaughter IT, The
Terminal Compa ny lobby was the house of its friends
and the Grantand bill in the house of its
mics, with Senator Reinhardt and Speaker pro TEN
Marshall in the very forefront Of the opposition the
peoples bill In other words the Grantland bill like
the Public Utilities bill and sundry other popular
measures had reached the legislative shambles There
courtesy and spare for the representatives of
the Wilmington Terminal Company and its associates
who bent upon killing the Grantland bill There
was courtesy and to spare for the lobbyists of the pub
lie service corporations who bent upon killing
the Public Utilities bill, But there little or no
courtesy for those who were bent upon saving those
two bills from tho Hobbies that had been organized
20 kill them.
Let the 10000 readers Of THE EVENING JOURNAL
bear these things IN mind when they read the state
ment of Mr. Semple secretary of the Wilmington
Waterfront Association, which has between 500 and
600 members and is the largest most representa-
tive civic organization that existed IN state OF
Delaware Let them bear in mind that the opinion
OF City Solicitor Hastings the resolutions of city
Council the Wilmington Waterfront Association and
the Wilmington Mercantile Association and the unani-
vote Of the House Of Representatives weighed
nothing against the wishes and interests of the
Wilmington Terminal Company lobby in the minds OF
certain OF the Senators.