Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-02-24
spooial Election for state senator.


this Issue, tell the full story of the
election.
These election returns form an in
teresting study. Tboy show at first
glance what was generally supposed
would he the case. and that ia that tho
event bad but slight hold on public
interest. The total vote WAS hut q, $40,
compared with total of 81. 500 at ths
Presidential election in 1896. Tho Re
publican vote was i,05s, anu the com
bined vote Of the two Democratic nomi.
neea was 9, 902. The Prohibition can.
didate received but 10 votes.
These iSures show that apathy per
vaded the ranks Of both parties. although
the Republicans nroiltsd by the negro
vote, which camu out quito generously
in this city, owing to the easy voting
regulations. Outside of this, the sig.
niticant feature OF the election was the
showing mado by the silver Democrats.
They, ut least, were activs and ag
gressive. A leading member of their
organization went to Townsend on tho
morning train and distributed tickets,
afterwards driving to Middlstown for
the same purpose. At Newark their
organization also put forth its heat
efforts. At New Castle the silver Demo
crnts were reinforced ny the local
Single Takers In Wilmington they
manned most OF the polling places, and
worked industriously all day. Had the
other interests put forth half of the
energy displayed by tbe silvcrites the
vote would have reached q total OF at
least IL, 900, and the result might have
been different, And yet, utter all this
exertion, and u clear field to work upon.
the vote of the silver Democrats in the
entire county amounted to hut l.20j.
At the general election of 1896, the
Bryan and Sewal electoral ticket re-
ceived .. 6S2 votss ID New Castle county.
and it is estimated TINT at least 3 900
Democrats either did not vote at
all, voted for the Mckinley electors, or
supported the Palmer and Bucgner
q
in the county of over II, 600. The silver
Democrats, therefore, at yesterdays
contest polled about ten per cent of the
total party vote. Had their vote been
like that,cast for the other two ranf,i
dates, secured without effort and in the
face OF general apathy, they might have
had something to crow over. But their
showing was made after the most mar
sistsnt efforts to obtain votes for their
candidate, favored by luose voting
i regulations, anil conditions with respect
to nominations that left Democrats free
to vote as they chose, without being
accused of lacking in party devotion or
party regularity. Surely, there is moth
ing encouraging to the Democratic ad
vocates Of free silver coinage in these
suall figures.
The result of the election was what
was expected, the Democratic division
being apparent, while the Republicans
generally acquiesced in the surrender
OF their party organization to Addicks-
ism. MIR. Stewart, the Senator. elect,
is man of good parts, ard ought to
make a cruditahle State Senator. His
Republican sponsors have given pledge
to the people that he will resoutely re-
sist any attempts to enact a partisan
charter for the city Of Wilmington. We
hope Senator elect Stewart will respect
that pledge, although as far az he is
personally concerned, he publicly mads
no anti-election promises whatever. But
he ought to know that the pe0ple of
Wilmington do not desire n partisan
charter, and vote accordingly. Indsed.
il no desires TO lie entirely safe in tho
matter, and to place himself in accord
with the best public sentiment, be can
do so by voting against any considnra
tion of the proposed new charter at the
present session of tho Legislature. The
people of Wilmington can get along
very well under present conditions, and
We believe the majority OF them prefer
that the matter of a new charter shall
go over until the next Legislature, in
which they will have larger and more
general representation.
Lst Mr.. Stewart set his face rusnIutsly
against any new charter for Wilmington
at this session, and he will justify the
confidence Of the people whose votes
elected him.
When the President uf the United