Evening journal., 1898-12-19

being a citizen of Smyrna, should nat
urally have expected the support of
the Smyrna Cain. being, as we have
said, as thoroughly representative in
his citizenship and Democracy as Mr..
Slaughter. These were the natural con-
ditions, but in the contest which en-
sued they cid not exist That the
Smyrna Call supported MIR. Hall there
is NO denying, and the enthusiasm
which marked its support is best ex-
pla6ned by the fact that It Is edited
by ex-Representatiye Robert III. Will
son, a clever writer, who resides near
Dover. and that he and the editor OF
the Dover Deiawbrean have been life
long Friends and mutual supporters. In
Will be seen that under natural condi-
tions of environment the personal SYM
pathies OF both Of these editors should
have been with Mr.. Slaughter, while
newspaper policy would have dictated
that The Smyrna Call throw its influ-
ence 10 Mr.. Hal1 and the Dover Della
warean it's to Mr. Slaughter. But there
were other influences at work. Re-
quests or orders, whichever one sees fir
to cail them, were cent 10 these two edi-
tors TO accomplish the nomination OF
Mr. Hall and the defeat of Mr.. Slaugh-
ter. the former being represented to
them as the supporter of certain sem
atoIial project in event of Democratic
Legislative control. This representation
may have done Mr.. Hall an injustice
While man on positive convictions,
he HAS never been accused of being a
creature. injustice or not, the worn
went out and the fight began. In Kent
county the nominations are not made
by popular party vote ais In New Cas-
tie county, but by delegates sent to a
county convention, the delegates from
each district being permitted TO select
a candidate and the convention ratify-
ing such action. The de,eehte election
WAS held, and on the day for holding
the convention it was discovered that
there WAS a tie in the delegation from
the First senatorial district In other
words, one-haif OF the delegates were
favorable to the nomination Of Mr.
Hall and the other half wanted Mr.
Slaughter for the candidate. They
could nCc compromise their differences
and a deadlock ensued. The question
WAS thrown to the floor of the county
convention. That body appointed ref
ere,s eJ adjust the matter. 1t con-
cluded its business and ajourned. leav-
ing the referees still in session and with
plenipotenidal powers. The referees
failed to agree and adjourned withouf
making a selection, thus leaving a va
cancy on the ticket. Before the coun-
ty convention adjourned. and when II
had no idea that the referees would mol
agree, il appointed an executive COM
mittee to conduct the campaign to the
best interests OF the Democratic party
To this commi1tee the referees report
ed their inability to agree. It decided
to meek at a future time and fiji the
vacaIcy, pubiic announcement Of such
determination being made then and
there. Then the editor Of the Dover
DelawhrSan Begin TO rave, and the
sentiments EXPRESSED found a hearty
echo in the office up inDuek Greek hun
drcd. Every effort wGs made to COM
pei the county committee 10 recede
from it's position and to order another
election. The influence Of the Dover
Derawarean was made manifest by the
fact THAI the county committee did no'
sheer an inch from the course which II
had marked cut for itself The meefdne
was held Nine-tenlths of the members
were present. Mr.. Slaughter appeared
before the committee and manfully
STATED that he was not in the field &C
make troub.e for the Democratic party
and that if the cOunty executive com
mdttee felt THAT THE cause OF Democracy
would be endangered in the district b,
his candidacy, it had HE ful and fret
consent to ignore him altogether AM
to Name any other man. Then he re
tired and lett the committeeman 4
their deliberations. Mr.. Hall did no
appear before the committee. With al
, eye to the interest ~ the party tn
} committee broke the deadlock by az
pointing MIR. Slaughter to FIJI the va
, cancy on the ticl1et. The editor Of tn
Deihwarean fell on his back, kicked a
his heels and screamed Justify, but M
: Slaughter went into the fight and wo
p #. and he will be one Of the most U.S.
? full members cf the State Senate. 7
add to the aggTavation of the editor
+, the Delawarean there was not, in u
p entire county. Democrat electe
e whom he could cai1 his friend
D, This, DemocIats OF Delaware, is q
true inside history CT the present di
t temper of the editor OF the Dover Del
whrean. 1t is what has inspired hi
1e Mt this juneture TO characterize Il
o Democratic leaders OF Delaware, fro
r the higheet to the lowest. as ''seh-co
N stituted headers. professional poi'
+ clans, chronic office-hoiders and poh'
s ca etfcksteTs." We have. called hi
ls a crcaker and the above recital, whit
xe he dhre not deny, is his only excu