Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-24
WILMINGTON, rHURsDAY. MAY ~.
AddioIssites working tho Blutr Game.

AddioIxsites working tho Bluff Game.
The Addioks Republicans, through
their organs, are working the bluff
game for all 1t is worth, in order to
secure sentiment that will give them
the crumb Of official recognition at the
Republican National Convention on
even terms with the Regular Republic
can delegation, each delegate to have
half vote. 1t is not at all certain
that they will be recognized even to
this extent. but they ale making
desperate bluster with this end in
view, in the hope that they will not be
repudiated at Philadelphia, as they
were at st. Louis four years ago. Such
arepudiation would threaten the ami
hilation Of their entire organization in
this State.
And SO the bluff game is being re-
sorted to most vigorously. Thus, the
Dover State Sentinel, chief of Addicks
organs, comrlacently announces edi-
torially, as ''another point to be re-
nembered," that "the Union Re-
publican delegates to the National
Convention will be seated; yes, seated
as delegates. Aud another editorial
in this same AddicKs organ assumes
this threatening tone:
The Union Republicans command the
situation. Through the work of their
organization Delaware has been placed
IN the Republican column. Their efforts
Will be directed toward keeping her
there. Political wisdom suggests that
all Republicans rally under ole banner
and vote one ticket, from top 20 bottom.
4 union on the electoral ticket and
division on the State ticket will not be
accepted. 1t will be union on all or
none. The defeat Of the Union Re-
publicans means the defeat OF the entire
ticket. the possible loss Of two Repuli-
can Senators and q member OF Congress.
VIII the i-Addicksites incur this
risk while protesting unstinted support
OF the National administration?
Through this thin guise of confidence
and bulldozing the real anxiety of the
AddicKs Republicans appears. Up to
last year they justified their political
course and maintained much Of their
political prestige by the fact that their
organization comprised a majority Of
the Republican voters of the State. The
figures of the election of 1896, when a
fair test of the strength of the factions
was made at the polls, and officially
counted, showed that the Unicn Re.
publicans were in clear majority. In
Kent and Sussex they led overwhelm-
ingly, and in New Castle county they
were 10 the minority to small extent
only. In the city of Wilmington they
led the Regular Republican vote nearly
three bundled.
But no longer can the Union Repub.
licans successfully maintain their claim
Of numerical superiority. The trend
of public sentiment has been unerringly
against them ever since the shameless
Union Republican tactics at the lepis.
lative session of 1909. The very first
call OF voters after that memorable and
I disgraceful episode = the Wilmington
municipal election of last June, at
which the ,Addicks Republicans elected
10 nake.Ia show of straightforward
that the people were disguised at the
corruption of Union Republioanism,
and were determined to rebuke it at the
earliest opportunity.
At the election of 1896, the Union
Republican vote for Congress in the
State was 12,342; the Regular Repub.
lican vote, 6,9s9. The Union Republi-
can vote, therefore, comprised G2 per
cent Of the total vote. In the city Of
Wilmington, at that election, the Union
Republican vote for Congress Was 8, 7ls
the Regular Republican vote, 3, 463. In
Wilmington, therefore, the Union Ro
publicans cast 81 per cent CT the tota
Republican vote at the election of 1896
But, mark the change after the ex
hibition of Union Republican briber,
and corruption at the Legislature O
1893. At the municipal election helc
on the first Saturday in June, 1899
the vote for the Regular Republican
candidate for mayor was 3, 492; the vot
for the Union Republican candidate
for mayor was 1,7s2. The Union Re
publican vote, therefore, was only 8
per cent of the total Republican vote.
In 1896, the Union Republican vot,
In Wilmington comprised 81 per cen
of the total Republican vote; in 1879
1t mad fallen to 80 per cent.
Is there any reason to doubt tina
there is a like falling off in the Unio
Republican strength throughout tn
Statef Certainly not.
Hence the bluff game that the Unto
Republicans are row Playing. The
"whistling to keep up their cour
age" for most assuredly they arc tray
cling through the dark woods.