Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-09-23

At Dover, Thursday night, "a conference
was held by committees representing
the Regular and Union wings Of the
Republican party OF Delaware. A
proposition advanced by Mr.. j, Ed
ward Addicks, the head and front OF
the Union Republican faction, as
basis Of compromise, was considered,
but the Regulars would do nothing
more than agree to hold the PROPOSE
tion under advisement, whereupon adj
iournment was had until September
9th.
The proposition of Mr.. Addcks was
for both factions to come together by
holding a unitud State convention at
which the apportionment should be five
delegates to each legislative district in
the State, as formed by the new Con-
stitution. This would give the city of
Wilmington 20 delegates, rural New
Castle 30, Kent 30 and Sussex so. The
Regulars are strongly inclined 70 adhere
to the old superintendent, which gave
to New Castle county rs delegates-40
from Wilmington-Kent 40 and Sussex
AZ.
There 10 every probability that tho
two factions will split wider apart than
ever on tbs issue of representation in
State conventions The old basis is the
very salvation of the Regular followers,
and they canuot afford TO give it up.
1t was adopted thirty years ago, when
the cry of representation according to
population was popular campaign de-
vice with the Republicans, and they
applied the principle TO their State
conventions, as matter of political
capital. But it proved boomerang,
and begetter of factional divisions, as
the prepunderance Of Nav Castle
county's vote frequently gave to the
leaders in that county the power to con.
trol Stats conventions with the aid Of
very few votes from the two lower coun-
ties. At times the other faction would
be In power, by virtue OF sUlidly con-
trolling the two lower county delega-
tions, with the addition OF few votes
from New Castle.
The apportionment, therefore,
adopted as a mere political expedient,
was constant source of worriment and
incentive 20 fractional wranges. 1t was
for this reason that the Addicks Re-
publicans last year, after first defeat.
ing the Regulars under the old appor-
tionment, created a new one, which
provided for a State convention of 200
members and deprived Now Castle
county of the superior numerical
strength it had so long enjoyed. This
change proved a popular move, and
many OF the Regular rank and file in
Kent and Sussex arc heartily in favor
OF it. The superintendent proposed by
MIR. Addicks us a basis of compromise
ia almost identical with the one adopted
by his State convention, although it
reduces the total number of delegates
from 200 to 17j
But the Regular leaders cannot afford
to accept the Addicks COMPROMISE
without signing their death warrants,
as far as their influence in future
State conventions is concerned Last
year they were defeated by the gas
manipulation, even under the old appor-
tionment. Under the superintendent
that he now proposes they would DO in
hopeless minority, as the Addicks
Republicans, judging by the vote cast
at the election Of last November, would
elect at least nine tenths Of the dole.
gates in Sussex county, all in Kent, and
not less than one.third of those in New
Castle. Addicks would therefore con-
troll the next State convention, by a
large majority. He would have, at the
lowest estimate, l2j of the 175 dele /.
gates.
This is the Rituation that the COM
promise committees will have to con-
sidUr when they next meet 10 Joint Sea,
sion, and it is ell one.sided as far as
the interests Of Addicks arc concerned
His concession" will be coming down
from 200 TO 173 az the total member
ship of the State convention, but he
will not thsreby surrender the slightest
portion of his political supremacy. On
the other hand, the Regular leaders, il
they accept this representation offer,
will voluntarily deprive themselves OF
all power and prestige, and become
mere swinging appPndages to the
Addicks political kite in Della
ware. It 10 reasonably safe to predict
that the Regular leaders will not con.
sent to thus deliberately effect their
own digcDmfiture