Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-10-18
MYSTERIOUS Mr.. SMITH.
He Endeavors to Force a Union Of
Kent and Sussex Republicans.

mlttee, mas INVADED delaware and IL |
working in the lower part of the STATED
to secure but single Republican lev is-
lative ticket in each of the two lower1
counties. In spite of his representa-sI
tions that he speaks for Mark Hanna,
Regular Republicans down there be,
lieve he is working simply for j. Edward
Addicks and the latter's ambition toS
be a United States Senator. Not tho
least interesting fact concerning Smith
is that ne claims to have letter FROM
Anthony Higgins to Regular Republic
can In Sussex, Cornelius p. Swain,
telling Swain that he tSmith) is all
right.
For several days it has been reported
that man named Smith was seeing4
office holders 10 the two lower countiesA
and working for single ticket. Mr.E
Smith visited Wilmington Thursdays
and the purpose of his visit became'
clearly knuwn. He wants the Regular
Republicans to get off the legislatiYe
ticket in favor of the Addicksites.
His card was as follows:
Alexander r. Smith,
Eastern Headquarters,
No. | Madison avenue, New York.
With Republican National Committee.
APPEARED IN GEORGETOWN.
Tuesday week the Sussex Union Re.
publican County Committee met inl
Georgetown and Smith appeared there5
with State Chairman j. Frank Allees
and County Chairman DIR. @. r. Layton.
Several members OF the Regular COM
mittee were in town that day, amongJ
them being William A. Gum. Cornelius,
P. Swain and George Il. Smith ofi
| Laurel. They were sought bY Mr..
Smith, who informed them blandly.
| that he spoke for National Chairman1
Hanna, who had expressed the wishes
OF President Mckinley that the ReguI
lar Republicans should take down
their county and legislative ticket
and endorse the Union Republican,
nominees. If they failed to do so, he
continued, the Regular Republicans
holding Federal positions in Sussex
county would be deposed in March
next, and the distribution Of patronage
would be delegated to National Com !
mitteeman Addioks for Union ReLubli.l
cans.
He cited that the Union Republicans
two years ago polled more than three
fourihs of the Republican vote inI
Sussex county, and was challenged BY
enc of the Republican committeemenl
| LIS hSSdltipbt lhhSHlu'h Nh|
both organizations supported common
ticket. He failed to do 80, Eut repeated
the demand purporting 10 come frcmi
National Chairman Hanna thai the.
Republicans should Withdraw their
ticket and support the Union Republic
can ticker.
This caused one of the Republican,
committees to tell him to inform Chair1
man Hanna that he was decidedly
foolish If he thought he could run Rel
publican politics in Sussex county inl
sucE way.
Mr.. Swain to whom was addressed
the letter which Smith claimed to have
received from Mr. Higgins, is said to
have refused to talk with Smith.
At one place where Smith visited a
postma ter, the latter is reported I'd
have tod him that rather than seq
iddicks elected Senator he would work
for the. Democrats. -"
SMITH SAW HIGGINS.
Thursday Smith invaded Whining,
ton. He called on ex-senator Higgins,
who upon being asked later Dc to the
object OF Smiths visit, did not care ta
discuss the subject. He, however, said
that he had known Mr.. Smith in WASH
ington as the promoter of the American
shipping bill, and supposed he was in
Wilmington in that interest
When asked about the letter which
Smith claimed to have from him, Mra
! Higgins became much wrought up, and
denied that there was any thing in the
letter that would imrutetany impropet
writing ON his part.
MARSHAL SHORT SEEN.
: Mr.. Smith called upon United States
Marshal John Cannon Short, at the
? Federal Building, and, in reply 10 a
: request for a statement regarding Mr..
Smiths visit Mr.. Short said:
, "Mr. Smith called on me and said
0 he understood had relative on the
Regular Republican Legislative ticket
1 In Sussex county, from Lewes and Re.
hoboth hundred. l told him that had
] q son who was candidate, and he
t then asked me to use my influence to
. have him withdraw and leave only the
t Union Republican ticket in that hun.
j dred. | told him | voted in Whining.
1 ton, and that, IL went to Sussex and
n tiled to tell the people there what Il
: do, they would tell me 10 attend to my
own business. :"
Marshal Short informed Smith that
he had already told his son 10 do what
he considered best in the matter.
Smith said he had letter from Ma.
tional Chairman Hanna, as well as
a from Mr.. Higgins.
The agent left Wilmington Thurs
|, day for trip down the State, expect
! ing, flom what he had told som'
i persons, 10 visit George E. Smith
' postmaster at Laurel, one of the leading
4 Higgins men in Sussex county.
r. On his earlier visit down the State
Smith was asked why lie had not callet
O. on Philip q. Churchman to discuss
solution of the problem in SUSSEX
ri county. lie apparently never had htart
d of Mr.. Churchman. He was INSTRUCTED
!. to tell National Chairman Hanna b.
ebou d confer through State Chairman
Churchman inst ad of sending q repre-
sentative who was not informed OF tn
situation in Sussex county. Mr.. Snitl
, was apparently not pleased with th
h manner of his reception.
= Sone Regular Republicans claim tina
:, Mr.. Smith IS not crnnscted with tn
= National Committee, except as privat
i secretary for National Committeema
y Addioks, and that he represented Con
a gresham GrJsvenor and Senator Elkin
y in Philadelphia In the last session 9
the Legislature, when Regular Republi
z, oan members went there 10 conler wit
them in 40 attempt to break the SenS
IS torial deadlock.
- The eatate nf Jouonh w TT Watson