Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-01-17
THE SENATORIAL SITUATION.


Political History-sew York Sun Against
Addicks.
The New York Sun Friday con-
tanned the follow ing pertinent editorial
on the Senatorial situation in this
State
The case of the Delaware Senator
ships Ia perhaps the most interesting
ore in the whole range OF American
political history. At the end Of the
present Congress on March 4th, there
will be two vacancies, one OF which
has lasted eight years, to be filed by
the Delaware Legislature, aud in WOW
of the high functions of the Senate, as
part of the treaty making power, as
we'll as of the Executive branch of tho
government, the election of each Sena-
tor becomes q matter in which every
citizen and every State of the Union
is directly interested; and this interest
is independent OF political parties ex-
cept 10 SO far as one or the other may
by taking low view of its duty make
itself responsible for the election of an
improper person.
In the Ease under consideration both
of the great national parties are pro-
foundly concerned, for DO man can be
elected to fill either vacancy, as the
matter now stands, without the con.
currence OF both parties. The Repub-
licans or Regulars, elected as anti-cor-
ruptionists, have II votes; the Union
Republicans, or Addicksites elected as
favoring 'Addicks or nobody" have
IL votes; the Democrats, elected mainly
as representatives of the opposition,
but honorably hostile to .Ad1Ioks, CON
troll 90 votes. Twenty seven, il all are
praaant ara naoaccary fOr obatoa
Hence it will be seen that the Regular
Republicans hold the balance of power,
and Addicks must obtain nine votes
from them or elsewhere in order to
secure seat. ,lf
The Regular Republicans represent,
in the name Of the party politically
dominant in Delaware, the solid and
respectable interests, the honest and
unpurchasable vote of the State aud
as such ought to stand by their guns to
the end and to receive the support Of
every good citizen and every honest
newspaper in the United States. They
favor the election of Senators by honest
means, without corrupt Inducements OF
any sort, for their moral and intel
lectual worth. rather than for their
money or their daring financial opera
tions. They are fighting the battle Of
| the weaker States against the sale of
| SeDatorships to the highest bidder,
and if they lose it will be distinct
and calamitous loss toHthe whole nation.
If they and the Democrats cannot
| unite to defeat the shameless plans by
! which 1t is proposed to send a notori-
ously unfit person land one Republi-
cam to the United States Senate, the
case will present the best and most
unanswerable argument ever made IN
| favor of the election of Senators by
the people.
1t is evident from all we can learn
that there is no chance OF a coalition
between the Regular Republicans and
the "Addicks-or-nob men. The
basic principle which holds the latter
together by its terms makes that i'm
possible. And indeed it ought to be
impossible, for in spite of the notorious
unttness of their candidate for the
| high honors he seeks, they have planted
themselves upon a platform which is
destructive of all party organization.
The only chance for an honorable es
cape from the impasse seems TO DO by q
| coalition between the Republicans and
| the Democrats. And why should not
! such coalition be made?
| oufuiy tuo polibichl elbin eubS Vi u
State which has had such Senators as
the Bayards, the Saulshurys, John M.
| Clayton, George Gray and Anthony
Higgins, ought to find .but little
difficulty in forming majority to pre-,
vent the Specification of its Senator
ships and their disposal like so much
merchandise or SO many shares of stock
to the highest bidder.
The Democratic press Of the State
supported by several Of The Democratic
leaders is practically a unit for the
selection of two Regular Republicans
and there are many cogent and forcible
reasons which favor this patriotic solu.
tion of the difficulty. 1t is to be hoped
that they will prevail, and that we shall
soon hear the last of the gasman's as
pirations to the United States Senate.