Milford chronicle., 1931-03-20
[Continurd from Firn Pagr1

tor who has been a resident OF tht
State of Delaware fol II months
| prior to the award of the contract
and also provides for the employ
ment of local architects and loca
sub-contractors, mechanics, work
men and labOrers.
/ In these times, any plan designed
to relieve unemployment is bound tC
receive sympathetic consideration
A closer study of the subject, how
ever, reveals the fact that it is a
problem of compleXity where mis-
takes are easy and the solution diff
cult / believe that Senate Bill 81
with House amendment contains
mistakes. While this bill closely en-
bodies suggestions contained in my
recent message to the Legislature
that it vests the Boards or Agencies
charged with the erection or alter
alton of public buildings with dis
cretiOn to permit the employment OF
nonresident mechanics, wOrkmen
and laborers-the wage earners who
constitute the great bulk of the un-
employment, and whose relief is the
special and particular concern OF
the State. 1t does more in that il
withhOlds discretion in the employ
ment of architects and contractors.
This is discriminatory and it dis
eliminates against the many for the
few. The reasons for comforting the
discretion are clear; the withhold
ing that discretion as to limited
class was a mistake.
Puzzled Over Penalties
Section 8 of the bill carries Il
penalty usually importing crimi-
nal act am uncertain from its
language whether it was intended
that members of public boards and
commissions would be subject 10
this penalty, but the court might
easily if not necessarily so interpret
it, Membership OE public boards
and commissions IS often if not al
ways accepted at Il personal sacri-
flee and members should be spared
unnecessary implications of un-
trustworthinGss in the public inter
est
One of the basic principles of our
national government is the right of
free trade between residents of one
section of the country and another.
S. B. No. 50 may be held TO run
counter to this principle. If not, il
may invite reprisals from our sister
states far Outweighing the benefits
il could yield. Such reprisals, il is
not difficult to conceive, might be so
far reaching as to pass beyond the
bounds of building construction.
Furthermore, permit me to point
out to you that in my opinion there
is grave doubt that S. b. No. 50 re-
ceivcd on its way through the House
of Representatives the required
of votes TO cOnstitutionally
pass, since it contains a provision
the municipalities to the
extent that it restricts the powers
granted them under their charters, |
which instruments guaranteeing |
rights to self-government, had to
have the approval of two-thirds oT
the members of each house of the |
Assembly. to pass them. /
Predicaled on the belief that il must |
require as many votes to rescind OF |
as it did to pass, legislation
earlier enacted, | seriously question /
If S. B. No 50, which on call in the
House of Representatives carried 81
yeas and u nays, received the con-
number of votes to pass.
AS | am sympathetic with the
needs and claims of Delaware con-
.ractOrs--that public work in the
State, as time has shown, has not in
many instances been awarded to the
owest responsible bidder, I exceed
ngly regret not to be able to bring
myself to approve S. b. No. 50 for
he reason that | consider it inimical
o the best interests of the whole
State The circumstances being
such, | return herewith the bill in
question without my signature, to
he House in which it originated.
An appropriation of 100000 to
maintain and keep open the Indian
River Inlet so that the fishing and
.rabbing industry in that section
an progress, as contained in a Sem
tie bill, was passed by the House
Without oppoistion. The bill relieves
he present Indian River Inlet Com
mission named under bill passed
wo years ago from any further re-
and puts the burden on