Evening journal., 1900-11-17
IN the VALE OF DIsHONoR

IN iht WALL VI DlouONSh
But few things transpire on earth
that do not serve some useful purpose.
This last fight between Repubhcanism
and Addicksism has had the beneiicent
effect of impelling certain men in pub
lie life who have been parading as Re
publlcansto throw or their masks and
to stand revealed to the public as Ad-
dlcksites.
The loyalty and integrity of some OF
them had been suspected for long
time. but they dssembled. awaiting an
opportunity to do their reasonable
work. Others concealed their true
character so cleverly that they escaped
suspicion. But when the Committee
ON Credentials Of the Republican Ma
tional Convention played the part that
had been assigned TO ii, and when the
Republican National Convention made
its unworthy bestowal of delegate
rights to the gasman and his fellows,
these men who had been wearing
masks tore them of. and the people
saw them in their true character w
They thought the recognition OF Ad-
dicks would be the signal for the dis
solution Of the Republican organiza-
tion. Prompted by this thought, they
made haste to throw themselves at the
feet Of the gasman and lick his boots
After they had handed in their al
legiance 10 him and paid their homage,
they turned, expecting to see the Re-
publican organization in ruins and the
rank and file of the Republican party
at their heels and ready to follow their
example. To their dismay they dis
covered the Republican Organization
standing erect, intact and defiant, and
back of It the Republican voters, just
as determined as ever to maintain the
fight against Addicks, and with their
souls full Of loathing and contempt for
the cravens and time-servers who had
made such indecent and unwise haste
to hide their unmasked faces beneath
the folds of the gasman's mantle.
Then these recreant Republican lead
ers realized that they had delivered
themselves. and Addicks realized that
they had failed to deliver the goods
they had promised. Some of them
We're inclined to recede from the posi-
tioh they had assumed, and to get into
the middle-ground 20 await develop
ments. but the gasman held up before
their eyes golden pictures of his future
political greatness and power, and fed
them on honeyed words and sweet
promises until the vision Of bounty Sc
ducedwhat remained OF their integrity
and they stayed at his side to be point
ed out by him as spoils of war, and to
be pointed out by the people as men
who had been false to every principle
OF truth and honor.
Some OF these men who now lick
the boots Of Addicks have suffered
grdevous wrongs at his hands in the
past and owe him eternal hatred in
stead of abject servitude. But, bask-
ing in his smiles. hearing the sweet
music OF his songs Of promise, and
feeling the soft touch of his fine Italian
hand upon their seryile heads, they
forget it all, and toady to him and lici
his boots in the present for what they
hope it will bring to them in th'
future.
The people of Delaware blush fo
them and their weakness. Behind tn
'blushes there is a feeling of pity tina
men should become so lost to the sens
of their shame that they take deligh
in their own downfall and seek to in
duce other men to descend to them {
the Vale Of Disgrace and Dishono
where the upas tree OF Addicksisl
spreads its branches and exhales II
poison; where glittering long term an
short term nuggets strew the groun
like Autumn leaves, and where a boul
tiful feast Of promises awaits all veal
pilgrims.