Evening journal., 1903-01-16
A Chance for Delaware

from Nnc New 1Olh lllbuhef
nhe anti-Addicks Republicans in the
Delaware Legislature have received
from the Democratic members a propo-
siton by accepting which they can
break the deadlock and All The vacancies
in the United States Senate. The Dem
ocratic members, twenty-one in num-
Der, have offered to join with them in
ei ,fing two senators, one to be named
hj each party to the proposed agree
meut. nnis offer, avowedly designs to
end the reign Of corruption in Della
ware. is made thrcugl tsa medium OF
an address to the pooeic cr tie state
and may possibly ae regarded. scv that
reason, ana because Of ahe terms in
which Il IS couched, as O somewhat pre-
tenuous profession OF political virtue.
But It seems unnecessary TO give i'm
portance to that consideration. From
practical point OF view it is a liberal
sr0postiOn, inasmuch as the Demo-
cra;s. who must furnish twenty-one Of
the necessary twenty-seven votes, offer
TO elect a Republican for the longer Of
the unexpired terms, that Is, for four
years and their own man for the short
or. that is, for two years.
The anti-Addicbs leaders will not
decide upon their course for several
days. In the mean time they will pre-
sumably listen attentively to sugges-
tions from sources which they deem
friendly If they are disposed to con-
suit the general sentiment of Republi-
cans throughout the country, as under
the circumstances they we'll may be, we
think they can safely assume that it
would approve their acceptance of the
cffer. For the sake not Of the Stale
alone but of the country, Delawares $
vacant seats in the Senate ought to be
occupied They would both have been
occupied by Republicans years ago if
the ambition of one man had not led
him to resolve that they should both re-
main vacant until he could get one Of
them. 1T has got to be Addieks or no.
body" was his declaration away back
In 1895. when his control of a few votes
in the Legislature resulted In giving
Colonel Dupont a defective title-or
rather a title which. largely through
his manipulation, the Senate arbitrarily
invalidated. From that day to this Ad-
dicks has persistently adhered to his
policy and made 1t effective by the use
of money.
An analysis Of the votes cast for
members of the Legislature last No
vember leaves little room for doubt
that the followers Of Addicks constitute
a considerable majority Of the Republi-
cans Of the State, but nobody ques-
tions, and he has scarcely thought IL
worth while to make a pretence of
denying, that he has gradually collected
his majority by corruption. He has
not directly bought the requisite num-
Der of individuals, but he has bought
the men to whom the requisite number
Of individuals are subservient. He was
outlawod by the Republican National
Convention of 1895 for having betrayed
his party, and the fact that he was
restored by the convention of 1900 did
mot make him less odious. 1t might be
Trash to assert that acceptance of the
Democratic offer by the men who have
lunhinchingly opposed him so long
would get rid OF him forever, but it
would eliminate him for at least two
years. and It would probably put in the
vacant Senate seats men not unworthy
to occupy them-in one of them, per-
haps Colonel Dupont, who ought to
have been seated seven years ago.
1t is a serious thing for Republicans
to elect a Democratic Senator of the
United States. The Democrats of the
Delaware Legislature doubtless sincere.
ly think that it is a serious thing tc
elect a Republican. But the situation
Is a serious one, and there seems to be
no other way TO relieve 1t without re-
warding treachery and sancuoning cor.
ruption. The proposed agreement is
further commendable in that It includes
a plan to repeal a provision of tn,
election law which designedly makes
fraud safe and easy, and under the ex
traordinary circumstances Of the cas-,
we do not hesitate to urge its adop
ton.