Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-11-19


cious tone than 1t usually employs. says
In sincere and large-mnded politics ideus
and not oillces are The matters OF primo oon-
Germ. The aim OF every honest man In politics
should be 70 win others TO his way Of thinking,
because he believes that to be the right way
Of thinking, the way which best tends to the
public welfare. We are all of us apt to forget
this. We neglect the persuasive element in
our cratory aud In political writing. We are
too ready to treat the political adversary as
the pub IL enemy, which he is not. We too
often use against adverse opinion the weapons
OF scorn and denunciatipn, which should be
reserved for the chasti scment Of dishonest and
unrighteous courses. We too much neglect our
opportunities OF persuading others to our ways
OF thinking. We carry too far the simile which
makes Of q political canvass campaign 2
and OF an election a battle.
We have had some illustrations in this
State of the general truth here stated. Ever
since Mr.. Higgins, by an unexpected
chance, became one of the senators in
Congress from Delaware, he has been
treated by many OF the Democratic papers
Of this State and particularly by those OF
this city. with an open disregard OF respect
and common decency. What has been
the effect of this systematic abuse and
malevolence? Simply to make friends
for Mr.. Higgins. All those who like to
think well of men chosen to represent the
state in responsible positions resent this
sort of mean and malicious depreciation.
We are now being treated to something
of the same sort, in a small way. Oh the
other side, in the case of Mr.. Gray. There
is some Republican down the State who
has undertaken to write Mr. Gray into
public contempt by playing the changes
on the fact that he is retained as an attor-
ney OF the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany, and by charging him with quarter
ing members OF his family upon the public
treasury at Washington. This latter charge
was once imposed upon the Noi7iiitg Meas,
during the absence of the editor-in-chief,
but was Immediately withdrawn We
have known for long time that Mr. Gray
had nothing to do with good many Of
the appointments which are thus charged
to him-lndeed. one OF them was practi-
cally made. by Mr.. Higgins, and Others
were made long ago We also know that
there is at least one well known Delaware
Republican in official place at Washington
who has almost carried his family with
him. at the public expense. Probably in
all these cases the Federal treasury is re-
eeiying u due return, in the services rem
dered, but how disreputable and silly it is
To attempt thus to make flesh of one and
fowl Of another and to degrade a question
Of party principles and party usefulness to
tho level Of pettifogging billingsgate. The
Democratic example has evidently afforded
u temptation too strong TO be resisted,
friends for Mr.. Gray.
In regard TO Mr.. Gray's professional re-
laiions to the Pennsylvania railroad, that
is Il knife which cuts every Republican
hand that takes hold of it. 1t is obvious
that the lower counties are net going to
permit New Castle county to have two
United States senators forever. 1t is our
opinion that it is merely question of
time as to whether squality in this matter
shall be restored when Mr.. Gray's sue
ccssor is chosen or when Mr.. Higgins sue
cessor ID chosen. The 4No,ni09 Necs, as a
Republican paper, prefers hat this change
shall be made now, while the Democrats
in general probably would like to wait
until Mr.. Higgins successor is chosen. But
il the. change from two United states sen
atorS in New Castle county to one in each
end of the State is to be made now, the
only Republican in the lower part Of the
State who can accomplish this very cun-
siderable task is MIR. George v. Massey
Mr.. Massey, however is also an attorney
for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
and he may well be proud of the position
SO thut the short-sighted publicist who
undertakes to defeat Mr.. Gray on the
ground that he is employed by the Penn
sylyania Railroad Company, is, in fact,
merely destroying the only probable
chance that the Republicans have of fill
ing Mr.. Grays seat in the United States
Senate with Republican. An attempt to
injtlre man i'll the confidence of his fell
low-citizens because he is employed by a
railroad corporation is Il demagogtie's plea,
at the best, but it is particularly foolish in
this instance because it is hopeless to ex-
pect to defeat Mr. Gray except by present.
ing competent man for his place.
Both Mr., Higgins and Mr.. Gray are
known by every one to be worthy and
capable, men. they esteem each other,
and each desires Uhe good opinion Of the
other. How silly and contemplate it is,
then, for their supporters to drag them
selves through the miire Of systematic per
sonal depreciation and abuse of either Mr..
Gray or Mr.. Higgins, under the idiotic de-
lnsion that such a prostitution Of mans
knowledge and judgment is politics. The
Democratic writers have set the tune in
this matter in their habtual tone toward
Mr.. Higgins, and they must shoulder the
respc visibility for that; but the Republican
writers i'll the lower part of the State will
only thwart their own desires if they stoop
to follow so base an example.