Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-02
THE big SIX" ARRAlGNED
II. G. Knowles Says New Leadership
is Needed In The Republican Party.
ACCUSES RING OF UNFAIRNESS
The Reasons for His Interest in
the Campaign.
NEW PLAN OF PARTY ORGANIZATION

| AN hrbicle having appeared Id the
columns Of the Every Evening last Fri
day concerning the Knowles clement"
OF the Republican party, Horace G.
knowles made the following statement
Monday smorning:
With the hops and purpose Of pre-
venting the success at the Republican
primaries Of any but the candidates,
slated by the Republican machine, an
effort is being made by the Big Six TO
break down and defeat all other candi-
dates by announcing that they are
backed by the Knowles element In
order to create a feeling against the op-
position candidates, the statement is
given out that am trying to build up
a new organization in the Republican
party, and that it ia intended to be
solely and purely personal one. With
the view of further establishing preiu-
dice against me and the opposition, it
ts said that | aspire to q seat in the
United States Senate.
First, l want to say that in th
/ city election the United States Sena-
torsbIp outs absolutely no figure, and
there is no reason IL or excuse Tor the
effort OF the machine to drag it into
this election. 1t cannot be that the
Big Six think the Republican voters
are so ignorant that they believe that
our next City Council will elect two
United States Senators, or In the failure
of Council to elect that, the mayor or
his private secretary, who might be a
friend Of mine, will fill the vacancies,
| am mot a candidate for a United
States Senatorship, nor am scheming
or continuing either 10 keep or get
myself in oaice, and all such statements
made by the machine are. intended to
have the effect of dragging herring
across the TRAIL
To accuse me OF trying to build up
an organization of the Repablioal,
party Is to attribute most worthy
purpose and object to any political
activity / and my friends may be
making at this time, for, heaven
knows, the Republicans 10 this o,ty
are sorely in need Of an organization,
and have nothing whatever to do with
or say in the management Of their
political affairs. For years, the Re.
publican party OF this city has been
under the complete and vicious 1qon troll
OF a handful Ut mep who have claimed
for themselves the unrestrsinsd right
to run the party, to enjoy ito best
paying Offices and to name the rnun for
any offices that they themselves did
not or do not hold Tho only mart the
thousands of Republican voters In this
city play in our politics Is to march up
to the polls year after year and vote for
the nomination and election Of certain
men, selected by the ring. They are
use by the machine like hounds are by
hunters.
Appointments are made upon the
recommendation OF these same men,
and the petitions and letters Of endorse
ment OF the plain people have abso-
lutely no effect or weight Petitions
by the voters don't GO with the
machine. as is proven by nearly every
appointment made in this city during
tho.lnst 10 or 15 years. The machine
uses all such patronage for its own
benefit and preservation, and the
people get the throw down every
time. 1t is said that at this early day
the machine has selected men for every
position to be filled by the next City
Council in case 1t Is Republican.
Under existing conditions, the great
bulk of the Republican voters have
come to the conclusion, after years OF
bitter experience and disappointments,
that either they are not entitled to
any OF the Offices, or at least there Is
not any use in their trying to get them.
1.-The men composing the Republican
ring, or machine, or, as they are now
called, the Big Six in this city,
have been holding office of and on for
the last 10 years, and today the entire
Six are enjoying the elk best offices
in our city. In salaries and fees they
are drawing between $4,000 and
$50, 600 year Of the money of the
taxpayers. Their object In keeping
control CT the Republican party is to
Keep themselves In office, and to pre-
vent any and every man who is out
from getting in, thus pushing them
out OF their warm and comfortable
berths. occasionally one of the ma
chine does go out of Office, but it is
merely to change places with another
one of the machine. Just sthinks a
minute, and you will recall that the
same names and same faces have been
in office in this city almost as long as
you can remember. One of these men,
the tax collector for the northern dis
trict, is now enjoying his third sue
cessive term in office, and, by being
candidate for another term, Is now
breaking his word of honor, given in
the presence of witnesses to his
opponent two years ago. He and his
| fellow otiiceholders are fighting all
those Republicans who believe that
three terms in office, with an accumu-
lated fortune of probably $50, 600 to
$40, 600, ought to satisfy my man and
make him ready and willing to give up
his place to some one who deserves the
office Just az much or even mere than
he did. when he first obtained it,
There is unquestionably very strong
opposition on the part of the people IN
both parties to any Que remaining in
office for a third term, or longer
There is no benefit to be derived by
the people OF either party by en-
oouraging men to make official hogs of
themselves, and the interest of even
those who may not aspire to or wish
to hold Office themselves Is best pre-
served by not permitting any Office
holder to take root in bis office, and
fesl that 1t belongs absolutely to him
for all time, or at least so long as he
can contrive to hold it.
| 1.-The time has come, In my opinion,
when the Republican voters are going
to insist upon system Of ma ;ority
rule and the binding effect of caucus
action. The Republican machine says
that it is in favor of the majority, when
that majority is with it, and, when it
is not, it Is opposed to the majority.
1t also says that ii is in favor of caucus
action, when 1t can control the CAUCUS.
For an example on this point, refer
to the action Of the machine at the
State Convention, held in this city last
August. The question as to whether
the city OF Wilmington should ask for
| the nomination for CODQrpss Was before