Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-27
Circulation Every 1fC01
Evening Yesterday / l4ZU4
In 10 the Republican Party.

In the Legislature, last week, special
pleas were offered for Justice to winning
tnn- in the matter Of larger measure
If home rule. especially as to authority
for raising revenue from sources other
than those now available to the ci'N al
ministration. Also. there were references
10 the Importance of having larger rep
rcsentation for the city in the Legislature
IN order that its interests might DC better
protected than At present.
State Senator Robertson OF tins city,
Republican, was quite emphatic N ms
cens,Ire Of the discrimination against
Wilmington. and referred plaintiveiy TO
his attempt, at previous session, 70
have Wilmington representation II me
LEGISLATURE increased from two Senators
H. five and from FIVE Representatives e
ten. He Iamented his failure through an
utter lack of cooperation and encourage
lnent from his party confereos Of lower
Delaware.
We suggest to senator Robertson, and
10 other Republicans who agree with hun,
hat they make study Of past political
history IN Delaware, especially of the at
i;tude Of the Republican party towards
the nrinciple Of representation according
10 population They will find that ~
1866 more than half a century ago the
Republican party. in State convention
assembled. declared uneqmvocaily N
favor Of such representation in the Legs
lature And il order to demonstrate the
sincerity Of this declaration, i applied the
principle to representation IN the state
conventions Of the party.
The apportionment made by the he
publican State Convention q 1866, 70
anolv to future state conventions. divided
the State into four districts-Ni Winning
TON rural New Castle county. Kent ooun-
tv vand Sussex county To Wilmington 40
delegates were allotted; to rural NewNas-
lie. 3s: 10 Kent. 40: to Sussex, =. This
apDortionment was IN full accord with
the population figures Of that day, the
four districts being almost Of an equality.
But as time passed on and Whining
ton increased rapidly in population. the
Republican party lost All interest IN
renresentation according TO population.
Adherence 10 the principle would have
resulted in a larger representation ior
Wilmington in Republican State Conven-
tions. and Kent and sussex Republicans
,bo,,pbt the CITY had too much a j was
20 the apportionment Of ,S66 remained
unchanged. although under the principle
i renresented at that time Wilmington
would be entitled 10 about 120 representa-
tives TODAY. instead Of only 40.
%ow the Democratic party has been
continually consistent in respect Of tbs
matter Of representation ln its State con
ventjons for fully d century. L esta6-
lisbed the bass Of equal county repre-
ssntation. and has maintained II y thls
dav. When Wilmington had advanced tc
the dignity Of ten wards, the party leaders
aDpropriated FIVE more delegates, 50 as tc
elect one from each ward. But Kent ane
Sussex ct once provided for i've more from
each Of these two counties Finally, a
Wilmington took on more wards. th'
party rules were changed So as to provide
for the apportionmcnt Of delegates bl
Representative districts but allowing
Wilmington only three from each distrlc
and the rest Of New Castle county five
making % in all. with 90 delegates from
Kent and 60 from sussex. Rural Della
ware Democrats made no secret Of then
opposition to representation according t
population, either in State conventions Q
the Legislature.
But the Republican party has been in
consistent It adopted the principle IN it
party operations years ago. but in tim
gradually repudiated it in respect o
representation for Wilmington Also.
has had control Of the Legislature almos
uninterruptedly for about a quarter Of
century, and has failed 70 provide fo
even larger representation for Whining
ton. much less representation according I
population. So il respect Of this questio
it is now practically on all-fours wit
the Democratic party.