Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-27
e,rsuIa''9G gSso1as yel,ss5,v sss5y 132O2
FRIDAY. DECEMBER -, 1918.
Now for the Legislature.

Now for the Legislature.
Christmas is over rand 4 fine, cheering,
inspiring Christmas il ssand now the
people OF Delaware may turn their at
tention toothcr and more ematerialmatters.
Chief among these will be the session of
the General Assembly of 1919
This session will open on Tuesday,
January :. one week from next Tuesday
II viii bc preceded by party caucuses,
held thcnghi bcfurc -the-Or-gan-isa-tio -tion
III Was called years ago when selections
may ~ made for presiding officers,
clCrk~. and ail the i,St ol the otlcIary
OF senate and Uouse We say these Sc
'rction~ may bc made. because in re-
cen, Years party cauctiscs on the eve of
the legislature have been very uncertain
aaair~. md frequently have broken up
" dl,4grceu cnts that doadlocked one
hous, 81 III, other and DELAYED organlza-
tion We loro there Will h. no such up
SET - mtcrice with thc work of the
cunmg SESSION
In c.,h r.uch nf tho Legislature
her I ,ai, working Republican ma
loru, - 'hat up"u The Republican
party Will rest the responsibility lor the
legislation hat may ens,.c Moreover
i, j. >aid Vic Republican majority each
br.nctDlll tc controlled .iy tko~c who
adher, 10 The New Disp,nsation ot the
Republican party. which means the party
organization effected bv the primaries
q this wear and which placed Nr tlired
l. du Pont ID fun leadership ErinC IN
caucus control, the New Dispcnsatlon
will decide upon the policy IN dIctatc
the procedure OF the Republican majority
in senate and House -unlcss there should
b. revolt against thIs dictation
The greater degree .. interest i felt
IN the organization VI rhe state senate,
cspecial, n the chuic, 81 . candidate
foT President pro tcmPo.o Il has been
gwen our >cmi-offeiaily hut in manner
than indicates speaking with authority
that the New DIspensation candidate for
President pro teinporc oi TIC state
senate will be senator ! Dolphus short
Of Milford. new member ~taie senator
Ira W Long of NlIllsloru ~usscv county
= holding-oytr member also vill he a
candidate There are elght new members
and only tour holdlng-over members
so that contest on this hnc alone would
Jesuit IN EASY victory for the New Dispen-
sation In the uouse tins issue cannot
bc raised, as al the members Of that
body are chosen ~ one election
We hope, however, there will be no
disagreement in The Republican caucuses 7
that will interfere with the prompt and
complete organization Of the Legislature
on he first day of assembling There art
only sixty daw for active work, rs the
compensation OF members Is limited 20
this ,erlod Ind II Is not expected they 4
will consent 10 serve many days without
the Js diem return III money And /.
should there be great deal Of work the /
sixty days would be TOO little time. I
rather 'hsa 100 much
The members Of the legislature might
do much 10 help matters, 10 expedite
business, and especially TO insure careful
consideration of all measures passed up
on If they would, after ,he first two weeks,
abandon the abominable practice Of
hurrying away from Dover each after
noon, 70 return the next morning. These
daily journeyInes 10 and from the Capital
consume a great deal Of time Also,
they make il impossible to hold com
mittee meetings sufficient for the careful
study Of bills before being reported for
action They allow no opportunities for
delegations OF citizens Interested In
various measures 10 have hearings be-
fore the committees, to urge legislation
or oppose legislat lon, as the ease may be.
Under former conditions, the Legisla-
ture assembled each Monday morning,
and, after the hrst two or three weeks,
renamed in Dover until Friday after
noon. This gave ample opportunity for
cid days many notable contests over
legislation were had at these night sit
tiDes Of committees. Delegations, pro
and con, would come TO Dover, remain |
over night, and fight their battles before
the committees, generally in the hall of
the House Of Representatives Frequent !
", these public hearings were the most
feature of the session.
Frequency Of trains on the Delaware
Railroad operated 10 break up this
beneficial and eminently satisfactory
The rule now il to have COM
nittee hearings during the noon recess,
but this Is unsatisfactory. 1t does not
allow sufficient time for the hearings,
md also II intrudes upon the time that
mould be devoted 10 the legislative
SESSIONS.
Here is q fine field Tor reform What |
may come before the Legislature