Evening star., 1896-11-16
An Interesting Review of the Re-
suits of the Recent Election.
THERE ARE EXCITING Times AHEAD
A Bitter Contest for the United
States Senatorship.
\ SILVER NAN PROBABLE
Correspondence of The Evening Star.

The republicans of this little state are
kicking themselves hard. They are unhap-
py, and have good reason to oe unhappy.
But 1t Is all their own fault that they are
not merry. The democrats, on the other
hand, are iii the top notch Of joy and are
not disposed to come down. They are not
through rejoicing over the result at the
polls on November B, aud will not be until
they can see their governor-elect comfort
ably seated in the state house, until they
elect United States Senator and until they
can hear their Congressman-elect take his
oath of office.
The cause of the sorrow of the republi-
cans is their crushing defeat, when victory
was SO certain, and the returns show that
their sadness is justifiatle. With united
party on state issues the republicans would
have swept Delaware clean on November
and captured every office from janitor OF
the state house to United States Senator.
Had the vote for Hoffeclker, union repub
Hcan candidate fer governor, and John &.
Higgins, regular republican candidate for
governor. been concentrated on either, Ebe.
w. Tunnel, the democratic governor-eiect,
would have been buried Cut OF sight. And,
likewise, had the vote cast for Congress-
man Jonathan S. Willis and Robert q.
Houston, the republican candidates for
Congress. been united on either or on some
other candidate. Levin Irving Handy, dem
ocratic free silver Congressman-elect,w would
have met his Waterloo before he reached
the boundary line Of New Castle county.
The vote for Cor gressman and governor
was as follows
Congress-Willis, union republican, 1882;
Houston, regular republican, 6,9S9; Handy,
democrat, 1862.
Observation-Disclosures uniou republican
12,2'5; Higgins, regular republican, Z, ,4i22;
Tunnel. democrat, 1929
By the above figures ii will be seen that
had the republican vote been consolidated
QemCcro har hos
defeated by the overwt Ginning majority OF
3,0Oo-a majority that is seldom reached in
an open ard fair political contest in Della
ware. Marvil, the republican governor
elected in 1894, received but lbs majority
over Tunnel, and this was considered phe-
nomenal in view of the fact that the re-
1854.
The Story of Hard Struggles.
For thirty years the republicans had
fought against tremendous odds to elect d
governor, and until 1894 their work had
been fruitless. In 1864 they elected William
Cannon governor after hard fight; but he
died three months after his inaugura ton
Governor Marvil also died four months
after his inauguration in January, 1880 In
each instance democrat was speaker of
the senate and. under the constitution, he
became the acting governor. Before his
death, In April, 1885, Governor Marvil had
| made few appointments, and these We're
speedily reversed by Speaker William
Thorpe Watson, who is now acting in the
capacity of governor. The governor of Del
aware has an appointing power almost
equal in comparison to that of the Presi-
dent of the United States. Four hundred
state and county offices are at his disposal
Thus 1T will be seen why the repubiicans
deplore the fact that they were not TO-
gethcr when they had chance to elect a
governor. The result of the congressional
fight while disappointing to the republi-
cans. IS not mourned as much by them as
Is the outcome of the fight for the governor
and legislature. :"
Control of the latter has been chief de-
sire of the republicans for many years In
1883 they elected a majority of the legisla-
ture and sent republican to the Senate
for the first time in forty years In 1891
they again gained control of it, but were
handicapped by reason of a bitter and ex-
! asperating contest for the United States
senatorshp between millionaire gas man
J. Edward Addicks and Senator Anthony
Higgins, who was candidate for re-elec-
ton. The factional animosities engendered
during that memorable struggle were too
deep-seated to be easily smoothed over.
They found their way into every issue
before the party. until on November j, when
the republican forces were marshaled for
the fray, there were two republican legis-
lative tickets instead of one, in each coun-
ty. The Addicks faction, backed by a
powerful organization in Kent and Sussev
counties, were determined to send the mil
lionaire to the Senate The Higgins faction
on the other hand, supported by the old
school republicans of New Castle county,
were determined that the gas man should
never realize his ambition in Delaware
The election was exciting. In New Castle
county, which was considered the strong
hold of the Higgins faction. Add;cks divided
the republican vote almost evenly with
them. In Kent and Sussex counties his
majority over them was overwhelming
But 1t was not sufficient to defeat the demo-
Gratis and the Higgins republicans COM
bined, and as result the democratic leg;s-
lative tickets were declared elected. There
was some disturbance over the returns in
Kent county, but the canvass board decided
in favor Of the democratic ticket.
The Fight for Senator.
The legislature does not meet until Janu-
ary, and the next United States Senator
will not be balloted for until January 15
In less than twenty-four hours after the
announcement that the democratic legisla-
tive ticket had been elected in all three
counties contest for the United States
senatorship began. The democrats will
have twenty-five of the thirty seats in the
legislature. One republican was elected in
New Castle. and there are now four holding
over republicans in the senate.
The Bayard faction will play no part in
the contest The ambassadors letter urg
election settled that point. The contest will
be an old-faShioned one, in which the
| famous Saulsburys will again figure. Will
| lard Saulsbury,a young and wealthy lawyer
Willard Salisbury, who had fought hard
| for his seat in the Senate in 1870, wants to
| follow his fathers footsteps. He is one Of
the foremost leaders of his party, and by
virtue Of legal attainments and broad INTEL
| lectual scope and grasp, he is the acknowl-
edged leader in the contest. His opponents
! are his cousin John F. Salisbury, the free
silver champion of Dover, and Mr. Charles
| B. Lore, chief justice Of the superior court.
Lore is being urged for the honor by the
silver element of the party. He repre-
| sented Delaware in Congress for two terms
previous to 1856, and made several strong
| speeches for silver. He was also a cand!-
| date for United States Senator in 1856, but
| was defeated by George Gray.
Silver Man for Senator.
| The legislature will be composed largely
of democrats who favor silver, and it is ex-
| pected that they will insist upon the cleo
| ton of a silver man to the Senate. Lore
and ]. F. Salisbury. in such an event, would
| stand the best chances Of election. Willard
| Salisbury, however, is determined to secure
| the senatorial plum, and for this reason it
| is expected that the contest for it VIII be
| bitterly fought Willard Salisbury is gen.
orally accepted as a gold standard demo-