Year: 1875




PUBLICAN MEASURES OF REFORM ADOPT
ED UNDER COMPULSI0N


The adjourned Legislature produced con-
siderable good work. and some that is quite to
its discredit 1t voted down several bad .propo- |
sitions and omitted or refused to approve some
other measures demanded alike by the public in
terests and the commonest principles of justice.
On the whole, its good work and its negation of
bad measures predominant in the scale, and to a
moderate limit it deserves the thanks of the
people. II was an improvement, certainly, on
some of its predecessors !; it responded more to
the demands of enlightened public sentiment,
and conceded greater measure OF true amend
ment in our laws than any Legislature which
has sat at Dover for years.


Amongst its good results we count the amend
ed public school law, the general incorporation
act, the act in relation to colored school taxa
ton, the repeal of the mortgage tax and wages
attachment, its appropriation to the Centennial,
and.perhaps other measures, which, at this NOM
ent do not occur to us. All these, i'll our judg-
ment will result to the benefit of the people
We hope to the public schools enter now
upon career Of improvement. The new law is
far from perfection, but it starts the work. The
general incorporation act is also criticised freely,
but it is a great step in the right direction. 1t
will facilitate the processes Of legitimate bust
ness, and remove from the Legislature volume
Of routine work which has heretofore occupied
its time, day after day and week after week, at
every session. The act concerning colored
schools is, in theory, faulty, yet we hope to see
good resulting from it. The education OF the
coored children will, We believe, be helped for
ward, and for the present its practical results
will probably be as great and valuable to the
colored people as could be obtained by any other
measure.


Among the refusals which did the Legislature
credit everybody should and most people will
count the defeat of the bill to divide the school
funds of this city, according to COLOR the defeat
of the bill intended to nullify the United States
enforcement laws, and the same disposition Of
the partial repeal of the Exemption Act A
large body of the people approve the defeat of
the State Aid bill, the free license law, and the
county division proposition, though all of them
were earnestly urged, and their loss is sincerely
regretted by many.


So far, however, a. the Legislature went in
the right direction, truth compels Ills to saw that
1t simply followed the road which the Republi-
can party of Delaware has from time to time
pointed out. 1t has been engaged on Republi-
can work. The improvement of the hools and
the repeal of the attachment law were measures
distinctly and earnestly called for by the Re-
publcans, Ill their last State Convention. and
III previous ones, while they were not so called
for by the Democrats their Conventions have
been silent in regard to both 1t was the
pressure of a public opinion, which the
Republican organization has given voice
to- which obliged the Legislature to concede
these progressive and reformatory measures. and
If there had been no such organization; if the
Republicans of Delaware did not stand firm
courageous, intelligent, and aggressive minority:
II Is open to the gravest doubt whether any of
the credtable legislation which we have men
toned would have been passed at all. 1t is the
development OF Republican policy. 1t is
the enactng of Republican principles
The Legislature has not been working out the
Democratic platform but that of the Republican
party, and tile credit for every step Of the pro-
gress made is mainly and primarily due to the
latter


Especially are these remarks true in regard to
the unquestionable increase in the strength and
energy tn which equal representation is de-
manded. That claim of tile people of New Cas-





They begin to be in earnest, and the people
OF Kent and Sussex are, for the
first time, giving close attention to the subject.
Many Of them--we might doubtless saw most of
them-concede at least increase of representa-
ton, if not equality, and by the time another
Legislature Assemblies the door to Justice. now
partially opened, will swing upon its hinges be-
lore the clamors of the people. Such result
VIII be due almost entirely to the pressure
brought to bear by the Republican organization.
Since 1866, it has occupied the firmest, boldest
ground on the question, and now that the dis
traction of color prejudice is fading out of our
politics. the fleet OF this determined and aggres-
siye policy begins to appear. The Democrats of
the State feel the pressure. They fear the con-
sequence Of not eonceding a demand 80 iust
party in their front, very nearly as strong az
their own, having Equality OF Representation
inscribed OH it's banners, has obliged them
to consider whether they dare forever refuse
to act justly, and their clearest-headed men
see that they dare no.. Hence has come the al
most unanimous resolve of New Castle county
III favor of fair re-apportonmelt of the
Legislature hence came Mr.. Baldwin, proposi-
ton of increase hence came Mr.. Nowland's !;
hence came the votes Of Senators Ray and Davis
Tor Mr.. Riddle i sweeping measure to establish
equality. Not Tor quarter Of century-cer-
tainly not since the abortive Convention of 1852
have Democratic members OF the Legislature
voted thus. They are coming on. They are
force d to pc sit!on of conce ssion by the yigor
OF the Republican policy. We must yield some
thing, they say amongst themselves, or we can
not hold our own voters.


Briefly, then, and without dsmissinp the
subject finally, it is fact that tile few measures
Of true progress, the legislation embodying
genuine reform, which most do credit to the
recent session. measures indicated and
presented by the Republicans of Delaware,
which the Democrats dared not decline to ac-
eept.