Middletown transcript., 1895-06-01

"No Southern Republican of the size
fit to make a candidate Tor Vice-Presi-
dent ? Well, for one there is Anthony
Higgins, of Delaware. He was born
in the South and has always lived there.
He has always been Republican.
More than that, he is an American to
the backbone. He is statesman
whose record is clean on every queS-
tion, and his honorable experience in
the Senate would fit him admirably
for the duties of its presiding officer.
Why look beyond Anthony Higgins, of
Delaware, if you are looking for a
Southern Republican to run for Vice
President ?"-Ne,o York Sun.
"This, from prominent Metropoli-
tan paper is high tribute to Mr.. Hig-
gins personally, leaving out the matter
of the Office referred to. AS United
States Senator Mr.. Higgins was a de-
| cided success. 1t is doubtful if any
Senator for long while, in single
term, has made the impression nation.
| ally he has. If he had kept his fingers
on the national keyboard from his
elevation to the office and away from
local politics, things might be very
different in Delaware to-day. y
Smyrna Times.
We are no hero worshipper. Heroes
are very uncertain quantities living,
and their records will not always bear
close inspection after they have passed
into the great beyond. We do admire
the Republicanism of Anthony Hig-
gins, and never more than at the pres
ent time. 1t is neither hero worship
nor the f1attery of an "Higgins Organ"
as some of our esteemed contemporaries
pretend to believe us to be. 1t
is admiration of the devotion of the
man to the principles in which he be-
lieves. His defeat has made him none
the less anxious for the success of
those principles though he has been
deposed, as it were, as leader. The
fear of the opposition partisan press in
this State of Mr.. Higgins, as evil
denced by their attacks, reasonable and
to be expected, and unreasonable and
to be deplored, should have convinced
Republicans generally that it is Mr..
Higgins force and ability that they
dread. The virlllent partisan attacks
Of some of the Democratic papers, not
all we are glad to say, upon Mr.. Hig-
gins, should have united the party
under his leadership. If Delaware
Republicans had seen him as he was
seen by the rest of the country the
condition Of political affairs would be
different here to-day.
But the Times says Mr.. Higgins
should have 'kept away from local
politics. and that would have made a |
difference. We do not know what
excepting away'' means. We never
saw any evidence Of efforts on the |
part of Mr.. Higgins to control local |
or to dictate them. It |
was necessary for him to recommend |
for Federal appointments and he
secured more patronage for Delaware
during the Harrison Administration
than the Bayards and Saulsburys and
Grays and the rest oe the Democratic
leaders had done for twenty years. The
Democrats holding places under this
Administration owe them to the efforts
If Mr.. Higgins in securing recogni-
ion of Delaware, the most of them,
Ind not few Democrats acknowledge
he fact and express the warmest
friendship for Mr.. Higgins and State
,ride in his success. This is as it
hould be. 1t is liberal and commend
4ble.
The closest friend of Mr.. Higgins
annot find the least shadow of per-
onal disappointment over his defeat.
When he withdrew from the contest
With the request that his friends should
ry to unite on some available and ac-
eptable candidate, man worthy the
of the party and who would
'e an honor to the State, it was with
ut the suggestion Of name, and the
urthest remove possible from the
east shadow of business. He is as
eeply interested to-day in the success
his party as though he were still
United States Senator and as unset
sh in his devotion to the furtherance i
its principles. We do not believe
nat it is party success with him, ex-
ept so far as party embodies his ideas /,
the demands and needs of the
ountry. If admiration for devotion p
} principles make the TRANSCRIPT an
'rgan" then the name is welcome
ut it will grind just as cheerfully and I
lrnish the same kind of music, set to
le same tune of principles let the t
amc be what it may. a
The Sun is the ablest edited paper in
le country to-day, and while Mr.. .
liggins' nomination is not probable, o
liefy because of Delaware's small
ote in the electoral college, stranger c
lings have happened, and a more i
nomination could not be
lade.