Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-06
DU PONT IS PATRONAGE BOSS
Has Been Selected by the Nc
kinley Administration.
HIS WORD WILL Be THE LAW
General Wilson and the Russ
sian Mission.
He is Well Recommended, and IL He Does
Not Get This Plum VIII be Given Some
Other Important Post-Col. Hcury a, du
Pont Will Dispense Federal Patronage in
the State of Delaware.


Pont Will Dispense Federal Patronage in
. the State of Delaware. 81
Special Correspondence Of Gazette and journal
Washington. May At can be stated
without the slightest fear Of contradic.
tion that patronage for the State OF
tration will be dictated without restric-
tion by Col. Henry A. du Pont. Mr.
du Pont is to be "completa master of
patronage as Every Evenings in
forniant said this morning, and it will
rest with him entirely whether the
Addicks people shall be recognized in
any way in the distribution OF offices.
The fact that the Addicks people are
to be turned down by President Nc
Kinley and his cabinet officers was fors-
Swallowed in these dispatches some
days ago. 1t was pointed oui that sofne
sort Of compromise between tine fac
tions might be requested by the Presi
dent, but it has been decided to recog-
nize the Regulars only, with Mr.. du
Pont at their head to recommend cam
didates for office. This move is directly
in line with the attitude of Mr.. Nc
Kinley's followers towards the Addicks
faction 10 the past, and merely forms
another link to the chain Of Hnubs
which they have administered to the
oppontents of the Regular organization.
1t is evidently the Presidents inten-
tion to kill the Addicks faction. A d.
vision Of the patronage would simply
tend to keep both factions alive and
serve to foment strife and dissension in
the ranks of the party in the State.
The final decision to give the Regular
Republicans full swing was reached Ivy
the President yesterday, and imms-
diately thereafter notifications were
sent around to the various departments
acquainting the cabinet officers and
their subordinates with the situation,
AL Delaware applicants for Office will
hereafter be obliged to secure the en-
dorsement of Col. du Pont before hop
ing to land. The principal reason why
Col. du Pont was selected by the Presi
dent for the rsfereeship is the fact that
he received the support OF the Repuhli-
cans in the United States Senate in his
fight for the 6enatorship against Mr..
Addicks. The fact that his claim to
the office was recognized by his party
associates in the Senate was regarded
by Mr.. Mckinley as sufficient evidence
to establish his right to the seat, and
Mr.. du Pont is to be consulted in the
matter of appointments as il be were
actually Senator from Delaware. II
Another reason for his election to- the
poet of referee, which is not to he dis.
missed without consideration, is his
strong peraouai friendship for the PreHi-
dsnt. During the war Col. tlu Pont and
Maj. Mckinley were brought into such
close contact that they cultivated fast
friendship for oauh other and Col. du
Pont, as is well known, worked hard
for the President iast spring when tho
fight wae on for delegates to the st.
Luuis convention. 1t was suggested to
the President by politician Of national
reputation that ono consideration
which might work to Col. du Points
disadvantage as referee was his some
what limited acquaintance with many
Of the Regulars of the State; but Mr..
Mckinley offset this objection by ad-
vising Col. du Pont that in cases
where he deemed it for. the good of the
party, and where no might not have
close acquaintance with applicants for
Office, to consult such of his intimate
friends who were better posted.
The appointment OF several Addicks
men to fourth class postmasterships in
the State has no Significance. 1t may
be that the Addicks people in ths
future will be thrown a sop In the way
of few more minor and unimportant
without the approval of Col. du Popt
Whether Col du Pont will be lenient
is not certain, but it is safe to say that
the important Offices such. for in
stance, as the marshalship, collector
ship of customs, Wilmington, Dover
and other large postmasterships-
be retained by the Regulars. Col. du
Pont will act in similar capacity to
that of Senator Higgins during the
Harrison administration. but whether
he will be as severe as Mr.. Higgins
remains to be seen.
The application of Gen. James H.
Wilson of Wilmington. the Regular Re-
publican national committeeman, for the
post of Minister to Russia was received
at the White House to-day, examined
by President Mckinley and placed
among the files of his confidential
papers. Gen. Wilson, ii is understood,
has the endorsement OF Col. du Pont
for the place, as we'll as that of every
prominent Regular Republican in the
State. 1t has not been settled, how
ever. whether the Russian mission will
be given to Delaware. If it goes to
that State, though, Gen. Wilson will
undoubtedly be the appointee. There
are at least 25 applicants from other
States after the same Office, most Of
them being from the North and West.
The probability 10 that this very i'm
portant post will go to another State,
but in view OF Gen. Wilson's strong
endorsements he will be given some
post equally as satisfactory. Gen.
Wilson is a personal friend of Mr.. Nc
Kinley--another point to his advantage
and is one of the Original Mckinley
men" of Delaware He formerly served
in some diplomatic capacity in the
Chinese Empire.
The Addicks people are sorely dis
coursged over the outlook, although
loath to acknowledge that the adj
ministration has TUNED them down in
the matter of patronage. The Regu-
lars. ON the other hand, are elated.
They ars little surprised. however, as
they claim that the President's decision
was the only logical and just ono which
could have been reached.