Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-03-12
This Years Election in Delaware.

iue blSCilun III beluWdrb bulb year
will be one of unuaual interest and of
great Importance. 1t is likely to engage
the absorbing attention of the voters
from the opening to the end OF the
campaign.
The offices to be filed this year are
those of Governor, Representative in
Congress, and Legislature that may
have to choose United States Senator,
besides the various official positions in
each of their three counties. Extend
ing, therefore, from the highest office
in the State to the humblest elective
Office in each county, it will readily be
seen that the contest is sure to be ex-
citing, particularly as the interest will
be intensified by the campaign for the
Presidency, which is likely to cpnvulse
the entire country. And then, there
will be the election of delegates to the
Constitutional Convention, and while
there are gratifying indications that
this feature Of the campaign will be re-
moved from tho turmoil of partisan
politics by mutual agreement between
the two leading political parties, its
presence will serve to add interest and
zest to an election that IN other re-
spects is of far more than the ordinary
Importance.
Aside from the choice of convention
delegates, we have had elections hero
before involving the same officers that
arc to be chosen next November. but
this years campaign is rendered of UNI
usual interest. from the fact that it is
the first following the great Republican
landslide in 1894 This was the first
time the Republicans had carried Della
ware since 1872. and even in that year
they simply elected Congressman and
gave the electoral vote Of the State to
General Grant, the Democrats having
managed to save their Legislative tickets
in Kent and Sussex counties and thus
keep the Legislature under Democratic
control.
The Republican victory of 1894 WAS
almost as barren of practical results as
was the victory Of 1872. True, they
made "A clean sweep of Governor,
Congressman and majority on Joint
ballot in the General Assembly. But
death removed the Governor. and a
Democrat succeeded to tho office. Tho
Republican majority in the Legislature
frittered away it's power in senseess
fractional wrangles, and failed to elect
United States Senator, though they
had votes enough and to spare for this
purpose, had they united upon any one
man. And so to-day. with the excep-
tion Of a few county offices, they find
themselves Just where thcy were in
1872, with only Representative in
Congress to show for such a surprising
political achievement as "A Republican
victory in the usually Democratic State
of Delaware.
The Republican victory Of 1872 was
followed by a sweeping Democratic
triumph in 1874, two years later when
the Democrats elected every candidate
on their tickets, from one end Of tho
State TO the other. History has re-
peated itself in tho practical results of
these two elections, and it remains to
be seen if the sequence will be followed
in the result of tho election this year.
1t ought TO be, for under its present
leadership the Republican party of
Delaware has no claim 10 popular sup
port 1t is dominated by spirit of
soiishness, and those in control arc
evidently determined 70 attempt to
achieve success by campaign of do
hatchery and corruption Of the suffrage.
History should again repeat itself in
lsJd and record signal Democratic
triumph as sequel 10 the Republican
victory Of the last camnaign.