Smyrna times., 1898-07-06
THE "EVERY EVENING" ON THE PO.
LlTICAL SITUATION IN DELAWARE.
Inc Duty of the Democratic Party in the
Coming State Campaign.

Inc Duty of the Democratic Party in the
Coming State Campaign.
Under the last heading the Ere,v
Etcning of Wilmington, thus speaks
OF the political situation in Delaware:
The Democratic politician who airilv
predicts that the Democratic party will
have an easy time and comfortable
victory in the coming State campaign
is but a foolish leader and a false
prophet.
1t is a fact patent to all that the
Democratic party of Delaware, under
the leadership of recent years, has
been steadily losing ground, until the
last State election showed it to be in a
minority by over three thousand votes
Of course, much of this retrogression
must be attributed to the unquestioned
division of the party upon the
money issue, but is not entirely due
to this source. In 1894, the Demo-
Gratis carried the State by a majority of
four thousand. In 1882, the last year
OF straight Democratic victory in Del
ware, the margin of success was barely
hive hundred votes, and that. too.
IN the face of wave of Democratic
sentiment that swept over the entire
country and triumphantly placed
Grover Cleveland in the Presidential
chair.
This year, the Democratic party of
Delaware enters upon the campaign
with the division of the Republican
party into two hostile factions as its
only hope of victory. Under existing
Democratic conditions, a real union of
the Republican factions would be
equivalent to Democratic disaster.
The conclusion is inevitable. there
fore, that to conduct the political con-
test with the slightest shadow of sue
cess-even in the face of Republican
dlvlsion-the Democratic party must
lnaugurate change of leadership, and
change of policy, both clean, sharp
and radical. In addition to various
causes that have led to its deteriora-
ton, it has two deadly millstOnes about
Its neck-the recent General Assem-
bly,, and the close personal connection
of men who have heretofore been con-
spicuOus in party leadership with the
unsavOry scandals growing out of the
robbery of the First National Bank at
Dover.
Both of these evil and retrogressive
influences must be absolutely repudia-
ted by the Democratic party of Della
ware before it can indulge in the
shadow of hope of victory in the COM
ing campaign, no matter what may be
the condition of the Republican party.
TO lnaugurate a campaign like recent |
Democratic campaigns in this State,
would be to deliberately invite defeat |
from even a divided Republican party.
Either of the factions of that party |
would defeat the Democratic organiza-
tion thus discredited before the people |
and the only issue of the election
would be which Republican faction
would poll the greater number of votes
and thus win the victory.
The honest Democrats of Delaware,
therefore, in the coming primaries,
should sternly send to the rear the en-
tire gang of discredited and disreputa-
bic leaders who have so completely en-
cumpassed the discontinue of the
party. Not a single one of the bank
wrekers or one of their sympathizers
should be recognized as a friend of the
party or accepted in any capacity of
leadership. Not single man, mem
Der or LOBBYIST, who built up the dis
graceful record of the last session of
the General Assembly should be en-
dorsed by nomination for a single
place upon the Democratic ticket.
There should be a complete repudia-
ton of the entire selfish and unsavOry
lot.
By this means only can the Demo-
cratic party hope to make even a cred
liable showing in the coming cam
paign, or preserve the self-respect of
its organization. Will it heed the plain
and act accordingly? Every
friend of real Democracy and of the
State will sincerely hope so.