Evening journal., 1904-11-21
LINES 10 A CRITIC.


our policy and then TO be Ignored
would show lack OF courtesy on our
part Il Is for this reason, IN part,
that we discuss a rather lengthy lee
ture delivered for our benefit I'm the
columns OF our always readable con-
temporary, the Sussex Journal
Now we like the Sussex Journal like
lts editors. and like it's policy as far
as q Democratic paper can be attrac-
tlve-and we admit that papers Of that
persuasion have their uses But ln
this instance we are bound TO say that
il seems TO us TO lack breadth of
vision. The argument Is:
That The Evening Journal, Re
publican paper has waged such an
uncompromislng fight for decency I'm
past years that for consls,ency's sake
&c should have supported Chandler or
Pennewill
Now granting the Republican ticket
was named under circumstances which
We're unusual and regretable, yet The
Evening Journal discussed all the
items OF that transaction pretty freely,
but as a Republican paper. to have
done what our contemporary thinks
we should have done would have taken
us out Of the ranks OF the Republican
party and made OF us Democrats
paper. Now we want TO ask our critic
this question: If the Republican party
Is as corrupt as 1t claims, isn't Il
better for It to have an honest journal
ia the party TO use its corrective in
huence, than to have IL withdraw from
that party and fight outside Of the
breastworks? An answer to that we
should esteem.
And why did not The Evening Jour-
nal support DIR. Chandler? Because
DR., Chandler could not be elected. That
was n hard fact that all Republicans
had TO look I'm the face. A vote for
him was a half vote for Pennewili
and we did not wish TO see the Demo-
cratic party back in the saddle. r
And why was Mr.. Pennewnl defeat
ed? our contemporary win say "be-
cause Of money" But let us state IT
in a different way-an equally truthful
way--it was because the Democrats
didn't have enough money. II the sus-
sex Journal will be as honest as we
have been a will admit that at one
time in the campaign there was great
confidence among Democrats. and the
secret Of that confidence was not far
to seek. Every leader admitted the
hope and even the assurance OF large
fund TO be used at the election. The
boasted Democratic enthusiasm was
based on that expectation; and when
at the last moment the word was
passed around that there was no
money dependency settled on the
Democratic hosts. Both parties ex-
pected to carry the election by the use
Of large sums Of money. and If one Of
them failed, it failed, not because OF
superior virtue, but because Of a lack
Of means
Now we claim that there can be no
solution 10 this question Of bribery Of
the electorate until individuals and
newspapers are frank enough to adj
NIT the whole truth, and that whole
truth we claim is this Under our
election laws and under the system
which has been created IN Delaware,
no party can figure on success unless
conditions as they exist are recognized.
III is deplorable but It is a fact II
there We're an election tomorrow and
some kind friend OF Democracy were
to donate 100000 for buying votes. It
would be used. Is it not n fact that
the Democratic local committeeman in
the last campaign were selected with
great care in anticipation OF the funds
they were to handle? We were told
so during the campaign.
Now il anybody intorprets this as
excusing bribery in any party he has
misread this. We wish simply to
bring home TO our people the plain,
unvarnished fact that there are SO
many thousands Of venal voters In
Delaware. They are not in any true
sense Republicans or Democrats; they
are merely venal voters. No matter
who created them, they are here. and
while they are here the party that has
the money, unless prevented IN some
way. will buy them.
SO the practical question for al
good citizens 10 consider is the mean,
Of breaking up this system or at leas
Of making bribery more hazardous an,
more difficult. Meanwhile, any rem
edies at hand should be enforced, AMI
Of course public sentiment should b
aroused.
] Our Georgetown contemporary com
plains that we took the Rev. MI
Elwood to task because OF the remed
he suggested--shot guns az the poll.
Yes; We are still Of the opinion tina
the remedy is not to be found Il
violence and anarchy. We feel in.
clined to critieise the Sussex Journa
for seeming to lend encouragement 4
Mr.. Elwood's rash utterances. TIL
. dihculty with shot guns as a remed.
) is that they invariably cau ont ofbo