Milford chronicle., 1949-07-29
HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE FAIR?


attractions and thrills, its horse racing ana
exhibits. Harrington this week is the meet
ing place for Kent and Sussex countians and
for Eastern Shore residents. The Kent ana
Sussex Fair is bigger and better than ever.
It's sponsors are pleased with the throngs
which have visited the fair each day since 1t
opened on Monday night. Long an lnstltu-
tion in lower Delaware, it has implanted IL
self as a permanent fixture. While many OF
those who nursed it in its infancy have pass
ed on, they have left worthy successors whose
interest in this worthy venture is perpetual.
Harringtonians are proud of the fair. 1t is
their week May the fair continue to grow
and prosper.
THAT $4,000 STATE CHECK ERROR
1t is not surprising, to learn of the error
by which an authorized payment of S7OO was
paid by check amounting to $4,000 to lady
residing in Rehoboth Beach. The lax man.
ner in which legislation was handled at
Dover during the recent session of the Cen
eral Assembly could result in many other
errors in the codifcation of the session laws.
There las been growing custom IN the
General Assembly to amend bills with one
or more amendments with the resultant pos
sbiIity of error. How much simpler it would
be if the legislators would offer complete
substitute bills for the original piece of leg
islation in cases where change is necessary.
To those who are not familiar with Delaware
legislative procedure, it will come as shock
that such errors are poSsible-long after the
Assembly has adjourned and gone home.
The practice of amending bills is bad. 1t
leads to the possibility of error and fraud
in codifying the session laws. Mrs. Sylves-
ter, whose duty it apparently was to send a
copy of the legislation to the State Auditor
cf re- Sc oY7d
woman. With one exception, she probably
knows the mechanics of compiling the laws
better than any person in Delaware. We can
not accept the belief that the fault is entirely
hers.
There has been much recent talk on the
part of inexperienced clerks in the Legisla-
ture to the effect that the necessary forms
should be more simplifed. This sounds fine
to those who are not familiar with compiling
legislative records. The cry of economy is
raised frequently and the hue is raised that
the printers are fleeing the taxpayers in
the printing of these forms. AS matter of
fact, however, it has been hard to get respon-
sible printers to handle them because of their
nuisance value in plant. The forms now
In use in the Delaware Legislature were COM
piled by the late Julian E. Walker, who was
Delaware'S outstanding legislative authority
He was a man whose judgment was respect
ed by the Democrats and Republicans. He
drew them up after careful study of the
needs of the legislators and for their fina
value as permanent records. At the recent
session of the General Assembly, through
the advice of young clerk, the members O.
both houses passed legislation providing fol
"Simplifcation of the keeping of the Jour
nails of each House." In short this provides
that the bills, after first introduction, shal
be referred to by number only. The title
are eliminated. Cost of printing was givel
as the reason for this desired change w
will not be surprised to find that titles hav
been altered in substituting, and the Jour
nails will not show this change because onl
the number will show This one featur
alone gives opportunity for crookedness
the desire so to do ever presents itself. Don
blame the Secretary of States office too muc
for this error. Rather look further into tn
manner of handling the records throug
"simplifcation" which makes the work {
the Chief Clerk of the House and the Seer,
tary of the Senate child's play.