Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-11-22
DELAWARE GAZETTE AND STATE JOURNAL-wILNfIl


positive opinion Of Mr.. j. Edward |
Addicks and his political methods; but
we trust that no one has understood us
to moan that, as politician, he Is any
more corrupt than Mr.. Anthony Hig-
gins. When Mr.. Higgins points the
finger Of scorn at his rival and ex-
claims "Behold! The man is corrupt"
it is modern and striking illustration
of the pot calling the kettle black.
Mr.. Addlcks gives large sums of
money for the purpose OF enabling .he
Republican party in Kent and Sussex
TO buy votes and hopes TO be elected to
the Senate In return. That Is utterly
corrupt. But Mr.. Higgins has done the
same thing aud much more. Six years
ago he was the chief collecting agent of
the fund that corrupted and debauchcd
Sussex county and made his election to
the Senate possible. He took to bis
political bosom young Knowles, who
collected and carried down an additional
thousand, and rewarded him by an
honorable and lucrative appointment as
Consul to bordeaux. Mr.. Higgins
corrupt use Of money did not end with
the election of 1888. lie collected huge
corruption funds in 1890, 1909, and
1894. 1t is as bad to collect money from
ones rich friends and use IL corruptly
as IL is to give money for corrupt pur-
poses out of ones own pocket.
Mr.. Higgins not only furnished cor.
ruption funds, hut he also engaged in
active political management and leader.
ship. He had followers who organized,
trained, and sent forth band OF vote
buyers in every hundred. In the poiti-
cal organization he created, corruption
became science and was reduced to
fine art. That organization became a
school in which aspiring politicians were
taught the black art of buying votes.
lie has dealt not merely in money,
but also in public offices. Trusted by
the President of the United States, he
set up traffic in Federal appointments
in consideration of political work.
Such poddler Of offices had not been
known hitherto in this section of coun-
try. He has been spokesman from his
cuticle to the marrow Of his spinal cord
and spoilsmen as usual thing are not
deemed the purest of public men.
Certainly this spokesman was corrupt
in the use of his appointing power. Did
he not go to Laurel? Did not Major
| Wootten take his oath that in the
middle of the night at a secret meeting
MIR. Higgins winked his eye? Wootter
was Democrat of influence. Tho
scheme was for him to seek the place Of
voters assistant for the Democrats, and
to unite with the Republican voters
assistant in stamping the ballot of every
illiterate voter so that 1t would coun
for the Republicans. For that service
Mr.. Higgins was to give him an office Of
trust and honor! After that littl,
episode, how can Mr.. Higgins, or an
political friend of his, point the finger a
any man because he is corrupt il
politics?
The plane Of Mr.. Higgins political &C
tivity is made absolutely manifest by hi
private secretary. Parson Bach, as lie i
called, dwells continually in Mr.. Higgins
political bosom. lie loes Mr.. Higgins bid
ding and he does it in Mr.. Higgins way
At the primaries Of his own party, h
carries out Mr.. Higgins will by method
known and appreciated by the Republi
cans against whom he operates bette
than we can tell them. Who KNOWN
anything of Delaware politics can dout
that Mr.. Higgins knows, approves an
encourages Parson Bach's exertions
Who knowing Parson Bach can
anything but pronounce Senator Higgiu
corrupt in his political methods?
, Some Of our Republican conten
poraries are busy with the declaratio
that Senator Higgins is the logical car
, didate of the Republican party to SUI
coed himself. After describing Senate
Higgins, we should not like to say tn;
he logically represents his party. w
have too good an opinion of the Repul
lican party to say that, although we d
d, not admire it excessively. The Repul
: licans of Delaware might send to tt
Senate more amiable man, far abb,
. man, a man who loves Delaware NOR
T" They have many such men in tine
party. They might send man who
} hands are reasonably clean because the
? have not been thrust to the elbows
y the corruption of politics. They ha,
: some such men in their party. Wou
: the Republican party really be illogic
- in sending a purer, ADLER and more p
u triouc man than Mr. Higgins to 1
= United States Senate?