The sun., 1898-10-02

OHi
elected representative in Congress. This
will leave the Hon. L. l. statesman
without job, and Mr.. Handy is an in
dustrious man, who never remains out
Of work long.
If he is defeated for Congress the
chances are that he will bob up as q can
didate for senator, backed by John G.
Gray, who has influence with the Sussex
county, and free silver men from other
parts OF the state, and will demand vim
dication at the hands of the Legislature,
and that vindication will be a demand
that he be elected United States Sena-
tor. 1t is thought that the friends OF
Senator Kenney would fall in behind
Mr.. Handy, and if Willard Salisbury
has anything like the number Of friends
on the legislative ticket that his friends
claim, there may be all kinds of combi.
nations which will cause considerable
trouble to the Gray men. The thinking
ones are not disturbed over this, how
ever, for the reason that the Republicans
will be in control, and the Democratic
candidate who has the majority OF the
Democrats in the Legislature will have
to be satisfied with complimentary
vote.
The Republican committee OF New
Castle county, decided not to open the
boxes and count the votes for sheriff, as
cast at the recent nomination election.
The contestants, Mr.. Mcdaniel and Mr..
Stidham, withdrew their demands, and
therefore the nomination of John Taylor
remains unquestioned, officially, al
though his plurality is but two votes in
a total poll of over five. thousand.
1t cannot be denied that while the
contests were pending the committee was
in quandary. The demand for re.
count of the votes was most embarras-
ing one. Had it been complied with,
and the result proved reversal Of Tay-
lor's slender margin in favor of another
aspirant, Mr.. Taylor and his friends
would have been angry and doubtless
charged fraud in the count On the
other hand, refusal to make recount
would have angered the friends of Nc
Daniel and Stidham to the point OF re-
volt.
There were many unpleasant rumors
ahoat to the effect that the committee
would not dare to open the boxes and
recount the vote, because such pro-
ceeding might have shown evidences of
fraud sufficient to send some parties to
prison. 1t is hardly probable, however,
that there was much in these intima-
ticns. On its face, the primary election
bears every mark OF having been hon
estly and fairly conducted, and the fact
that a plurality of only two votes for
the winner is accepted as final by his
nearest competitor, is proof that there is
no general belief of fraud or underhand
proceedings. So much for the primary
election law, which twice has been sue
cessfully applied to important party
primaries this year.
No doubt the members of the Repub-
lican committee feel relieved at the end
ing of fwbat threatened to be a vicious
contest. They are hereby relieved of
great mbarrassment.- t.-E,ery Eaening.
In New Castle county where the Greg.
ulars" predominate and could smash
any Republican ticket that could be put
in the field, they arc content to have
only one ticket. In Kent and Sussex
counties where they only number hand
ful, they are not content to let the voters
select their representatives in the legis.
lature, as per the new constitution, but
demand certain number of candidates
on the ticket without regard to these
said voters. The specious claim is that
Mr.. Addicks may get senatOrship,
when Mr.. Bach, one of the most violent
opposers of Mr.. Addicks said in the last
state convention, that lit would be a
mathematical impossibility for Mr.. Ad.
dicks to get enough votes under the new
constitution to ever be elected senator. "
1t is this fact that makes many believe
that they have an object that reaches be.
yond Mr.. Addicks.-,Smyrna Times.
The incapacity of our legislators tc
formulate laws which will be most ad
vantageous to the people and not curtai
their liberty and right has become SC
glaringly obvious to our constitutions
farmers in recent years that they haye
restricted the government-making power
in many OF our states, lest it, by some
whim or party prejudice, would enact
laws SO expressing as not to seem endur
able. 1t is amazing that there is nc
other occupation, art or science, in which
some method of instruction and quaIif
cation is not looked upon as requisite
except the science of legislation, the no
blest, yet the most difficult of any. Or
account Of the vastness of modern states
and the cOmplexity of modern life, there
is vast amount to be done in legisla
ton which calls for more active intelli
gence, severer methods, vaster knowl
edge, better experience and firmel
character than was required in any
former period. In spite of this fac
the composition of our next Legislature
promises to be no better than the pre-
ceding one. While some of the candi
dates are capable and efficient men
others are not We have few candi
dates in our mind on the Democrat,
ticket who just can read and write. The,
have common sense, but it is divestet
of insight. Are the people so unwis'
and lost all political interest that the,
will allow these men to be elected ant
to make laws by which they shall b.
| ~