New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-04

Dora~ Dc March In the centre Of this
ouain, town there is a quadraneWaf common
lived With trees and bordered WIN orlcK sue
walks on the outer edge IN" l'uf SUES al"
closely ami almost continuously '"i'' "P wan
hr;o, and frame structures ana from inc large
,,,,,be, - lawyers signs painted on the shutters
90 tho windows il would he natural lhlerch'"
.b,, tho demands Of justice ii the Deiaware capi-
'""' "a ,bc requirements % legislation and
incarceration At any rate. the red brick court
,,,., ~ the longer side of the common opposite
.,,.,o, and the bank is d larger and more i'm
,o..ivo hnjlding than the state House az tho up
49, and But ;hc State House makes brave
e,ruccle for pre-eminenCe. Although an Hide
s,pnad and inconvenient building Of Two stories
wthou; traces Of dignity ~ stateliness. 1t is
rainted a snowy yellow. and is surmounted with
a prctentious mansard over which floats large
flag Like an overdressed woman on tiptoes, i
stands as high II and does lis best to al
tract notice. The tenants Of the State House dur
ing the last two months have adopted similar en-
rodents for forcing themselves upon the attention
Of the American people. Ordinarily Delaware anu
its Legislature escape observation. The senate
rial contest has brought the facuon-ren' ''"'o
and It's politicians into unenviabe prominence
Dover is usually a quiet. somnolent place even
when the LEGISLATURE is in session. making laws
for three counties and granting divorces W.T." "
free hand. Now there is a town sho" VIII" d
daily performance at noon. Every day. as the
hour of y approaches. spectators wend thei' way
toward the common. lettering in 'front.' 81 the Jaw
yers offices to catch fresh puff Of scandal or TO
boar some whisper Of a new divorce suit. and
Joining the loungers in the Railways OF the Capt.
tol At the left as they enter is the Executive
Oeica where the first Republican Governor elect
Cd IN Delaware during this generation sits a his
desk. and on the right is the office Of the Secre-
tarv Of state where white-nared man, bent IN
form but vigorous in mind, leans over his work
This is y Il SmitherS. who SIX years ago con-
tested the Sena ,orship with Charles H. Treat ana
George V Mass.y and eventually stood by when
Anthony Higgins carried of the coveted prize Be
yond the State Library and at the head OF mar
row staircase are the chambers OF the Senate ana
the House Of Representatives. The visitors hll
the little gallery and the back Of the larger
rooms and impatiently watch the hands OF the
clock At las, the hour Of noon strikes: nine Sen
ators file in and take chairs in the centre of the
chamber: the roll Of the General Assembly is
called and each member names his choice for
United States Senator The result is announced:
Higgins 9: Addcks. G; Massey, 4; and eleven
Democratic votes divided between Nolcott ana
Bayard. Over sixty ballots have been taken in
this way during the last two months. varying
only as a Higgins Republican or a Democra' has
been absent for a day. But. monotonous as IS
the performance. the show continues to draw It's
motley audience from day to day
Now the meaning Of this legislative matinee is
that the nineteen Republicans constituting the
majority Of a General Assembly Of thirty men-
bers cannot agree upon a candidate 1t is essen
TALLY sectional feud. Senator Higgins has
seven votes from Newcastle and two from SuS
sex Mr. Addicks has five votes from Sussex and
one from Newcastle Mr. Massey has two votes
from Sussex and one each from Kent and New
Castle. The two Democratic candidates have
nine votes from Kent and each from Sussex
and Newcastle The Republicans in November
carried the north and the south counties but lost
the middle county. But the north county will not
have Mr.. Addcks. and the south county will not
have Mr.. Higgins: and Kent's one Republican
representative can only secure three votes in ad-
dition 10 his own for Mr. Massey. Of Dover.
There have been over sixty ballots without a
break. and an election seems as far removed as
Il at the beginning. when caucus was fore
stalled. on Monday next at noon, the term OF
Senator Higgins will expire and vacancy will
be created while the Legislature is in session.
Governor Marv makes no secret Of his intention
Q. reappointng Senator Higgins if the Legislat-
ure shall adjourn without filling the vacancy and
he is apparently convinced of the legality Of the
procedure. Whether the United States Senate
tanned by appointment is an open question, with
Jrecedents on each side but with a strong pre-
sumption based on the individual records OF men,
bers in parallel cases that II will do so. That
title, If confirmed. would be good until January,
1891 since the Legislature will not be in session in
1896.
OF the three candidates who are now dividing
the votes Of the Republican majority Senator
Higgins ic entitled to the first consideration. be-
his claim for reelection is based not only
upon support from the county. which casts a
larger vote than the other two counties COM
bined. but also upon his fine record at Washing
ton. He was elected compromise candidate
six years ago. and has greatly distinguished him
self His antagonists themselves being the wit
resses. ne has shown admirable fitness. force Of
character ability and wisdom. representa-
tive Of the State in Washington !, is generally
conceded by Republicans Of all factions that
Delaware has never had a more brilliant Senator
than Anthony Higgins Certainly it has never
had representative who was moro highly es-
teened in Washington for mis- Intellectual and So
clal qualities his sensitiveness on all questions
OF public honor and his capacity a debater
and legislator If Senator Higgins has
earned second term by his distinguished career
at Washington. no successor t. his seat can ever
hope 70 do ii in that way. Yet his reelection
IS strenu0usly opposed on sectional grounds and
mainly because the money required for carrying
Sussex County and for making a vigorous con-
test in Kent supplied by Mr.. Addicks HIS
highest vote has been ten. with sixteen necessary
10 a choice: and even if he could obtain Mr..
Massey's fOur-and a futile effort 10 secure their
delivery has been made this week-he would stu!
be TWO votes short Of election.
Mr.. Massey. as the representative or Kent
County, under other circumstances might have
been a compromise candidate. when Newcastle
and Sussnx had exhausted their energies in