Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-06-22
Ret,remsnt of a Faithful omcial.

AFTER serving more Inhu u year
beyond the limit Of his official term
a recognition earned by faithful service
and knowledge that the interests of |
the government would seriously suffer |
by his earlier retiremenb-Mr. Lewis G.
VANDERBILT will in short time sur!
render tho office of United States dis
trict attorney to Mr.. William Michael
Byrne, who was yesterday named by
President Mckinley for the succession.
Mr.. Vandegrift, during his five years
of public service. has earned for him
self an official record of which he may
Justly feel proud. He has ably repro
sented the government, from first to
last In the decidedly unpopular fill
clustering cases, involving the prosecu-
tion Of men whose patriotic zeal
impelled them to violation of the
neutrality laws, Mr.. VANDERBILT per-
formed his duties with as much fidelity
as though public sentiment was over
whelmingly in his favor, instead of the
other way.
But it was in the prosecution of the
cases growing out Of the Dover bank
defalcation that Mr.. Vandegrift dis
played the most consummate ability
and the sternest devotion to duty.
Against him in these cases were arrayed
the strongest of personal and political
Influences. as well as the ablest Nom
bers Of the bar as counsel for the &C
cused. The result was three convictions
and two Jury disagreements in the
I trials of the other defendant arraigned.
Not one Of the prosecutions resulted
in verdict of acquittal.
With such brilliant ending of an
Official career so successful in all Other
respects, Mr.. Vandegrift can retire with
5 the consciousness that his laurels have
r been we'll earned. The folly of thu
situation Is, however, that the exigen
cies of partisan politics should be con
] sidered sufficient reason for retiring
l. such capable public official, although
4 fortunately, there is reason to hop
n that the public interests will not suffe
at the hands OF his successor.
: The inevitable battle against tn
10 trusts. in the opinion Of the New Yorl
i Evening Post, must be fought out i
# the courts, and more especially in tn
"a markets of the country. 1t is yer
likely, the Post believes, that tn
n courts will sustain the antitrust law
Ia wherever they can do SO, as they sus
as tanned the granger legislation in tn
nc seventies. The crucial test of the ant
= Trust laws will be found, however.
"a the experience of society. Probabl
- thev will be found unavoidable
some particulars and injurious !
others; that is, injurious to the con
b. munity. Time only can answer the
lis questions. Probably Congress will n
lily remain unaffected by the, anti -Tru
sh excitement now sweeping over Il
il. country. The saying of Mr.. Hay
he meyer that the mother Of all Trus
Re- is the protective tariff biii'' has ava
ties ened many echoes in the country pres
lly and the more it is talked of and t
of oftener it is printed, tho wider is t
by belief that Mr.. Havemeyer spoke
M truth. 1t is not impossible that Go
eress may be forced to do what Senai
Sherman advised years ago; that
gar to repeal all protective duties
m articles monopolized by trusts.
TO- all events it will be hardly possil
all to prevent that demand from hecomi
ely a potent issue in the campaign
the next year. 1t may even become
leading one.