Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-02
A splena,a tribute 20 senator GRAZ.


country and honorable to himself. The
term of Senator Gray will end on
Saturday next, continues the Ledger,
and during the entire session of the
Legislature the efforts of that body to
elect his successor have been in
effective. The deadlock which exists
there is not unlike that which is in
evidence at the capital of this State.
At Dover, as at Harrisburg, there is
Republican caucus candidate whose
election is opposed by number of
high minded, public spirited Republi-
cans wholly upon grounds of public
policy. These Republican contestants
recognize that.not only is Mr.. Addicks
people or of the Republicans of Della
ware, but that he possesses no single
qualification for the important post Of
Senator of the United States. Mr..
Addicks' adherents in the Legislature
do not contend that he is u statesman !;
that he is other than politician who
has spent money literally in maintain
ing the party organization. They
frankly admit that they propose to
elect him the successor Of so worthy a
citizen and SO eminent statesman as
Senator Gray in order to reward him
for his pecuniary liberality to the
Organization. His legislative sup
porters are themselves practical politi-
clans, apparently selfishly indifferent
to the welfare, honor and dignity of
tho State. They refuse to vote for any
one else. and Extensively proclaim that
either their candidate, whose candi ;
dacy is discredited by majority of
the people and of the Republicans of
Delaware, or no one shall be elected to
succeed Senator Gray. 'Addicks, :"
they declare, ..or nobody"
The Legislature will adjourn in less
than fortnight, and the deadlock
which has existed from the first day
of the session will be maintained, say
Mr.. Addicks' henchmen, until the last
day. Such being the case, there is a
duty owing by Mr.. Addicks' opponents
not only to Delaware, but to the intel
ligence, dignity and sentiment of the
country, to unite for his defeat.
| Delaware has seldom, If ever, had q
more competent or public spirited
representative in the Senate than Mr..
Gray. Tho whole country recognizes
that he is one who bears without abuse
Of that designation the name of patriot
and statesman. President Mckinley
recently testified to his own sense Of
Senator Gray's conspicuous worth and
ability by appointing him member
Of the Paris Peace Commission. His
public career has been distinguished
for its broad public spirit; it has been
honorable to Delaware and useful to
the country. Senator Gray's life and
services have been such as to render it
both personal privilege and public
obligation for any member of the
Legislature of his State to vote for his
continuance in a position. the duties
of which he has so admirably dis
charged.
That fact should be perceived by
those Republicans who are opposing
the ill-advised candidacy of Mr..
Addiclls; it should be clear to them,
that, as they cannot by any possibility
elect their own candidate it is their
obvious duty to prevent their State
being deprived of the services of a
Senator conspicuously capable by
uniting with the Democrats to re-elect
Mr.. Gray. Their choice must be either
for no Senator in Mr.. Gray's seat oil
for one SO manifestly unfit as Mr..
Addicks, or for one SO concededly fiji
as Mr.. Gray.
| Should the Democrats unite in sup
port of Senator Gray, the votes of only
four Republicans would be necessary
to re-elect him for another term. There
should certainly be among the Repub
licans Of the Delaware Legislature foul
men of sufficient public spirit to pu
narrow, bigoted craftsmanship aside il
such an emergency and to coalesce
with the Democrats to continue Mr.
Gray in the Senate. His retirement
from that body would be a nationa
loss, unless Republican of Xix,
character and competency can b.
agreed upon.
Dolauora ri,rl, ro,a.do. of .lo.l