New-York tribune., 1896-12-29
A DELAWARE BOSS.

A DELAWARE BOSS.
II Mr. ! Edward Addicks who has gained
considerable notorleiy during the last two or
three years as a Republican candidate for United
States Senator from Delaware Is correctly re-
ported in The Philadelphia Ledger" he GER
tainly deserves the credit that belongs 10 abso-
lutte frankness. 1t may be- said. indeed that
from the beginning of his campaign for that hlgh
Office he has disclosed his methods. as well as
his plans and purposes. with the most cynical
candor. He did not pretend 10 offer any argu-
ment for his own election by the Republ!cah
Legislature Of 1894 except that he had furnished
The money by which a Republican majority was
secured Solely on that ground he demanded
the SenatorShip :rom the Republicans, who he
said owed their election TO the Legislature TO
his liberal contributors 1t Is safe TO say that
this open avowal was without precedent In our
political history. Not that this was the first IN
stance in which ambitious men Of wealth had
contributed largely TO election expenses in the
expectation of political promotion. nor the iirst
in which such contributions were the sole con-
slderatOn in weighing Il candidates claims
That men have sat in the United States Senate
Of whom it could be said. with hardly the fear
Of contradiction. that they had bought 'helr
seats is unfortunately. too true. But THIS was
we believe. the first instance in when the can
didate himself unblushngly set up his claim lor
a United States SenaOrshp upon the ground
that he had bought and owned the Legislature
empowered to elect. Mr.. Addicks was not only
brually frank he was aggressive and persist
emf His persstency which became a National
scandal. prevented IN election, and left va
cancy in the States representation in the Sel-
ate which the Legislature elected last month is
expected to ill n the coming session That
Legislature contains majority OF Democrats
But Nh AddckS is reported saying that he
will prevent the election of Democrat. or any
body else except himself Il don't care about
the passing of laws" he says. "all want Is the
Senatorshp and | shall be elected II the
Democrats who have certificates Of election. ana
consequently control Of the Legislature. do not
seat Republican contestants enough 10 change
the complexion OF the majority. he proposes TO
organize a separate Republican Legislature.
which will meet and elect him Senator. He says
he has assurances that the United States Svn-
ate will not seat any Democrat who is elected
this winter. II am willing" he continues. "to
pay all the expenses Of The contes'. and ! IN
tend to carry it 10 the United States Senate.
Il will fight everything TO the bitter end. | n
less | an seated in the Senate. there VIII be
another vacancy for two years. This is frank
ness TO the point of audacity. Nothing could be
more plainly stated There is no conceament or
avoidance, no beating about the bush, no pre-
tence OF party loyalty or devotion to principle.
no pretence even of desire for party success.
Unless am seated there will be another va
cancy for two years" That sums Up the situa-
ton In plain English, lie has bought n seat In
the United States Senate Of the Republicans Of
Delaware and demands the delivery OF the
goods If he doesn't get the seat nobody else
shall occupy it. and the State will continue part
" unrepresented Nothing like this was ever
known before
That the Republican party OF Delaware IS dis
graced beyond measure by such an exhibition
Of monumental audacity, combined with truck
ling cOwardice and base venaly hardly need
be said That Mr. Addicks. with even all his
brutal candor should make public such a pur-
pose and such programme seems incredible.
That he should succeed in it we cannot believe
possible Better the election Of Willard Sauls-
bury or any other Democrat. gold or silver, or
even POpullst than that the United States Sen
ate should be contaminated by the presence OF
such man or the Republican party disgracaI
by such an association. Republican majority
in the Senate is important TO the success Of the
incoming Administration and the passage Of
laws necessary for the general welfare but not
important enough TO be purchased at any such
price. There Is no emergency, and we may well
doubt II there could be one. to justify ii. No
party, least Of all the Republican. which prides
itself upon the purity of its purposes and the
cleanness Of its record can afford TO lend coun-
tenance 10 such shameless indccency From
ONLY one point Of view can the Delaware sltua-
ton be looked upon 10y honest men with the
least degree of liberation. AS an object lesson
il may in the end serve useful purpose. II
holds mp 10 the light in all its nakedness the
logical outcome of the system OF Bossisn. lis
methods and its practices. Addicks is the flower
and fruit of the system. lie uncovers 1t without
either discretion or sense of shame. The defeat
sustained by the system in the nomination and
election of Mckinley is properly supplemented
by the disgrace which Addicks brings upon it in
his ample disclosures There are other Bosses
besides Add!cks, but none impudently bold
and andacious In so far as he throws light
upon that class Of selfish and unprincped 20
litcal managers, it may, perhaps, be said that
he has not lived in vain.
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JUSTICE KEOGHS DECISION.
The recent decision Of Justice Kcogh. Of the