New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-10
PROSPECTS IN DELAWARE.


After six years of partisan warfare, inspired
and nourished by the sinister purpose Of on"
man TO control Republican fortunes in Della
ware or ruin them, n settlement of the difficult
ties which have retarded Republican success in
that Commonwealth seems fairly in sight. The
Tribune has thought, and still thinks, that the
Republican National Convention chose haz-
ardous and mistaken means of enforcing party
harmony in Delaware by recognizing at Phila-
dephia that faction and that leader through
whose selfish obduracy the fruits of three sue
cessiye victories had been recklessly thrown
away. In accepting and indorsing the leader
ship Of J. Edward Addicks it was justly feared
that the National Convention had so alienated
and affronted genuine Republican sentiment as
to jeopardize the choice this year Of Republi-
can Presidential electors and to render morally
certain the loss of a Legislature to which the
chance will fall next winter of filling two seats
in the Federal Senate The unexpected counte-
nance given Mr.. Addicks at Philadelphia would,
it was apprehended. only strengthen him in his
purpose to wreck the party if he could not
dominate it, and thus continue indefinitely a
state of fractional deadlock which has served for
six years past to keep an acknowledged Demo-
cratic minority almost continuously in power.
1t is encouraging TO note, however, in recent
Wilmington dispatches that the Addicks leaders
have been forced by the pressure of party
opinion to abandon in a conspicuous measure
their former rule or ruin programme. Last
month, 1t will be recalled the second Addicks
State Convention accepted the nominations for
electors already made by the Regular Republi-
cans, thus assuring united support this fall for
the Republican National ticket. One or two joint
nominees for State offices were also agreed on,
and each State Convention adopted resolutions
favoring any further unfcation which could be
honorably effected by the managers on the
rival sides A day or two ago another long step
was taken toward a complete merger of party
interests, when the representatives Of the Union
and Regular organizations In Newcastle County
joined in ordering common primaries for the
choice of a county ticket. AS Newcastle County,
in which Wilmington is situated, has always
been the stronghold of the anti-Addicks forces,
the extent TO which the Union leaders have
already yielded to public pressure is evident.
Union in the two lower counties Is still prob
lematical; and until some basis of harmony in
Kent and Sussex is reached the prospect of
legislative deadlock at Dover next winter will
continue to hold good. But on Presidential
electors, the Congress and State ticket and on
nominees for a majority of the county offices
fusion is already practically assured.
There should be no doubt about the success
of any Joint ticket in Delaware this year. In
1896. when there was a union on Presidential
electors. Major Mckinley carried the State by
a plurality of 1887. On Governor the Republi-
can factions divided and a Democrat won by
plurality of 1885 Two years ago a fusion can
ddate for Congress beat his Democratic oppo-
nent by 2.513. Conditions have changed In no
way since then, except perhaps to weaken an
already shattered Democratic party Certainly
in view Of the steps toward Republican unifica-
ton taken within the last few weeks Delaware
is in no sense to be classed this year among the
doubtful Presidential States