Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-28
.DERSUCHERY OF DELAWARE.

Inc uT6t qurotioh
confrontsl the Republican National
Committee, when it assemblies to make
the preliminary arrangements for next
weeks convention at Philadelphia, is
the treatment OF the man who for many
years has been sedulously engaged in
the debauchery Of Delaware, in order to
secure a United States Senatorship.
Addioks presents himself at the head
Of delegation which processes to repre-
sent tho Republicans of Delaware.
There Ia another delegation claiming
the seats, which was chosen by thnse
Republicaus whooprose Addicks. Each
set, of COURSE, insists that it represents
the large majority of tho party. Last
evenings session of the National Com
mittee was devoted to a hearing of both
sides, and finally the matter was re-
| ferred to q subcommittee, with in
structions to harmonize the differences,
| il possible.
National attention is thus challenged
| to the most disgusting and demoralizing
attempt to corrupt the electorate of
| State which has ever been seen in this
country. We say this keeping in mind
| the revelations which have recently
Eeen made as to bribery in the choice
| of United States Senator In Montana.
The buying of Legislators after their
election was conducted nure openly in
the Rocky Mountain commonwealth
| than had been known before anywhere,
but the PROCESS did not there involve SO
persistent, prolonged, and extensive
system of debahohing the public morals
Of q whole people as has long prevailed
In Delaware.
Addicks IS q speculator, who became
| vet ~ win OarN1
through operations In gas stock. As
far hack as 1888 he conceived the idea
| that he would like to be q United
States Senator, He had always been
accustomed to buy whatever he wanted
whether 1t was a country-seat OIL q
city council. He had operated in
various States, notably Massachusetts,
and Pennsy lvania, but he saw no chance
OF investing his money profitably for
this purpose IN either of them. Della
ware was q small commonwealth, whose
people were generally poor. 1t had
become close State. Addicks con-
cluded that it offered better chance
than he could find any here else in the
Union. So be bought country place
within its borders, sIent some time
there. every year, and proclaimed him
self Delawarean.
With characteristic effrontery, he
sought the Senatorship almost as soon
as he had become resident. The hold
Of the Bayards and the Saulsburys
upon the Democratic party was too
strong to be shaken, and Addicks de-
cided to be Republican. When a
bitter factional fight among the Demo-
Gratis in 1888 enabled the Republicans
to secure u bare majority of the Leeis-
lature, Addiclss asked them to make
him Senator. They only laughed at
him, and he could not get single sup.
porter.
It was 1892 before another Legislature
was to be elected which would choose a
Senator. When that time came, Adj
.. dicks spent $75, 1000 in buying votes for
Republican members Of the Legislature,
but il was money thrown away. The
tidal wnves for the Democrats in that
year gave them all but two members oil
,, the Legislature, and Senator Gray was
!, re elected. " tgh
, The other seat in, the Senate was tc
! be awarded by, the Legislature electe6
: In 1894 The reaction against the
I Democracy made it possible for the
. Republicans, with the help of another
,, s75. 900 from Addicks, to get majorit,
of The Legislature. But only six O.
!, the nineteen Republican members recog
! nized their obligations TO him, and hi,
i utmost efforts during four month i
! session to bring over the rest to hi
! support failed. He succeeded, however
a In holding to the last enough of hi
? creatures to prevent an election which
= the Senate itself would regard as valid
Of a Republican Of the highest standing
who finally received the votes of Is o
the 10 members of that party.
The next chance to buy Senatorshil
came in 1885, and Addicks once NOR
i made his usual Investment. Indeed
E. the amount required is understood t,
increase steadily, az might be expected
% jority of the members, but once NOR
is Addicks failed to control enough O
:, them to make majority of the Who'll
n body, although he had a much large
Eropoi tion than before, At the YER
10 end he tried to buy enough votes Q
d Democratic members to make up fo
&; the Republican deficit, and he woul,
), have succeeded except that the courag
Of some Of his creatures failed them a
n the last moment. The seat was LEI
d vacant, and the Legislature to b
ID chosen next fall will therefore have tw
j. Senators to elect.
The system of corruption which Ad
8 dicks has established IN Delaware |
is the most elaborate and pervasive eve
lie devised. Hi deliberate aim is to secur
the influence OF men of local conse
quence throughout the State, so tina
they will work in his behalf, and I
put out through his agents as muc
a, money besides in the actual purchas
- Of votes at the polls as may be require
"A to secure niajorities for the Republica
m legislative candidates. Some men
i, importance are given positions g
In directors In his gas company. TIL
r. country lawyer, the village doctor, th
~ rural storeIkeeper, who is ready |
y, ,s accept pay for services, goes on til
,h Payroll, and In return sounds til
:" praises Of his patron. The poor farm,
- =, who is hard pressed by mortgage
bs and this repl esents large class In tt
NO NO two lower COUNTLESS finds that relief
M within'reach IL he has no scruples as |
~ the terms. And when election da
~ comes, the ''iloater' knows that |
~. need only sit on the fence long enough
W, and he can get more for his ballot tba
10 he could earn by hard work for week
or even months.
Respectable citizens Of. Delaware Al
alarmed eyer the revelations whic
ed have been made as to the possibiliti
d. of such an organized system of co
IN ruption. 1t is not strange that in an
he State there should be good mar
by wretehed creatures who will sell the
~, votes when 800 Is common price for