Middletown transcript., 1895-03-09
ELECT A SENATOR.


ate it has become Of National interest.
We cannot believe that of the nineteen
Republicans who constitute the ma
jority of the General Assembly in joint
ballot there is single man who will
jeopardize the interests of the party in
the State by consenting 10 an adjourn
ment until they have agreed upon and
elected a Republican Senator. Ger
tainly there are not four men who will
conspire to humiliate the party in the
face of victory, since failure to elect
would mean not only humiliation but
probable political suicide. 1t is the
duty of the Republican members to
elect a Senator, and the obligation
should be discharged at once. 1t can
not be done by the methods employed
for the past six weeks. The taking of
a ballot every day at noon, each MEM
ber voting for the man of his choice,
no one having majority, and then
separating for twenty-four hours, with
out consultation, may be continued
indefinitely. Why should not those
nineteen men meet in consultation?
Nay, what good reason has ever been
advanced why they should not caucus
and then abide the decision of the eau
Gus as is the custom of party men?
If any reason has been given against it
we have never heard it. Who will en-
tighten us?
There was a caucus or what should
have been caucus held the night pre-
ceeding the first ballot. 1t was not at
tended by all the Republican members.
Why? What can the men expect OF
party organization in the future who
refuse to be governed by rules and
methods which have always obtained
in all parties heretofore? To reward
what shall we call them? bolters, kick
ers, objectors? We have no desire to be
offensive but are at loss for the ap-
propriate name. There has already
been too much hard language used and
it should cease in the interests of party
harmony and party success. But we
ask in all earnestness what the Repub-
licans who are opposing the election OF
Mr.. Higgins expect of party organiza-
tlon in the future since he has received
ten of the nineteen Republican votes
in the General Assembly? That less
than third of the members shall de-
mand of the other two-thirds to come
to them, is to put premium on "kick-
ing" that means disorganization and
defeat in the future. That three or
tour members shall group themselves
under the banner of a man whose best
friends claim he is not candidate,
works to the same end. Carried out
the ultimatum is party disorganization.
The Democratic politicians see this
and they are helping it along. 1t is
natural that they should, but the Re-
publican Legislators should see the
folly of it and 60 into caucus and agree
upon Senator without another days
delay. Who that Senator shall be is
for those nineteen men to decide. We
believe it should be Anthony Higgins.
His ability, bis craftsmanship, his pa
triotism, his loyalty to his party, are
acknowledged by all within and with
out the State, by Republicans and
Democrats and Mugwumps. His long
continued service to the party in this
State when it was in a hopeless minority
should accord to him the post of honor
and trust. But the nineteen RepGb-
licans in the General Assembly are to
settle this question and they owe it to
themselves as we'll as to their party to
settle it at once.
George V. Massey is an able man.
He has many admiring friends within
the State, and from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, from the Lakes to the Gulf,
the traveller who introduces himself as
Delawarean, will hear the praises Of
Mr.. Massey sung by visitors at the
Worlds Fair. But Mr. Massey is not
a candidate and it is asserted, without
contradiction that two years ago he
would not consent to take an interest
in the campaign and contest the seat of
his friend and fellow-attorney of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, Senator Gray.
If he would not opposed Mr.. Gray then
he could not very consistently oppose
him four years hence and consequently
his position that he is not a candidate
is an honorable one. If we are in error
in any respect We shall very glad to be
set right, for we would not intention
ally do Mr.. Massey an injustice and
especially since the recollections of our
personal and business relations for
years are 50 pleasant. But il our po-
sition is correct, what can the gentle
men who are voting for Mr.. Massey,
day after day. mean or expect9 There
are nineteen men in the State, how
ever, who should consider and settle
this question.
The Republicans of Kent and Sussex,
many Of them, feel that they owe to
J. Edward Addicks a debt of gratitude
for substantial aid rendered which they
are willing to pay with a seat In the
U. s. Senate. 1t is not pertinent here
to discuss the enormity of the crime
of bribery, for the statuatory law
makes 1t crime. Suffice it to say it |
is an evil which threatens the very life |
of the nation and it should be stamped