Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-05-03

VIC will say that we were an earnest
advocate of the Finn cause, and would
be again under the same circumstances.
10 those who may criticise the act of
using ali independent paper with Demo-
cratic inclinaiions for the purpose of ex-
posing Republican wrong, we would
say that they know as well as we do that
the Republican papers Of the city would
not give Us hearing, and all we have
to say of these Republican papers is
that we hope they will maintain the
same policy Of non-interference now
that they did before the nomination,
and that's to keep hands off.
We have given you our position be-
fore the result was known Saturday
night, and we will be equally honest
aud frank with regard to our course
toward the nominee from now until the
result of the election is known in
November. We hope and believe we
express the sentiment of the whole
Finn constituency when we say that
Mr.. Gillis will receive our united and
cheerful support, and we do SO with
our eyes omen to the fact that when the
Gillis dividend is struck no Finn men
need apply.
Now, as to how Mr.. Finn came to be
candidate for the nomination and why
we supported him. Mr.. Finn having
been lifelong and active Republican,
and with many others of us having
been unfortunate in business, sought
redress through the party which he had
so faithfully served, and obtained an ap.
pointment in the government service
under Collector of the Port Townsend,
which, had he been let alone, was satisfac-
tory to all parties concerned. But how
long was he allowed to enjoy or receive
the emoluments of that tolerable posi-
ton? We think it safe TO say that within
80 days after the Inauguration of Presi.
dent Cleveland the bark Of the Demo-
cratic wolf could be heard, and did they
not pursue him day and night with un-
relenting diligence, Notwithstanding the
manly stand Mr.. Townsend made for
him, even getting his rations stopped
and positive order for his dismissal,
direct from Washington, until there
was but one thing 10 do, and that was
to get outg
Now, certainly such state of affairs
was very well calculated to set him and
his friends to looking about to see what
NchiN W abnGs Sub III Du5luGSS 10 I'LL
four-years position (under the regular
order OF things) but which he was
allowed to hold only Is or 16 months
and then removed under circumstances
and in a manner without pfocedent in
the history of Delaware politics, we
hold that there was just and sufficient
reason to arouse the sympathy of any
honest Republican and stir HIM to action
to try to redress such a gross injustice.
Even when it was suggested that he be
u candidate for sheriff he did not con
sent to do so until he had consulted
those who, in his Judgment, he deemed
proper advisers-the distinguished and
irrepressible Fred Bach included, not
withstanding all his subsequent efforts
for the nomination of Mr.. Gillis-and
received tho approval and encourage.
merit that justified the course he pur-
sued.
Now, as to the arguments used
by the Gillis men against Finn.
First, that certain parties among
Flinn's friends waited on Gillis after
the nomination two years ago and
made him certain promises that if
he (Gillis) would turn in and use his
Influence for Gould's election, they
would go for him the next time. If
this thing was done it was certainly un-
necessary, for we have better opinion
of Mr.. Gillis than that, and it was yery
poor elcct!oneering on the part of his
friends to use such a flimsy, shallow
and contemptihle argument, in addition
to doing Mr.. Gillis great injustice. For
what else could he or any other good
Republican who had been defeated at
the nomination do but turn in and help
elect tic nominee. Away with such
nonsense. But this is no worse than
other tactics used by these same fellows
to defeat Mr.. Finn. But we do not,
and others need not, expect anything
better from such men, for 1t is only the
product of an evil mind. We know
them of old and could write the history
Of such things, and worse, that would
make pamphlet as big as a medical
almanac.
As to why we would support Finn as
against Gillis. The latter's friends have
pushed the claim that it was his turn
this year, because he was second in the
race in 1899. Now, we have but one
objection to offer to his nomination, and
that is that he had no political right to
offer himself as a candidate in 1892, for
the simple reason that there arc not
enough offices to go around, and there
are as good fish in the sea as ever were
caught. His party had done him the
honor to elect him TO one OF the most
responsible-to say nothing of the pro-
tit-positions in the county, which was
ample to repay him for his valuable SER
vices to the party in his hundred, and
should have been sufficient to satisfy
any reasonable man for few years, at
least. But on the contrary, before mis-
term had expired he was building his
fences and erecting ladder to pluck the
biggest plum in the cluster. And had
he secured the nomination in 1902, the
party would have been put in the en-
barrassing situation of seeing him forced
TO resign his Office and thus cause
vacancy for the governor to fill with
Democrat, which on the whole would
have looked as though VIC had no other
man in the county who was either
worthy or competent.
Some OF our self-constituted wise men
recommend some very foolish things in
politics, particularly when it answers
their own selfish purposes. We will
vote for Gillis. all tho same, and will
not advise anybody to vote against him.
We do like honesty in politics.
Now, u little on the subject of Bach
and Stewart, and we leave them 10 their
folly. We will dispense with Bach first
in short metre. He has acquired distinc-
ton the possession of which we do not
envy MIN. He is running his race, and
may the Great Ruler of all things hasten
the end. AS to Stewart, while we would
not endorse all that he has done in the