Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-02-16
GRAY'S RETURN is EXPECTED
The Drift Of Opinion In Wash-
ington is in That Direction.
His HIGH FAVOR WITH M'KINLEY
Is Expected to Bring About the
Desired Result.
The President, 1t rs Said, Urgently Desires
Senator Gray's Re -election - Some
Reasons for His Warm Feeling for the
Senior Senator From Delaware,

Washington, Feb. IA. BY the opinion
of those in Washington who have kept a
watch on the affairs of the State, the
deadlock in the Delaware Legislature
will not last much longer. The Ad-
dicks faction may be successful, but If
such thing happens it will be in the
nature of big surprise. The general
opinion is that the incumbent, George
Gray, will be returned as Senator for
the term of six years, beginning March
4th of this year. Somehow or another.
this opinion is gaining ground, and
the general belief is that there will be
an amalgamation of forces sufficient to
elect Senator Gray.
While it seems hardly possible that
the Republicans will in the end COM
bine their votes with the Democrats
and elect Senator Gray for another
term, such thing is not an improba-
bility. While the occurrence may be
something entirely new in Delaware,
it has happened in other States. 1t is
not an. infrequent thing for men to
desert their party and help to elect
man to Office of an entirely different
political faith. There seems to be
more reason why this should occur in
Delaware than in any other State just
at the present time. a,#, "a q
As stated in the Gazette last
week, the President is in need of all
votes for his policy of expansion that
can be secured. Incidentally it is
stated by good many that in the
coming Presidential election one of the
keynotes of the campaign, if not the
keynote, will be the matter of ex-
pansion. Senator Gray is in harmony
with the present administration in this
respect. As a member of the Paris
Commission it would seem to be very
strange thing if this were not so. How
ever, while Senator Gray will be of no
assistance to Mr.. Mckinley in the
coming campaign on the policy Of ex-
panion, he can be of material assistance
in the Senate in the intervening time.
1t is predicted that the Delaware
deadlock will not last many days
longer, and that, at the longest twill
not last over the present month. The
cause of this lies in the anxiety of
President Mckinley. He is interested
in the election of Mr.. Gray, especially
as the time for adjournment Of Con-
gress draws near. The present session
expires March 4th. Ordinarily the
first session of the Fifty-sixth Congress
would not be held until the first Mon
day in December, according to the
Constitution, but as the days of the
present session pass, it becomes more
and more evident that All extra session
will be Called
There are too many important bills
in the present Congress that should
pass in order to become available.
There is absolute need for this in the
opinion of the President. just at
present it seems to be almost impos-
sible to havo all of the measures de-
sired passed by both houses of Con-
gress. If all of the work on hand was
cleared up before the 4th of next
month it would be something wonder
full, and establish record for Con-
gressional action. The Senate is a de-
Lucrative body, and can hardly be
hurried into passing measures, no
matter how much of an attempt is
made in this direction.
In the event of an extra session
many of the members Of tho present
Senate will step. out, and Ilikewise
many members of the House Of Repre-
sentatives. While it is claimed that
| the Republicans have a majority in
both Houses for the next Congress, yet
the administration does not place too
much faith in the followers of the
party elected on the platform. This is
especially so in the Senate, and was
demonstrated when the question of the
ratification of the peace treaty with
Spain was under consideration. Sena-
tors Hoar and Hale, two prominent
Republicans, went against their party
in tho matter, and what they have
done may be repeated by others.
Senator Gray is regarded as an extra
good man in the Senate. and SO long
as his expansion ideas are consonant
with those of President Mckinley he
may be sure of tho support of the
chief magistrate. For this reason there
are many politicians in this city who
would not be surprised to hear of
Senator Gray's election to succeed him
self Tho recent change in the Della
ware Legislature is thought by many
to be an indication that this end Is
approaching, though this is most likely
a matter of pure conjecture. The mere
fact that Senator Gray stands high in
the opinion of President Mckinley is
evidenced by the fact that he was ap-
pointed a member of the Peace Com
mission, an office that q good many
Republican Senators would have liked
for themselves. 4.