Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-12-17
POLITICAL LEADERS UNEASY
Assertion That Congress Will
Not Seat Mr.. Handy.
SUSSEx'S LEGISLATIVE CONTEST
Is 1t a Scheme In Behalf of the
Rev. J.. S. Willis?


Special correspondenee nj Gazette sud journal
Dover, Dec. 16 There is considera-
BILE uneaainess among the leaders OF
both political PARTIES anent the an
nouncements that there will be two leg
islatures here next month and that the
Sussex county Republican legislative
candidates have servad notice Of con.
test on their successful Democratic
rivals. The latter proceeding is be-
lieyed TO be solely for the purpose of
making case Tor Congressman Willis
in his contest against Il. Irving Handy
but what the outcome will be is
merely a matter of conjecture.
However a prominent Republican,
who is in close touch with the national
leaders of the Republican party and
who has just returned from Washing
ton, stated positively to representa-
tive OF The Gazette that in no event
will Mr.. Handy be seated. Az to the
next United States Senator from Della
ware he stated that, in case the Demo-
cracy OF this State sanctions the action
OF tho Kent county board OF canvass in
seating Democrats from Kent in the
Legislature, their choice for United
States Senator will not be accorded a
seat. He claimed that he ''speaks by
the card" and only after consultation
with men high in the counsels of the
Republican party
Apropos OF recent publications con-
corning the Interference Of William Jen-
nings Bryan in Delaware affairs John
+. Salisbury says: II wish you would
deny, 20 far as | am concerned, that
Mr.. Bryan has ever even intimated to
me a preference in regard to the
ualarti inn Of
OF Delaware for United States Senator.
In fact, while have received several
letters from Mr.. Bryan since the sec-
tion, in not one of thsm has he spoken,
even by inuendo, of the Senatorship.
Mr.. Bryan, OF course, is vitality inter.
ested in tho great subject of free silver
and will bend every energy, no doubt,
from now until the next election to
further the cause : but, as said before,
he has not interfered in the matter of
the Delaware Senatorship.
We'll, how about the letter which
Mr.. Handy Is said to have exhibited
to d newspaper representatives"
There IL nothing in the statement
whatever. Gen. r. II. Kenney. mem
Der Of the National COMMITTEES, saw
the letter which Mr.. Handy received,
and be told me that there was nothing
whatever in the epistle bearing upon
the Senatorial matter"
Gen. kenney could not be found, but
II is understood that he made the
above-quoted declaration in the pres
ence of several parties.
II there are two Legislatures in Dover
next month there Is probability that
quo warranto proceedings will be re-
sorted to. The present State Treasurer,
Charles III. Atkins, it il asserted, will
refuse to abdicate except when so or
dered by the court, especially IL two
men are named for the place. What
the State Auditor, DR.. Beniah S.
Lewis, will do is not known.
Dover Democrats laugh at the idea
of the Republicans petitioning for an
extra session of the court of errors and
appeals on writ which is not made
returnable until a specified date next
month. The writ will not be matter
of record until then and. consequently,
cannot he brought to the cognizance
Of the court before that time.