Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-14

The Political Overturn in Delaware.
The politics of the little State of Della
ware have long been of "A peculiar type.
The baron rule of the Bayards and the
Slulshurvs has been notorious \ Wash
ington account from wcll-iuformed
source gives some of the facts and the
reasons bearing on the Republican victory
In that State.
Secretary Bayards humiliation is rendered
complete by the action of the people of Kent
AID Sussex counties in Delaware They
have elected Republican legislature and
the infamous Bsyari tax collection law will
now be repeated and a Republican United
States Senator will be chosen To succeed Eli
Salisbury, Democrat This il one of the
best results of the late election 1t com
pletely DESTROYS the Bayard power in Della
ware. and returns to the people of that State
the management of their own affairs. It is
only by the most fragrant aud insolent sort
of fraud that Baysrd has con'rived 80 far to
control this Republican commonwealth At
any time during the past ten years an honest
election would have resulted in his over
throw.
The Baysrd tax Law provides that every
voter in the State must register himself and
pay poll tax before he can vote, the pro-
fessed intent of il being to secure a correct
list of voters. But the assessors and other
officials who have control of the tax books
do not make a pretence of honestly enforc-
ing the law, Their chief method of cheat
ing 10 to retain on their lists the names of all
delinquent Democrats and dropping the
names of all delinquent Republicans. Then,
by sitting infrequently. by sdjourning as
soon as they have assessed their own parti-
sans, leaving hundreds of waiting Republi-
cans unregistered. they manage to harass
and tire out enough Republicans to perpetu-
ate their rule.
They are cornered at last. A certain ca
ger young Democrat in Dover, James l..
Wolcott, who was brought up, so to speak
in Senator Saulsburys law office, aspired to
defeat his old friend aud 10 elect himself in
the Senators stead. The situation in Della
ware is peculiar. The Bsyards, Thomas
Francis and his father before him, have al
ways controlled the upper part of the State,
The power of the Salisbury family extends
over Kent and Sussex, The Bayards and
the Saulsburys since the war have divided
Delaware between them, While. for mutual
defence, they have usually pulled together,
their humor towards each other has always
been that of cordial animosity. In the late
assault upon Senator salisbury by his some
time protege, the Baysrd influence was cast
for Wolcott, and the friends of Mr.. Ssuls-
bury were called upon to choose between a
defeat at the hands of the Republicans or a
defeat at the hands of the Baysris. They
sagaciously preferred the former,
This is the explanation of the Republican
victory in Delaware. Its consequences.
however, will be tremendous. The tax law
will go. The assessors will go. Honest
voters will be given q chance TO cast an
honest ballot and to have it counted, and
from among the able Republicans of Della
ware Senator will be sent TO Washington
who will represent the people and not HIM
self and his picture gallery of dead ancestors.
Thomas Francis is the last of the Bavsrds
and he is deader than Barabbss,