Middletown transcript., 1897-09-25

own Wafpou auu butuuzoH JaEustiOh'
They have made many mistakes IL
their brief political careers, but they
never made greater than the present
one. We have heard enough right here
in Middletown this week to know that
the Republicans of New Castle county
are practically unit In spurning the
Addicks proposition. On this point
there will be no division worth speak
ing about. Here and there may be q
man with Addicks's gold still jingling
through his memory who will essay Q
shamefacedId defense Of his owners offer
but the great body, the masses no lesl
than the leaders, are resenting the
proposition as an insult. In our opin-
ion the Republicans of New Castle
county ought to feel grateful for the
offer, for it has killed Addicksism In
this county. He killed his own cause.
Whom the gods would destroy they
first make mad.
New Castle County had $1,000 in
habitants according to the last census
1890. To-day it contains over 100, 600.
Kent County had $4,000 and Sussex
had $4,000 by the census of 1890. They
may have 5000 inhabitants to-day.
In the election of 1894 we take that
year and not 1896, because in the Mar
vel-Tunnell campaign the party was
united-New Castle polled 1850 Re-
publican votes; Kent, 300; Sussex
1900. Wilmington that year cast
Z, 500 votes for Marvel. 1t cast more
than twice as many votes as Kent
county, and yet we find a coterie of
Kent politicians seriously proposing to
take 30 delegates and to accord to Will
miRgton only 25. To state these facts
to honest men is to make a conclusive
argument to them. a new "Kent
County Ring" appears to have been
formed, one forged out of brass and
tempered in a fountain of gall. What is
worse yet, at least one-half of the g.
700 Republican votes polled in Kent
in 1894 were bought. DR.. Caleb R. Lay
ton is authority for the statement that
s66 per centum of our voters have never
learned to mark their ballot" Why
notP Because they wished to let the
voters assistants know how they voted
in order that they might get q price
for their votesP Here we see the con-
summate flower and fruit of Addickism
grated upon the Democratic tree of
Kent and Sussex. It is montrous. 1t
Is appalling. And. this appalling mon
strosity is to be fastened upon the free
men of New Castle County. Addicks
and Marshall and Layton insolently
propose to make this the basis of party
rules and the motive Of party control
for the whole state.
They come with their scheme in the
name Of the new Constitution. There
is much that is good and Republican
In the new Constitution; but there is
also some that is bad and unrepubli-
can. OF the latter the worst is legisla.
tive gerrymonder. Both New Castle
and Sussex were made victims of the
Democratic tendency to steal
power. The Democratic majority in
the convention was peculiarly and out
successful in distorting the
in the city of Wilmington.
They divided that city so that 5000 Re-
publicans must vote in two districts
and only $500 in three. Addicks and
Marshall and Layton propose to sc-
cord 10 delegates to the 5000 Republi-
cans and Is to the $500. They propose
further to give delegates to the 119
of Blackbird and no more
than to the 466 Republicans of st.
Georges hundred, and the same num-
Der to the 2700 Of the third district of
We venture to predict
that there is not q Republican in the
county who will undertake to defend
or even accept such an apportionment.
Why should Republicans be guilty
Of the folly of fastening Democratic
wrong upon their party organization2
We accept the new Constitution. We
are glad to have 1t, because it promises
10 do SO much better than the old in
strumens did; but we are not called
upon to approve its iniquities and bind
ourselves still further by its vicious
provic ions. The Addicks proposition
for the organization Of the next conven-
tion embodies in one and the same
form the worst phases of both Repub-
lican and Democratic politics in Della
ware. It proposes to place the control
Of the party into the hands of that
Of the party which resides 10
Democratic districts. The future light
and leading Of Republicanism is to
come from hotbeds Democracy.
The Republicans Of Delaware must
return to the peaceful condition, pre-
yailing prior to 1895. If they want to
get together. There must be mutual
consideration, absolute fairness and
equality, respect for the rights not
merely Of individuals, but of the col
lective party representatives as they
stand for the several districts Of the
State. The convention of 1884, d.
vided the state into four districts for
purposes. That arrange
ment has worked admirably. It has
secured for the minority voice in every
and membership on every
state committee. This division has
had perhaps much to do do with the
peace and harmony that followed its