Evening journal., 1889-01-11
- REPunLIcAN sENAToR.


The Record Of Philadelphia yesterda,
said The election of Edward D. VOL
cott to the United States Senate adds on,
more name 20 the list Of thirty corpora
tion attorneys in that safe harbor Of
monopoly. So long as the monopolists
can keep secure possession of their Sena.
torial stronghold they will be able to set
the rest Of the government at defiance. q
II is apparent to-day that Delaware viii
not add another to this dangerous list.
The Dover correspondent Of our morning
contemporary, who had Eve votes
for Mr. Massey yesterday IS to.day sure Of
six. aud viii probably have seven to-mor.
row and nine BY Monday. Fortunately
Senators are not made by cooked" news
paper reports and the caucus on Monday
night Is still 20 be held The indications
are stronger than ever that Mr. Smithers
will lead ia the Kent delegation. and
with the support Of Senator Moore from
Laurel win, therefore, be the most formi
dahle candidate at the opening Of The
legislative caucus. There are good rea.
sons why Mr.. Smithers should not be
elected and i he is chosen, it win be due
more to the determination to defeat Mr.
Massey than TO any merit that
his candidacy may have. His age-he
will be III before he can take the sent
is al almost fatal objection. He has said
so himself This was his view as given
with emphasis to Senator A. B. Richard
son and Representative John II. HoffeclSer
on Friday, November 10. and his position
to-day is strong only because that of Mr.
Massey is impossible and because. Of
course that county lines are more potent
than principles or the welfare Of the
party.
Mr.. Massey cannot win because the
liberal and saving sentiment Of the Re
publican party is against him. For this
reason be is the choice of nearly all the
Democrats in the state But an effective
opposition to him is the great body Of
Republican workers in the entire state
and especially in Kent county. Every
man Of these, except the few who feel
themselves sure Of federal Office In the
event Of his success, is opposed to him.
They are Republicans and hence they can.
not have any inclination towards him.
On the other hand there is no question
about Mr.. Smithers's Republicanism in
Kent although it is not Of quality. es
pecially not in view Of hia atti.
tude towards the proposed eonven.
tion which is known to be not cordial.
to satisfy the progressive spirit Of that
party in New Castle aud Sussex counties
Mr. Smithers is not prepared either bv
training, inclination or age to do effec.
tive work in constructive legislation.
such as the Republican majority in Con.
gress is constrained and disposed TO do in
respect to the protective tariff the
Southern question and the Ameri.
can shipping interests. He is better
fitted for a minority than ma.
jority party. lie is not leader.
He is the most acute lawyer in the
state and is, moreover, one Of the most
accomplished men we have. His party
loyalty and patriotism have never been
questioned and his character is stainless.
But Notwithstanding the high order Of
his attainments, after thirty years
of effort and aided by the bitterest pos
sible factional fight in the ranks Of the
Democratic party, his county of Kent
Is to-day as firmly Democratic as it has
been during any year since the war. This
should be proof conclusive that his choice
would not help to build up his party. of
course he is less Objectionable both in
respect 70 party welfare and to the work
to be done in the Senate than Mr.. Massey.
who is even less fitted than his
tutor and benefactor for liberal
and courageous action such as
the next Congress must take. Mr.. Mas.
seys training in craftsmanship las All
been received in the ''thhd house -
There is probably not another Delaware
lawyer in either party Of equal prominence
with Mr. Massey, who knows so little about
the fundamental principles Of his party as
he does. His speeches on the tariff. even.
have been colspicuously unsatisfactory
10 his closest friends in this county.
Both In 1888 and in 1884 his efforts II,
New Castle we're a disappointment TO his
warmest adherents. he has sionallv
failed TO impress his party in two direc.
tions. The party workers doubt his
ability and disposition as a leader. while
the party thinkers are not satisfied
with his capacity to discuss
public questions. These doubts have
proved falal to his ambition. Then. too
he was loaded down by the offensive char
acter OF the support which he received
from this city. 1t created suspicious of
deal in the minds of a number of the
conservative members Of the Legislature.
AIsoseshor hs hss come TO be regarded as
representing the most dangerous forces