The Washington critic., 1889-01-11
EARLY MORNING NEWS.
The Delnware Contest.

The Delaware Contest.
The Delaware Legislature adjourned yester-
day to renew the canvasslng and caucusing of
the past week. 1t will meet again on Monday
next and decide the important question of
who shall be United States Senator next ses-
sion. The Massey men are jubilant; their
man gained one vote In the first caucus The
Kent people were of the opinion that IL the
nomination of Treat or Higgins appeared
probable, they would unite upon either Smith
ers or Massey If they could unite upon Mr.
Smithers his election would be certain, be-
cause, with the eight votes of Kent, he would
also receive that of Moore from Sussex. The
trouble with this is that Mr.. Smthers' follow
ers are not enthusiastic in their support of
him. They recognize his services to the Re-
publican party and think he ought to be re-
warded with the best that the party can now
give him. They recognize that he is old,
though yet well-preserved man, and that his
election would be a fitting reward; but they
also know that to elect Mr.. Smithers would
be rather bad politics.
The party in Delaware needs a leader--one
to whom all would look, and who would be
able to organize 1t. The Republicans have
now hold upon the State, and, by good
management, they can keep it. Mr.. Smithers
is an able man, but he is not the man to maxi Q
a party leader. He is too old to take any ac-
tive part In politics, and, besides, he is more
OF an able lawyer than a politician. Then,
again, Mr. Smithcrs' friends are inexperienced
In politics. They will remain with him In
caucus as long as they think he might win;
but they are not stayers, and, upon good rea-
sons being given them in caucus, and when
they see that either Higgins or Treat may be q
winner, they might go to Massey, who would
have been their choice II Smithers had not
been in the field. Massey's friends think he
would make such a leader, and then, besides,
thaU anthnsiastip and a wOrxipn ho rd for
his success.
The West Virginia Muddle.
The Republicans are reported as holding the
key to the political situation. The injunction
secured by the Democrats prevented transmits
sion of the Kanawha County returns to the
Legislature. This would give Fleming a ma
jorty aud enable them to declare him elected
The Republican leaders have met the move by
a refusal to organize the Senate This pre-
vents any meeting of the two Houses and O
declaration OF the election by the joint Assem-
bly,.
An effort was made to dissolve the injunc
tion yesterday, but 1t failed on technical
grounds, IL will be argued in the Suprem,
Court to-day, and until ID is decided nothing
VIII be done by either party.
The First Snow Blockade.
A train on the Fulton County railroad IN
| Illinois is reported snow bound, ton miles
south of Galesburg. Several passengers are
| on the train.
Governor Wilson's Message.
Governor Wilson of West Virginia sent his
annual message to the Legislature yesterday
The message makes the following showing OF
| elections:
Throughout the country, for months past
the very atmosphere has been laden with tn,
cry of fraud. Reproach has been cast upon
| our State as never before by Illegal, fraudu-
! lent and corrupt voting in almost every
county within its borders. This is so palpa
BILE, that he who runs may read' Th
| capitations OF 1884 were I33, ,522, and th
entire vote, after the most active poltl
| cal campaign ever made In the State
| 1873 Tho capttations of 1883 We're l47, ,40S
and the vote l59440, The difference In tn,
capitations and the vote In 1884 was 4,O65, il
1888 1t was l2,032. This shows an increase o
votes in four years of u, S58, which, II legiti
mate, would Indicate population Of 100000
and an increase in four years Of much NOR
than 100000. II Is certain that no such IN
crease has taken place.
| "Tho purity ot our elections imperatlvel
| demands a revision OF the election laws, IN
| public sentiment Of the State demands I,
| These crimes should be made SO odious tha
| no mau with the slightest claims 70 common
decency can dare TO condonc them,
Suspension Bridge Blown Down.
The Suspension Bridge nearest the falls, a
! Lockport, ~ y, was blown down yesterda,
and landed in the river, The towers and cable
remain intact. The bridge had been recent
rebuilt aud enlarged for double track IN
material was entirely Of iron ard steel, an
owned by the Niagara Fails < Clifton Su,
pension Bridge Company. Part of the foo
! aud carriage portion can be plainly seen re