The Wilmingtonian., 1886-08-14
SENATOR'S GRAY's RECORD.

oru IL upon nOtnlnB else.
Those who make that assertion either de-
liberately blind themselves upon what has
happened in the Senate, upon the Hon.
George Gray's record there, and contradict
straightly the facts as printed in the Con-
gressional Record. Or, with kinder but
equally misguiding purpose unconsciously
present that gentleman's personal or social
status and qualifications as an argument and
basis for popular Judgment upon his public
record, forgetting that in scrutinizing leg
slator's claims for reelection the Just basis
is what he has done as public servant in
what degree he has shown qualifications for
public service, how he has borne in mind his
constituents, needs Sc,--not what may be
the gehtleman's personal attractions and
mental requirements.
1t is desired to know what practical quail
flcations he has shown, not what are the
ornamental cultured adornments Mr.. Gray
undeniably possesses.
All who have intefcourse with the Hon.
George Gray concede these grateful phases
of the senator's personality, his urbanity,
affabilty and courtesy.
But that, as his aduators would wish us
to suppose, does not close the question. The
question is more than that. 1t is not simp-
ly how has the Hon. George Gray posed as a
gentleman, but how has he posed as Sena-
tor How has he shown himself of any
practical value as representative of Will
mington's manufacturing and commercial
needs or of those of his constituents of the
State of Delaware
1t is boldly asserted that the negative and
useless qualifications as Senator displayed
by the Hon. George Gray throughout his
incumbency of Office are not what will meet
the appreciation Of a live manufacturing and
commercial centre such as the metropolis of
Delaware is
What Wilmington needs to be informed
upon by Senator Gray's adulators is not what
he has not done, bat 1hat has he done, what
has he accomplished What has he bestirr-
ed himself to do-if he can be accused of be-
stirring himself at all in Washington for the
advantage of his constituents.
We assert that if Senator Gray has done
no harm he has positively done no good
Where can it be shownP
Among the multifarious important and
-''s-'s-~--+ -1..~ati.0T11t that arose in the Sen
ate during the recoht sess ions what can Mr..
Gray be credited for. His record shows al
most uniform silence or absence.
His opportunities were innumerable for
one possessing the mental capacities his
friends accuse him of what he accomplish
ed is equivalent to an absolute nil.
Let us look at some of these lost opportu-
mites.
In April last, at the initiation of the more
recent Canadian fisheries trouble when Sem
ator Frye arose in the Senate filled with in
dignaton at the shameful neglect of Ameri-
can interests by the State Department and
was followed in like patriotic strain by Sem
ators Evarts and Morgan, what condemua-
BILE position did the Hon, George Gray take!
He shamefully interpellated obstructional
argument impeding the desired legislation
Whatever provoked his un-American, unpa-
triotic action it is impossible to tell-but it
is needless to add when the vote on Senator
Frye's resolution to vindicate American hon.
or and protect our fishing industries was put,
a resolution paving the way for quick relief
to the New England fishermen, Senator
George Gray was found opposing its adop-
tion.
In January last the Hon. George Gray re-
asserted in the Senate the gold mono-metal.
ic sentiments of his political sponsor Secre-
tary Bayard who for years was known as
the "Wall street Senator. .
Senator Gray evinced much interest and
even fearful anxiety for the ''poor," the
"crippled," the ''beggarly," bond-holder.
Striped of all superauous verbiage and
brought to the plane of average intelligence
the demonstration of silver means distress
to the debtor class of this and of all other
communities. Annul the coinage of silver
act, silver will at once be demonetized and
a mono-m metallic standard will be forced upon
our people, and for this very thing the mon
ey leaders have been crying for years.
Adopt gold standard and there will be a
shrinking of values and the man who buys a
ten thousand dollar farm to-day paying
three or five thousand dollars in cash and
giving mortgage for the remaining five
thousand will find at the expiration of ten
years that his ten thousand dollar farm has
shrunk to five thousand dollars. Not only
has the five Thousand dollars originally paid
shrunken to nothing, but the anxieties, the
toll ard the labor of the ten years have all
been for naught. Aristocrats and represen-
tatives from the mOneyed centres are all in