Evening journal., 1903-01-16
THE LEADING DAILY NEWSPAPERS
DISCUSS THE DEMOCRATIC PROFFERI
-. - -.

ate.
J All good citizens whether Delawareans
or not, have long hoped that the Demo-
Gratis could be persuaded to cast off
, temporarily in the time of peril, their
partisanahip and join with the small,
but heroic band of Regular Republic
Z cans in the State, and thus strike de-
cislve blow to the Union Republican
! faction, which has for its object the
election of j. Edward Addicks to the
. Senate. The thing has actually been
done at last. The twenty-one Demo-
Gratis make definite offer to cooper
/ ate with the eight or ten Regulars and
thus elect two honorable men to the
Senate. They will help the Regulars
to elect any Republican who has been
opposed to Addicks for the long term,
which now will be four years, and stip-
lulate uhat the Regulars shall in turn
aid them to elect q Democrat of their
own choice for tho short term Of two
years. This offer remains open only
until January q, next Wednesday,
when the first joint ballot for Senator
will be taken.
The Regulars should not require so
long a time to make up their minds
to accept the offer; they should en-
brace it enthusiastically with the ut
most celerity.
In carrying this plan through the
Democrats will bring forward twenty
one members who pledge themselves,
individually and collectively, to vote
for a good Republican and a good DEM
ccrat. and they ask the cooperation
of only six Regular votes. Partisan
ship is strong in Delaware. and it has
heretofore been difficult to bring the
Democrats 10 take a step like this, for
strictly party reasons; but they have
now patrlotically placed their duty to
State and nation above partisanship,
and they are entitled to one senator,
atfhe very least.
If the Democrats are willing to step
in and save the State from disgrace,
can the Regulars do less? The Demo-
Gratis. in the open letter making the
offer, say:
"Our object in making this announce
ment is that the people of our State and
country may place the blame for cor
rupt politics in the State where il
Justly belongs If the Republican pro-
testations of political virtue and oppo-
sitlon to corrupt Wactices in this State
cannot produce SID persons in the total
Republican membership of thirty-one
who are willing for the manifest well
/ fare of or State. to sink their rabid
partisanship, either such protestations
are false or made by the politically
impotent."
This is the exact truth not too strong
iy stated. What has been the object of
the long labors of the Regulars, if not
first and foremost to prevent the domi-
nation of the Addicks faction and the
rule in the State of a base and degrad-
ling system Of corruption? What hope
lhave they of accomplishing their aims
except by the assistance of the Demo-
lcrats? With only six or seven votes
or. a most. cight-the utmost they can
do is to bring about another deadlock;
and the methods used TO buy up Regu-
lars and Democrats alike in past ses-
SONS show that to refuse the offers
now made and to run the risk of the
Temptations of another long session of
balloting would be not only foolish, but
lalmost criminal.
The Regulars have 10 other hope.
Compromise vita the Addicksitss is
impossible. During the last session the
Regulars offered to vote for any two
of fifteen men, including several Ad-
dicks men other than Addlcks himself
and the answer was. "Addicks OF no
body Since then they have even Of
fered practically to permit the Union
Republicans to select their own men
other than Addicks, and the answer
was the same.
They have constantly taken high
ground, declaring that the question OF
choosing a Senator from their State
was no longer political. but moral; anC
it is simply inconceivable that they
should now reject the opportunity o
attaining with the utmost certainty ths
end for which they have so long anC
so admirably struggled in vain. Those
who have watched that struggle do no
believe the offer will be refused, bu
lare entirely confident that the Reg
ulars will cast aside all partisan feel
ing and act in accordance with thei
professions.
If they do so the most persisten
system of political debauchery witt
G which this country has had to cop
q will have been wiped out and tn
y friends of good government, not alOn
e, in Delaware, but all over this broa
= land, win have reasons to rejoice at tn
If splendid victory.
ie We have the utmost confidence tina
D. the Regulars will now, as in the pas
1t place their own manhood and the in
E. terests of their State above any part
h feelings, in spite Of any and all sophis
e. tical reasoning on the subject. an
l. sink Addicksism finally and irrevoS
ie lably.