Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-06-14
A HIGGINS SCHEME BALKEO.
"No, Thank You, Your Candidate
Cannot Be-" Says Mr.. Bird.


The Higgins Machine Leaders Thought It
Would be Good Policy to Nominate
Him for Governor and Trade Him on
Cool Treatment of DIR. Hiram IL.
Burton.
Senator Higgins, it is reported on
good Republican authority, desires to
have Levi G. Bird of this city, nomi-
mated us the Republican candidate for
governor, and is cndeavoring to induce
Mr.. Bird to consent to the arrangement.
WANT A BASIS or TRADE.
The managers of tile Higgins machine
have two objects in the disposal of the
gubernatorial nomination. One is to
use it for the purpose of placating the
opposition to Higgins within the party,
50 as TO leave the latter u clear field for
the legislative primaries. This object
could be secured, they think, by the
nomination of Bird for governor, as
there is not more incorporating OPP
ponent Of Higgins and Higginsism in the
Republican party OF Delaware than
Levi O. Bird.
The other object of the Higgins ma.
chine leaders is to secure a candidate
for governor whom they can remorse-
lessly trade off at the election for votes
for the Higgins candidates for the Legis-
lature. This they would take great
pleasure in doing with MIR. Bird as the
candidate. {,
WHY NOT "DRoTHER JoHNP 7"
1t is not to be presumed, however,
that the opponents of Higgins are blind
to this evident scheme Of the machine
leaders. They have been working for
some time to guard against the con-
tnF NNI nt, ~ Nf tt4ntR
| plans was to turn in for the nomination
of John G. Higgins OF Red Lion hun
drcd, the Senator's brother, for governor
By doing this, as one prominent anti
Higgins Republican expressed it, 1--WE
| would at least have candidate whom
Anthony Higgins could not trade off
in order to save himself" 1t is said that
John o. Higgins INDUCES occasionally
in gubernatorial aspirations, and is only
restrained by the political ambition of
his Senatorial brother from letting him
self loose. Too much of the Higgins
family, it is feared, might not prove
palatable. But the auti-Higgins people
may yet force the dose, in order to tie
the Senator's hands and compel him to
take oven chances with the rest of the
party at the next election.
BUT MR.. BIRD SAYS "No."
Friday morning a representative of
THE GAZETTE hurried up to Mr..
Birds office in order to catch that
gentleman before he left for court. The
Interesting subject was broached to the
busy lawyer. Wheeling around in his
chair he began most emphatically, but
with his proverbal courtesy:
mo interest in the world, my dear
sir, would tempt me from my profess
sion.
"My business is here" Mr. Bird added,
pointing to his desk and tables covered
with briefs and legal documents. 81
say this positively. | am not in politics
at all. You have my fullest authority
for mentioning this-and Of stating it as
distinctly as you please"
, Mr.. Bird turned toward the re-
porter, exclaiming But Pm Republic
can and my best interests and my vote
always go with the party"
"ro be sure, that is, of course, under
. stood" the reporter rejoined, adding,
I shut the rumor is all around town that
there has been conference Of the Re-
publican leaders within the past "a
hours and that Senator Higgins was
presentand offered you the guDernatorial
), nomination"
\ . Out HOi llO. L We HOS pOAitlSo
6 with Senator Higgins since he went into
. the Senate. My friends down State have
r made the proposition to me on different
I occasions, but hey have got my positive
!, refusal at all times. No, my interests are
: with my profession, with that alone"
GOING BACK ON DIR. BURTON.
! What DIR. Hiram r. Burton and the
other faithful Higgins followers in Sus-
! sex think of the Senator's sudden in
: fatuation for Bird is not known. They
:, will not relish his change much, how
= ever DIR. Burton, i'll particular, will
i have cause for disgruntlement, as it is
reported that Higgins looks rather
7 slightingly upon the doctors aspirations
! to the gubernatorial nomination. 1t is
:, said that Higgins even went so far as to
, say, when the name of Joshua Marvil
the rich Republican of Laurel, was sug.
gested, "Joshua MarviFs old pantaloons
would be stronger candidate than any
= Republican in Sussex county whom VIC
Ii might nominate for governor. This
coming from Higgins, is regarded as
,e rather hard on DR.. Burton.
20 THANKS, No." SAYS HASTINGS.
y The original choice of the Higgins
machine for governor was Washington
e. Hastings of this city. Mr.. Hastings
9 however, so the report goes, discreetly
&c declined to become the Higgins stepping
s. stone to Senatorial succession, and thu
7, fail outside the breastworks" as {
4 martyr to the cause Of lligginsism.