The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-06-07
EDITION.


pem"crats anu inc f0st Omcos
Mr.. EpIToR.-I have found the dis.
cussion over tho new post office very
interesting and 1 think 1t will prove
Instructive to the entire community.
This post Office and Its management
is an object lesson on the conduct OF
public affairs. 1t has brought out In
bold lines just the difference between
the Republican method and the Demo-
cratic method of doing business. To
complete the lesson Superintendent
Ware ought to publish precisely what
Senator Gray said to him when he
Bslod to have j. Harvey Spruance APP
pointed a clerk. that is, II Mr. Ware
did ask for it.
1t Is highly probable that Mr.. Ware
was not consulted, but that County
Chairman salisbury and Boss Dickey
did the nsking OF Mr.. Gray. But In any
event the latter's answer would be In
teresting, Senator Higgins said "Un-
less this assistance il absolutely neees-
sary, 1t should not be allowed. Tho
money belongs to the city and must
De devoted to the building"
1hat 10 the language OF business
man In politics. was one of num-
her OF business men who urged Sena-
tor Higgins to have the site for tho
the building on Market street. do
| not recall the Senator's exact reply,
but he refused to make the effort. He
said that he did not like the Ninth
| street site and would have been happy
to have seen the building on Market
street but he could not ask Congress,
| which had already generously voted
the city at his request sl0). 900 in addi-
tion 70 the original appropriation OF
$4,000. which Mr.. Lore had obtained
two years before.
A change OF site would cost at loast
sol, o00 more, as the present site, for
which $50. 900 had been paid by the
Democratic administration, would not
realize nearly that much, while, on the
other hand, the holders of Market
street property would tako care to ex-
tort Mt least double the value of that
property.
He said that he was trying to give
Wilmington a commodlous and q
handsome public building within the
appropriation already made, which he
deemed large enough provided IL was
honestly and economically applied. I
recollect our disappointment at this
decision, but we nil agreed that the
Senator was right
| Veal rscollect what storm Of
| y st went UP when the Democratic
e. ulsslon bought the property at
Ninth and Shlpley for u post office
site. The entire community was
/ II n
most influential Democratic lawyer
held the property for sails and two
other influential Democrats, both In
| Congress, had the power to buy II. 1t
was. bought, the opinion and protests
OF the community to the contrary not
| outstanding.
The two Democrats In Congress who
were powerful enough 10 buy site
which nobody except the seller ard
the buyers wanted were not powerful
enough. however, to get an appropri.
alton adequate for the construction OF
the building, 1t was left for Senator
Higgins to do that. lie did it prompt
ly and regretted that 1t had not been
left to Republican administration to
procure the site. low well and con.
scientiously Senator Higgins has pro-
tected the appropriation for the new
building was shown this morning by
the statement of ex-Superlntenden
Hollis.
Senator Higgins did his duty In this
matter precise y is he transacts prl vate
business, but | believe he has never
made any statement in respect to 1t In
public. lie did his duty as a matter
OF course and that was the end Of 1t
with him.
ON the other hand. what has Senator
Gray promised2 10 erect this build
ing economically? Not in so many
words but the burden OF his angry
speeches last fnil was that his party
would apply business methods to pub.
lie affairs. His party would stand be-
tween tho poor and their rich Cypress.
crs. He would help to pull out OF
the workingman's pocket the dishon-
est hand of (Republican) employer.
The public money was to be jealousy
guarded-not i'll the interest OF j. Har.
vey Spruance. but in the poor peoples
interest. Every speech gave out the
broad inference that ho was model
of business eXactness mud integrity,
: while his political opponents were
grand ruscals.
! Let me ask Senator Gray why docs
he wish to appointJ j. Harvey Spruanoe
to this place. Is it because the SER
vices OF clerk are needed, and 10
Spruanee the best clerk that lie can
find for tho place? Or Is it because
Spruance helped Tax Receiver. Dickey
to distribute tax receipts last fall and
stoop ready all winter to champion
every partisan and dishonest measure
presented in the LEGISLATURE
Does Senator Gray wish to I'LL O
necessary place with tho best mas
possible, or does he propose to reward
, most offensive and diSeredltable
. party worker with an unnecessary
place? What answer did Senator Gray
, make to the men who called on him
in Spruance's behalf? Publish tho IN.
ter Wow. BUSINESS.