The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-12-12
BRIBERY IN DELAWARE,

indigenous to the peninsula which
contains the State of Delaware and
the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The
result of the last campaign proves the
potent influence of money so far as
the First Congressional District OF
Maryland is concerned, and affairs in
Delaware, as regards State elections
seem to be no better. The Philadel-
phia Record thus sums up the situa-
ton.
"Some colored people in Delaware
have passed series of resolutions
denouncing as a base, wllful and
malicious SANDER the statement of
ex-senator Higgins that the negro
vote is now hopelessly debauched.'
Instead of making this show of vir-
tue under inspiration of the Addicks
party the authors of these resolutions
would have done much better by
making humiliating confession of
what everybody knows, accompanied
by a promise of some amendment.
Describing plebiscitum in Greece
some years ago a French writer i'll
Athens said: "The elections have
gone off cheaply by means Of the
promise Of a few drachmas to the
descendants of Themistocles and
Pericles who support the Government
and some lashes of the cane for those
who are ill-disposed." The writer
adds that the latter showed their
good sense by absenting themselves
from the polls.
"Conditions are somewhat differ
ent from this in Delaware since the
enfranchisement of the negroes, in
stead of the few drachmas that were
sufficient for an Athenian voter,
prices have steadily risen with the
demand in Delaware. But with the
examples before him who is to re,
proach the black man for consider
ing the daily bread of his wife aud
children as more precious than poll
teal policies of which he knows little
and cares still less? What to him is
his alleged party integrity when in
the few minutes necessary to deposit
a simple ballot he can obtain more
than he could earn in a week of hard
toll?
"But it would be most unjust to
assume that the political debauchery
of which ex-senator Higgins speaks
from long observation is confined to
the negroes of Delaware, who have
extremely obscure notions of their
political duties and OF the issue in
volved in this contest. fit were not
for the venality of white voters and
their leaders Scholarships would not
be considered marketable commod-
ity. At the late election nine regular
Republicans were chosen for the Leg
islature under the most solemn
pledges to their constituents to vote
against Addicks in allcircumstances.
Much care appears to have been taken
by his Republican opponents to NOM
mate men who were known by their
open proclamation of bitter and UNI.
dying hostility to him. Yet by latest
accounts enough of these Regular
Republicans elected to the Legislature
under pledges against Addicks have
gone over to him to insure his sue
cess.
'Will it be pretended that men thus
foully betraying their political as
sociates are actuated by any but
most corrupt inducements? There
is no possibility of reasonably sug-
costing an honest or honorable mo-
tive for such a crime Men do not
gratuitously make themselves in
famous by such an act of betrayal.
Talk of the "debauchery' of the poor
negroes! With their dim and con-
fused notions of political morality
what is their ofense in taking 4 few
corrupting dollars for their votes in
comparison with the foul treachery
that makes of representative govern
ment a mockery:? Yet retrospective
success of Addicks by the support of
of members pledged to vote against
him is spoken of by his adherents in
Delaware as matter of congratula-
ton, as if no stains of dishonor at
tached to it.
"There is no question that the Presi-
dent of the United States has a large
responsibility for the conditions in
Delaware When he descended from
his lofty perch week after the cleo
ton to recognize and compliment
Addicks by re-appointing for Dis
trict Attorney his defeated candidate
for Congress, President Roosevelt
furnished a pretext, however trivial,
for contemplated betrayal ofpolitical
associates and constituencies. To
the members ofthe Legislature elected
against Addicks and preparing to
barter to him their votes and their
plighted faith the devils advocate
had only to whisper that they would
be acting in accordance with the in
terests of the Republican party and
the high example of the President of
the United States. Whatever pres
tige may attach to President Roose-
welt for the final triumph of Addicks,
he must share it largely with men,
bers of the Delaware Legislature
foully betraying their Republican as