Evening journal., 1903-01-27
"Thc Rights Of the Majority Should Be
Respected"
From the Every Evening.

From the Every Evening.
The proposition. advanced by the
Philadelphia lnquirer-to which re-
ference was made in Saturdays Every
Eyening-that the failure to elect two
Senators from Delaware, even If one
should be AddiclIs, is a reputation of
the rights Cf the majority, calls for
further criticism Some people out
side CT our State, who misunderstood
the situation, ere apparently imposed
upon by this specious invocation OF
the fundamental doctrine of popular
government.
The present resistance to the cleo
ton Of Addicks as q United States Sen
ator from Delaware is an assertion OF
this very doctrine. Let us see: AT the
election last November in Delaware
the paramount issue was Addicks and
Addicksism. 1t divided the electorate
Of the State, and in every legislative
district the burning question was
whether the candidate voted fer would
support or oppose Addlcks. There was
! no Presidential election--it was q so-
called "off year r"-and what we have
termed the paramount" and "burn-
ing" issue was never for a moment
obscured or lost sight of. Republicans
who stood against Addicks did not
compromise their Repulblicanism. On
all questions that divide Republicans
from Democrats they remain staunIch
and true to the Republican parity.
Democrats Of course, stood with them
in their contest In many districts Re
publicans voted fer the Democratic
candidates for the Legislature, and in
others Democrats voted for Republi-
cans, in the common purpose of resist
ance to Addicks and his methods.
State pride patriotism and the de-
termination to save the State from the
degradation of Addicks domination
Isubordlnated all ether questions in
the minds of the good citizens. Demo-
Gratis and Republicans, who voted
against Addicks.
Such was the issue. Never e-as one
more clearly formulated and presented
for the judgment of the people at the
polls. The verdict was overwhelming,
In round numbers, over 5000 Repub-
about 25,000 in all, voted against Ad-
dicks, and about $4,000 voted for Ad-
dicks. The decision was nearly two tc
one against him-we are merely tax
ing the figures as given in the returns
without commenting on the notorious
lfact that purchased Democrats and Re
Ipublicans constitute a very large pro.
portion Of the 10000 Addicks votes
In the face of such a showing as thi.
is it not amazing impudence that Ad
dicks lieutenants should be haTping on
the rights of majorities?
But they will say that they ar,
speaking of majority rule in the Re
publican party. This argument, how
ever must fail where the issue ha!
been so clearly formulated and pre-
scented at the polls-and is so grave a.
TO bind mems consciences and over
ride the obligations Of party 1t wai
a non-politieal issue, as the word 'ipo
litioal" is generally used. Suppos,
some Democrats and all Republican,
should unite in electing temperanc,
men to the Legislature Would IT bt
questioned for a moment that if tn,
majority of the Democrats elected
were anti-temperance, they woulC
have the right to bind the conscience,
lof the temperance Democrats and pre-
vent them from voting with their Re
publican colleagues on that on'
Issue?
The great majority of the voters o
this State have pronounced agains
Addicks and Addicksism. Let thei
Judgment be executed! The rights o
majority must be respected.