Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-02-21


an ample victory last fall. But to what
good use are they putting their power?
What prospect is there OF any advan.
tage to come to the people?
II is sad task nowadays to read
the Republican newspapers in Della
ware and to compare them with the
reading matter with which they were so
long filled. They famed for years with
demands for Reform, and spelled the
word with the biggest kind Of an II.
There was nothing in the nature of re-
form from the heavens above to the
earth beneath which they did not favor.
Everything good was to come with the
triumph of the Republican party in
Delawarel Nowadays, they arc as
quiet on the subject of reform as mice
nibbling at cheese. We read no more
of tho improvements to be introduced
in our State government. Their columns
are either filled with violent articles
about the division Of the spoils, or else,
like the heavy.eyed and heart.sick
Morning Neps, with dull and insipid
discussion of national politics or some
thing else as remote as possible from
Delaware.
In the executive department and
legislative halls at Dover, where the
power which the Republicans won last
fall is now ceniered, we hear nothing
that promises any fultilment of the
seductive ante.election pledges. 1t has
all to do with wrangling over this or
that office. The members of the Legis-
lature are fighting with bitterness over
the choice Of United States Senator,
and about half of them are trying to lay
their pipes SO as TO secure later on for
themselves an appointment to office.
They are doing nothing that can be of
any advantage to the people to whom
they promised so much.
But we can hardly say that we are
disappointed. The organization Of the
party and the methods by which it won
power did not encourage us to expect
much.
The men who control it have an ire.
sponsible and, therefore, selfish power,
because its primaries are dominated
by that portion of the party which has
the least Of intelligence and conscience.
1t is and has been for years faction.
torn party. Senator Higgins, who has
had so much power in it, was born a
factionalist and an egotist. In every
little election district in the State, the
party is divided into two or three hostile
factions, hitherto held together by a
common desire to get into power. Such
q party may hold together as an oppo.
sition party long enough to win an cleo.
ton, but once entrusted with power it
is likely to fly apart into warning, jar.
ring, jangling pieces,
In its efforts to win Delaware by pur.
chase, persistently continued for years,
the Republican party became corrupt
from rind to pith. 1t was an evil day
for that party, as well as for this State,
when Mr.. Addicks' ambition led him to
open the flood gates of his fortune and
add to the streams of corruption already
too copious. Honest Republicans can
now see for themselves how corrupt
their party organization has become.
Such being the condition of the party,
it is not at all surprising that it is prov
ing utterly incompetent to do anything
for the benefit of the people. 1t has
demonstrated at the very outset of its
career in power that it was unworthy of
the trust bestowed upon it, A party
which cannot even accomplish the cleo
ton Of a United States Senator is mani.
testify incompetent to accomplish the
reforms which the people may desire.
Two Judges Chosen by Popular Election,
We have had an opportunity to OBJ
serve in Delaware county, Pa, the re-
suit of electing judges instead of APP.
pointing them. Delaware county is
side by side with us, and our people are
somewhat familiar with the reputation
of Judge Clayton and the methods by
which he was recently elected for the
third time to the bench.
1t may be that Judge Clayton is the
purest Judge alive. Upon that question
we do not desire to enter. But it is
quite manifest that the best people of
Delaware county DO not believe that he
is fit to be a judge ct all. They think
that he constantly shapes his conduct on
the bench so as to build up political
machine for his personal benefit. They
believe that he owes his recent re.elec.
ton to the men who had received
licenses at his hand TO sell spirltuous
liquors and to others who had enioyed
in one way and another the smile of his
judicial favor. The opinion in which
this elected and thrice reelected Judge
is held by the good people among whom
it is his official duty to dispense Justice,
is one calculated to bring the court of
justice into open disrepute. 1t may all
be very unjust to Judge Clayton, but it
is none the less deplorable.
As this deplorable state of affairs ex-
lists right at our doors, it has a natural
tendency to persuade Delawareans that
the system of electing judges and elect.
ing them for comparatively short terms
of service, has many and serious obiec-
tions.
If one were looking for case where
a judge chosen by popular election does
not seem to measure up to the proper
standard, he could find it in dis.
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