220 



DELAWARE. 



standard parallel, an established line corre- 

 sponding with the 46th parallel of latitude. 

 Preliminary to the election, two divisionist 

 conventions were held, one for South Dakota 

 at Huron, July 13, and one for North Dakota 

 at Fargo, July 23, at which a plan of campaign 

 was adopted and resolutions favoring division 

 passed. Among the resolutions of the Huron 

 convention were these : 



Resolved, That we reaffirm the declarations already 

 many times made in constitutional conventions, legis- 

 lative assemblies, and in memorials to Congress, that 

 we are unalterably opposed to admission as a whole. 



This convention declares for the division of this 

 Territory into North Dakota and South Dakota, on 

 the seventh standard parallel, and that we seek such 

 division for the reason, among others, that good gov- 

 ernment, economical and well administered, will be 

 more readily secured thereby for both sections than 

 by admission as a whole. That thereby we shall 

 have our proper and rightful representation in Con- 

 gress, preserve that just balance of power to which rv 

 great population should be entitled, and secure the 

 highest permanent good for both North and South 

 Dakota. 



That the convention affirms its conviction that it is 

 the just and primary right and province of a people 

 about to be admitted to the Union to designate their 

 State boundaries, subject to be modified with their 

 consent upon the proposal of Congress, for grave rea- 

 sons only aifecting the general welfare. 



While we recognize the fact that the Constitution 

 confers upon Congress a just discretion in the admis- 

 sion of new States, we protest against the unjust and 

 tyrannous exercise of power by refusing to admit a 

 new State into the Union upon an equal footing with 

 other States, after having fulfilled the purposes ot 

 Territorial life. 



At the November election the divisionists 

 were in the majority. Southern Dakota voted 

 generally in favor of division, and Northern 

 Dakota against it. 



DELAWARE. State Government, The follow- 

 ing State officers assumed or held office at the 

 beginning of the year: Governor, Benjamin T. 

 Biggs, Democrat; Secretary of State, John P. 

 Saulsbury ; Treasurer, William Herbert ; Au- 

 ditor, John H. Boyce; Attorney-General, John 

 H. Paynter; Superintendent of Free Schools, 

 Thomas N. Williams; Chief-Justice of the Su- 

 preme Court, Joseph P. Comegys; Associate 

 Justices, Ignatius C. Grubb, John W. Houston, 

 Edward Wootton ; Chancellor, Willard Sauls- 

 bury. The office of Superintendent of Free 

 Schools was abolished during the year by a 

 legislative act. In March the death of Judge 

 Wootton created a vacancy on the Supreme 

 bench which was filled by the appointment 

 of Attorney-General Paynter. The Assistant 

 Attorney-General, John Biggs, son of the Gov- 

 ernor, was then promoted by his father to the 

 Attorney-Generalship. 



Statistics, Careful estimates show that the 

 population increased from 146,000 in 1880 to 

 about 170,000 in 1887. There are 110,000 

 people living in cities, towns, and villages, and 

 60,000 residing on farms and engaged in agri- 

 cultural pursuits. One city has a population 

 of 55,000, one city over 3,000, four towns over 

 2,000. ten towns over 1,000, seven towns over 

 500, fifteen villages over 300. 



The farms of the State are now valued at 

 $36,789,672, live-stock $4,000,000, valuation of 

 cities and towns $60,000,000, annual products 

 manufactured $40,000,000, agricultural prod- 

 ucts $10,000,000 $150,000,000 besides the 

 personal property and investments. 



Finances. The State debt, at the beginning 

 of the year, was composed of 4-per-cent. State 

 bonds to the amount of $585,000, 6-per-cent. 

 school-fund bonds valued at $156,750, and 

 $83,000 of indebtedness to Delaware College 

 bearing 6 per cent, interest. By an act of the 

 Legislature in March authority was given the 

 treasurer to refund $250,000 of the State bonds 

 at 3 per cent, interest. The new bonds are 

 payable in 10 to 30 years at the option of the 

 State. There are assets in the State treasury 

 more than sufficient to meet the whole State 

 indebtedness. 



The auditor estimates the total receipts of 

 the State for 1887 at $203,277. Three fourths 

 of this amount is composed of the following 

 items: receipts from the Philadelphia, Wil- 

 mington, and Baltimore Railroad Company, 

 $40,000; from the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- 

 road Company, $40,000; from licenses, $80. ; - 

 000. The first two items are in commutation 

 of taxes. In the third item is included a State 

 tax on manufacturers. The receipts from li- 

 censes in 1886 were $75,243, of which New- 

 Castle County contributed $57,577.35, Kent, 

 $9,974, Sussex, $7,692. 



Legislative Session. The General Assembly 

 was in session from January 4 to April 22. 

 It re-elected United States Senator George 

 Gray for the full term of six years. Among 

 the acts of the session were the following: 



Authorizing the levy court of Sussex to fund $30,- 

 000 of the county debt, at 4 per cent. 

 For the suppression of policy-gambling. 

 An act in relation to oysters, being a codification of 

 most of the prior legislation on this subject, with some 

 amendments. 



To regulate the practice of medicine and surgery. 

 Reserving certain portions of the Delaware Bay' for 

 fishing and domestic oyster purposes. 



Appropriating $2,500 to pay for the right of way of 

 the proposed canal connecting the Delaware Bay with 

 Assawoman Bay. 



Providing for the care of the indigent insane. 

 For the preservation of the health of female em- 

 ploye's. 



For the protection of fisheries [prohibiting the use 

 of explosives or prison in streams and ponds]. 

 For the protection of property from fire. 

 For the protection of public health and to prevent the 

 adulteration of dairy products [the oleomargarine bill.] 

 Eelating to the revenues of the State [applying the 

 State laws to the taxation of the Delaware Railroad, and 

 empowering that road to commute for such State taxes 

 by the payment of $3,000 per year]. 

 To regulate the practice of pharmacy. 

 Amending chapter 562, volume 14 [providing that 

 no exemption of real property from attachment shall 

 be allowed for claims of $25 or less pertaining to wages 

 for manual labor]. 



For the study of physiology and hygiene in the pub- 

 lic schools, with special reference to the effects of stim- 

 ulants and narcotics. 



In relation to the education of colored children. In- 

 creasing the appropriation to $6,000, and making other 

 changes. 



