Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-03-26
REPUBLICAN FIGHT FOR MAYOR.
A Triangular Contest That Prom
ises to be Spirited.
higgins to Take Hand in tho IsSue--
The Part His Factotum Bach is Play
ing--The fractional Lines Have Shifted.

developing into as interesting partisan
sqlmbble as ever was witnessed in Will
mington. The truth is the three candi-
dates, Dr. Shortlidge, Mr., Baynard and
Mr.. Wiley, started out taking ali things
into consideration, upon very equal terms,
And there is where the fun of the contest
was promised But, unfortunately for the
Republicans, that dread bane Higgins
ism suddenly bobbed up and injected the
poison OF .personalism into a contest which
as stated is rightfully only fair, honor
able hight between three undeniably good
| citizens.
Instead a bitter party warfare is com
menced. The Higgins and Bird factions
are ranging themselves in solid phalanxes.
lie that is not for me is against me- is
the direct challenge. Privatc, personal
| friendship must be sacrificed on the per-
emptory demand of arrogant party leaders
ana the unfortunate private citizen is 10 be
harrled and bullied for the next two or
three months instead of being allowed his
right OF private Judgment and must vote
for practical politics instead Of for the
candidate whose public and private qualili-
cations best suit tie position of mayor of
| Wilmington.
The latter feature is what impresses
scores and hundreds Of men owing nomi-
nal allegiance to the local G.. o. r. They
express themselves as dreading the out
look and would gladly welcome the time
/
from politics altogether. They would hail
it as day of deliverance and not as they
| do now Il vertable dies irr."
They openly ascribe their trouble and
discomfort to such institutions MS Higgins
ism. What they want is not the particu-
lar furtherins Of the aspirations of any
| given faction, but mayor who will carry
out the duties Of the chief magistracy.
IN this strain prominent Republican,
indignant over the dark portent of the
Higgins inroad exclaimed Thursday after
noon.
I'm not voting, for politics. I'll vote
for anyone who'll free us from street
loafers. don't care who is the candidate
rs longas he is man of sufficient back
bone to break up street lounging. mean
these well dressed loafers who line the
streets Saturday nights"
Another Republican, one who seemed to
have some insight of the history of his
party, was very communicative, and with
index finger uplifted challenged the re-
porter with the direct exclamation:
gu must not take Stansbury Wiley to
be Higgins man. There Won make the
greatest mistake in the world
"But-,n
you just hold on" he broke in, "and
I'll put you on to the facts. DR.. Shortlidge,
at the last fight for governor. was sent as
Bird delegate, Somehow or other he
was transmogriiied en- route into Higgins
man. What mean you to infer is that
Wiley is not the Higgins man now.
"Oh, yes
'Well, we got TO talking. Or think he
got to talking to me 1t was on the mayor
atty question, of course.
We'll, says to Mr.. Bach, Willey's
good sort of a mani
",'0h, no good mo good I he answered,
shaking his head in that way he has,
which means that it is all settled and that
you had sort of better go by what he says.
Il tell You" the Republican continued
to the reporter, there is not Higgins
man IN town. for Wiley in this fight. I'll
tell You another thing We found out All
the Bird men who opposed Wiley at the
last lnaSoralty election are now to man
for him. The reason they opposed him
then was the fair enough one that he
could not be elected. He was not acceptable
70 that large class of Democrats who elected
Harrington. These men wanted Harring-
ton. All realized at that time that lie
was the fusion candidate. So You see it
was no personal opposition to Wiley bnt
the pure fact of his known radicalsm,
which was of course intolcrable to the two
classes who held the decision in their
hands The Republican leaders saw this
clearly enough and had TO sit heavily on
Wiley, and they squelched him accord
Why, as to any connection Mr.. Wiley
may have with the Higgins faction I'll
give you another "Reminiscences, which is
true chapter in this history.
You know Tony conferred the high
honor on Mr. Wiley Of appointing him
census, supervisor. Anthony is long
sighted and had his beneficiary down on
his list to pay him back for that soft snap
But, my goodness Wiley took it as Won
know, hut had not the slightest idea of
covering, his neck with Tony's yoke for
that little crumb. Wiley rates himself
higher than that. So, when the sheriff
gins slavles trotted around to this and that
oiiice-holder, impndently telling them,
Fred Eden Bach-style, that they were
expected to vote thus and 50, Mr. Wiley
got up on his ear and was as independent
as a hog on ice The FOUNDERS were non.
man for them to handle. He deiied the |
whole gang. And he still defics them
Hinc illp lacrima and also the spectacle Of
Their unholy coquetting with DIR. Short
lidge,;;
eht IN the SimmonsGould fight. 1t il
openly asserted that he voted plump for
Bill simmons and cut the Higgins crowd
straight"
Another Republican talking upon Dir.
Shortlidge's candidacy said they (the Hig- |
gins. mem wont find much complaceney
very strong backbone. He is naturally |
independent and likes his own way.
Now, he continued, hes the man
that will make the right kind of mayor.
He has good staying power and has the in |
dividuality tOmabe the best kind Of execu-
tive, When he says thing is to be done |
it will be done. He is no tritler and will |
not brook opposition
On the street it is stated that so far as
the police and ex-police CO. Jim Hawkins |
is for Wiley; Chief Swiggett is for Bay
nard, and J. b. Tucker is for Dr. Short
lidge; 1t is said Jim Tucker aspires for
the old police flesh pots. He is tired Of the
nice. job given him by Sheriff Simmons. I
Looking across the political field his eyes
first settled on candidate Wiley. He
Judged Mr., Wiley not so safe promise
keeper as Dr. Shortlidge so threw his
allegiance at the feet Of the doctor.
Samuel II, Baynard is looked upon as
the middle man, or the alternative, who
will advantage by the discussions and EN-
bitterment arising from the incessant
racket kicked up in the tents OF the faith
full by the irrepressble Higgins crowd He
will not get all but he is sure to count on
something good. His friends say he is
absolutely independent Of both. He has
made no promises. They cite his record
of poor boy coming here at the age of 10
and rising to his present position. They
speak Of his four years service in City
Council us representative of the Sixth ward
and also what he has accomplished as
member Of the Board of Education. His
good business citizenship is the general
plea made for him. In his mayoralty can
didacy in IS although he stood third in
race he received a majority in five of the
wards out Of Il, an all-around record which
beat Mr.. Wiley hollow who made his
scoop in one ward alone hardly being
heard of elsewhere.
Mr., Baynards opponents say "Oh, he's
good fellow enough. But were afraid