Evening star., 1898-11-04
SURE OF DELAWARE
Democrats Will Make Clean Sweep
of the State.
SENATOR GRAY WILL Be RETURNED
L. Irving Handy Sure of Re-EIec-
ton to the House.
NEW ELECTION SYSTEM
ecial CORRESPONDENCE of The Evening Star.

WILMINGTON, Del, November 3, 1898.
There is no longer any doubt concerning
the outcome of next Tuesdays election in
the state of Delaware. The registration
books are in They have been carefully
compared with the block books of all the
parties, and the showing is that the demo-
Gratis will elect their state ticket by ma
jorities averaging from 500 to 1,o00.
L. Irving Handy of New Castle will he
reelected to Congress. ex-State Senator W.
NJ. Ross of Sussex will be elected state
treasurer and DIR. l.. A. H. Bishop of Kent
will be state auditor of accounts.
The democrats will have thirty of the
fifty-two members of the general assem-
bly,, and George Gray will be sent back to
the United States Senate with scarcely a
shadow of opposition. In fact, it is not
likely that the name of any other man
will be seriously considered by any one
participating in the democratic caucus He
is regarded by all democrats as the only
logical candidate.
In New Castle and Sussex counties the
democrats will elect their county tickets.
The midland county, Kent, is so close on
the registration that it is anybody's fight,
with the chances favoring the democrats,
who have the election machinery in their
hands.
Under New Conditions.
This election in Delaware is held under
entirely new conditions so far as the gen
eral assembly is concerned. In years gone
by the assemblymen ran the county over,
but under the new constitution the mem
bership of the body has not only been in
creased from thirty to fifty-two but tho
members are elected by districts, which
largely do away with the old geographical
divisions by counties and hundreds.
In the past the state treasurer and state
auditor were elected by the general assem-
bly,. the two houses sitting jointly. Now
they are elected by the people of the state
at large, the same az the governor and
representative. Under the old constitution
the county offices We're largely appointive
by the governor: now they are elective
but the term of only one of them expires
in time to he voted for at this election that
exception being the recorder of deeds Of
New Castle county. a democrat He has
been nominated to Succeed himself which
he Will most probably do These changes
naturally throw the politicians more or
less at sea, even with the registration and
block books to guide them.
Light Registration.
The registration is lighter than that of
two years ago. Up to the last day the re-
publicans had the advantage. but by en-
ergetic work, the democrats redeemed
themselves on the last day. captured New
Castle and Sussex and made Kent debata-
BILE ground. Fully 5000 negroes failed to
register in the city and state, and many
white men. most notably Edward G..
Bradford, judge of the United States dis
trict court, and Levi c. Bird one of
the foremost members Of the Delaware bar.
ooth or them high in the councils of the
regular republican party refused to reg
lister and will not vote. To understand
this attitude on their nart 1t may be well
10 review the party movements since the
last election r. = =. . ~. -,
TWO years ago the free silver sentiment
disrupted the democracy Of Delaware Such
men as Ambassador Thomas F. Bayard
and United States Senator George Gray led
the revolt. Thomas +. Bayard ir was
nominated for Congress by the gold demo-
Gratis in opposition to l.. Irving Handy,
the regular democratic nominee But for
the TACT that the regular republicans fol-
lowers of Anthony Higgins and union re-
publicans, followers of J. Edward Addicks,
were themselves hoDelessly embroiled in
Dltter factiona1 disputes, eliminating in
the nomination Of rival state and county
tickets. the democratic ticket must have
suffered disastrous defeat. AS 1t was, the
republican vote was so split that the demo-
cratic ticket was elected. Mr. Handy went
to Congress and r. R. Kenney, upon the
assembling of the general assembly, was
elected to the Senate because of his we'll
known leaning toward free silver and
BryaniSm.
Free Silver Not an Issue.
This year the question of free silver does
not enter into it. The Democratic party.
gold men and silver men, are solid for the
ticket and for the return of Mr.. Gray to
the Senate. There are several reasons for
this reversal Of sentiment toward Mr..
Gray. There was never time during the
controversy that his bitterest enemies did
az
manlike dignity accompanying 1t.
Had he been up for reelection at that
time he doubtless would have been de-
feated, but with the lapse of two years
that admiration has grown and been ac-
centuated by his attitude in Congress prior
to and during the American-Spanish war;
the generosity and ability which he dis
played In coming to the defense of Senator
kenney in the Dover Bank scandal and
the distinction reflected on the state by
his appointment to the joint high COM
mission and afterward to the American
peace commission to assist in the work Of
effecting treaty with Spain. The sacri-
flces which he made in these instances have
rendered him, by all odds, the most popu-
lar man in Delaware. and all other demo-
cratic senatorial aspirants. realizing the
hopelessness of antagonizing Mr.. Gray,
have gracefully acquesced in the condi-
tons which confront them. There is no
disposition on the part of any democratic
leader to endanger democratic success. The
sole idea is to elect the ticket.
DissensiOns Among Republicans.
On the other hand, the republicans are
racked and torn by dissensions. In New
castle county the regulars and Addcksites
agreed to go into common primaries and
to abide by the result. They did so. The
regulars defeated the Addickstes in every
instance. Endeavors were made by the Ad-
dicksites to force the regular republican
legislature nominees to give letters pledg
ing themselves to go into and abide by
caucus on United States senator, legisla-
tive officials and all partisan measures. This
the regulars refused to do, for they knew
that if Addcks should carry Kent and Sus-
sex he would control the caucus, and they
would be tied hand and foot to him. By
leaving themselves free of all pledges they
could, in event of republican and Addicks-
ite victory, remain out of caucus. and, with
the assistance of the democratic minority
block the election of J. Edward Addicks to
the United States Senate, just as he did
four years ago. when he defeated MIR. Hig-
gins and dictate terms to the Addicksite
majority. This has made the Addckstes
of Newcastle county exceedingly angry
and many of them will cut the legislative
branch of the ticket.