The sun., 1898-10-23

in Kent, will most probably mean
Democratic success in these counties and
consequent control Of the Legislature.
It is safe to say that the legislative dele
CATION from New Castle county will be
practically evenly divided.
Senator Gray Is anxious for another
term, and his friends are exerting every
effort in his behalf, but they have met q
serious barrier in the fact that Mr.. Gray
openly advocated the election Of Palmer
and Buckner after the Chicago conven-
ton, to which he was delegate, anil
voted the Gold Democratic ticket in 1896.
"a feeling prevails that Mr.. Gray's
chief opponent for the Senatorship will be
Willard Salisbury, a prominent attorney
of Wilmington, and son of the late Chan
cellor and ex-senator Willard Salisbury,
and also nephew Of the late Hon. Eli
Salisbury, who was Senator from Della
ware for eighteen successive years until
1883. Mr.. salisbury would probably be
accepted as compromise by the gold
members and the silver members of the
Assembly. The gold men will not ques-
tion his sound-money views, and the
silver element, it is expected, will not
oppose him. He not only did not antago-
nize the Chicago ticket in 1896, but as
chairman of the Democratic Executive
Committee, did more than any other
one man to carry the State for the Demo-
Gratis in that year. The Democratic
Legislative nominees in Kent and Sussex
are divided as regards the Senatorship,
but Gray and Salisbury are the names
uppermost in their minds.
"The Kent and Sussex nominees who
lean strongly towards silver theories do
not hesitate to say that they will oppose
Mr.. Gray because of his attitude at the
1896 election, and as gold men will like
wise be represented in the Legislature
the selection OF man who will be &C.
ceptable to both sides will be more than
likely. Ex-Attorhey-General John
Biggs, the attorney for the Pennsylvania
Railroad in New Castle county, and
son-in.law of George V. Massey, Assist
Solicitor-GeneraI Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, who was a former Delaware
Republican of note, is also spoken of in
a Senatorial connection.
'Of the tifty-two members of the Gen.
eral Assembly, three Democratic Sena-
tors-John Pyle, in New Castle county;
Samuel Meredith, Kent; and William T.
Moore, Sussex-hod over (the Senators
being chosen for four years and the Rep
resentatives for two years., and of the
remaining forty-nine to be elected, it is
estimated that twenty-seven of the num-
Der will be Democrats, thus making the
Democratic representation thirty. The
Democrats, thus enumerated, may be
classified on the money question as four
teen Silver men, four admitted.
|ly Gold men, and twelve impossible
to classify. In the event Of Congressman
Handy, who is an ardent free coinage
advocate, being defeated, as is very prob
able, it is thought he viii enter the fight
for Senator, and as half dozen uncom-
promising Silver men are included in the
estimate of twenty.seven, whose election
is predicted, they may give him some
Votes. These pronounced free coinage
men may cause further element of ull-
certainty, for it is possible they may 20
80 far as to refuse to support Mr.. Gray
should Democratic caucus decide In his
favor. Assuming that there will be
thirty Democratic Legislators, the sup
porters of Mr.. Gray for reelection in this
number do not exceed twelve. about ten
others are likely to be favorable to Mr..
Salisbury, and the choice of the remain
ing eight is doubtful. although ma
jority of them may be Handy men.