Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-10
Wilmington, Thursday, Ian.lo, 1889.


lWotkh ihhuo VI tue fnilhuelpnlh N0TN
american Mr.. Washington Hastings is
reported as saying: "We want some law
affecting all our elections such as we
have already procured for ths municipal
elections in Wilmington, whers sos Aaos
elected a Republican local ticket under its
strict but just provisions, while for State
and national officers we IRE showed
iunder.n
The words we have italicized must
have surprised Wilmington readers. 1t
was natural Of first to suppose MIR. Hast
lingH had been incompletely or incorrectly
reported as to this particular senssnce,
tbutsinoe several days havegons by without
any correction from that gentleman we
feel constrained to assume, on the prin-
ciple that silence gives consent, that he
used substantially this language. Yet,
so assuming we are necessarily driven to
one of the only two possible conclusions
either that Mr.. Hastings has INDUCED
In suppressio veri tantamount TO sug.
igestio falsi, or that he is the unfortunate
possessor of phenomenslly treacherous
and unreliable memory.
That there are politicians with pro-
verbally short and uncertain memories is
no new discovery. But that Mr.. Hastings
should should not remember more clearly
an event OF 80 much local importance as.
our municipal election of last June seems
Encomprehensible, and thEt be should at
tribute the outcome Of that election
solely to the olesome operation Of our
Improved law equally strange. What
ever Mr.. Hastings may have forgotten
since, he certainly know six months ago
that the election of Republican mayor
mot 20 Republican local tiSket"--in
June last was attributable to the general
revolt of seif.respecting Democrats
against an unfit candidate unfairly nomi-
mated, and that the part,the new election
law played in the matter was simply in
preventing the FOUNDERS from getting in
their 'fne work." as they would other
wise have done and as they have since
done in the reelection of Mr.. Hickman.
no this extent the ''strict but Just
provisions" Of our registration lew
fairly ensitle it to the praise which MIR.
Hastings 6estows upon 1t, but that tho
election Of Mayor Harrington should be
lascribed to it, in the face Of the fact that
lat the same time the Democrats carried
che city for suoh eandidatea as the decent
men of the party approved, is simply an
fnexcuaable Misrepresentation of what
occurred. Gan II possibly be necessary
to remind Mr.. Hastings that at the same
election, on the same day and on the sane
tickets when the responsible yotars CT
Wilmington ,,-eted Republican mayor
~ 743 majority, they elected Dsmo.
s.a lseaiacnt q reun5n by majority
of 953, Democratic city treasurer, and
seven Democratic Councilman out of
tseivs II this is what Mr.. Hastings
terms the election Of 90 Republican local
Ticket" the readers Of the North Amert.
can should be informed as to what con-
Btitutes the Hastings conception OF a
political victory.
Taking the NORTH A,neyic4n interview
in its entirety gives what ia evidently the
right key to the uHeTsnee we have
quoted. Mr.. Hastings had started out
with the declaration, which EVERY EVEN
will accord him the fairness Of pSesum-
sng that he may believe, that the Gtase OF
Delaware is Republican on Tan honest
ballot and fair count" Following this,
os the interview proceeded, he found
himself unable to resist tina temptation
Of mis!aprasentins the election ct MGyoz
Warrington as local Republican victory
jim order 10 bolster up Iii opening claim.
But II would have been indnitaIY more
faol!d IN him to hsya stuck 20 the exac;
.tsuth and 10 have a5owa that
the election Of Hayor Harrington
by Democrats votes posseadad o
isigpifcanoe cyarshadowiug tie lag under
Witch that election WAS held, III that i:
Yves brought ahort By Ills some IN
Observation-Disclosures engineered by repu.
table Demoorats-whi1h ma5o taat Law
Influences which ore sometimes slew 60
move, but which, when they do gel into
motion, are potent to my that miayoYstn.
mont by assess9rs and collectors SHALL not
dominate By their ald. LII tbs lily eles-
ton the responsible tax paying Demo.
Gratis, by the sid OF the repatriation Law
which they bro1aht into oein, for his
purpose taught Che laacaiae politicians
o. thair patty this lesson BY showing
under thu candidate whom the collectora
had noa.iratsdi In the Eo7tm Der cleo
ton they repeated the same lssaoa b,
making it 80 hot for Tie tax coleo.osa'
boss that: ii county vote which gg7c
Cleveland ever 2, 100 plurality, tag ys
ceipts in biank oAiy pulled Liza th.ouaL
iby 557 votea.
Itsshe. das:iags only had . moderately
Veteuti7B memory aud been Disposal 4
give It fair eEeyeiso no misht lave in
formed bis H3rtt Anssrisqa int8eloeutc
that in this wax Of reform, 20 far d i
has gone, the decent Democrats Of VII
Inington have shown themselves spas
medically nore saga.i9p5 md patriot
than tAai. Republican predecessors. II
might hare s2il that gorre of years al
Wilmington was Republican city, viii
Just adch crowd m4np9iug politics D.
the Republican side as are being pc,
mittedt thro1gn the Inertia ~ the bgtto
elements d the party, to have betwes
elections the running Of tho Dsmocrati
naeninn"y today. Ia might hsve rc
called how, in sh6ss by-goa days, dude
Republican, levy caust, Repaolican rs
sesaors and Es9uhlicsn collectors, blaa
tfrfeceipta geqt cut ourchgd for IL
negroes then as Ihoy Asyo been going or