New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-11

lasted the years of the tabled siege OK ancient
Troy the siege of Delaware seems a. Ias' ~
be coming to end anu -
Addicks is still outside the preasI"oihS'
The man who ten years ago opened ms cam
pafgn for the United States senate 49, IA '
opinion of the political wiseacres OF Deia" var C
about "a find himself in the huniliating position
of being sold Still neither the clergy nor 'he
citizens. the press nor public opinion hnd any
large amount of comfort in the prospect OF the
elimination OF Addicks for Addicks may stay
or 90 but II is the common belief Of all that MS
heritage of "Addiclssm'' Will linger to the po-
Utfcal dfshonor Of Delaware for many year 10
come
Moreover. II is no sudden accession to the
ranks Of those who have fought the great hgnt
against corruption It is no MONDAY hash OF iiio-
night awakening OF the long dulled conscience OK
Delaware that is 10 accomplish this exile OF
Addicks IL exile IL is to be. NO such sufli"s
change has occurred. only the fatal whisper
,o,rp 4ba rounds Of the camp followers that the
Addicks ''bar'I" is empty, and that Mr.. Addicks
will be unable 70 cover his political margins
60 far f. the present effect from any stirring
moral leaven.
II was this whisper that spread panic In quar-
tiers where the moral issue had failed TO OBTAIN
even a hearing. A large fraction OF the cltlzehs
Of Delaware saw a source of annual revenue IN
danger, and It is exaggeration 10 say that
the reported retreat of Addicks seemed certain
TO be attended by the approach Of the wolf 10 the
door of many voter. In truth. a financial
crisis greater than that attending the failure
OF the peach crop seemed at hand. Then fol-
lowed another report that the Addcks leaders
were making terms with the enemy. Presently
rllnor gave way to fact. The time for regis
tration came and did not bring with it that
check from Mr.. Addicks which paid the 81 zee
for registering each unit of the larger share OIL
the Delaware vote. Then. indeed the problem
became acute: then It realized that an cleo
torate accustomed to being bought might sud
denly find itself without purchaser and rise in
righteous indignation. It became imperatively
necessary 10 find other people 10 supply the
elixir Of political life, which dubbed no more
from the Addicks barrel. Thus. in a fashion.
Addicks was eliminated but Addicksism-the
methods Of the man eliminated-were emulated
Thus II IS that the old. old story Of Delaware
corruption, the sordid drama Of civic dishonor.
now resolves itself into two distinct phasesi
Hitherto the man and the method have been q
unit; henceforth though Addcks may perhaps
pass out Of the drama, the system which he de-
yeloped-neither he nor his enemies allege he
founded twill remain lasting memorial OF
his peculiar genius.
Just now. of course. it is the problem OF Addicks
has been ever since the registration of the voters
without the assistance of Mr.. Addicks. The man
or men who would control the voters Election
Day must register them. To use the local phrase:
You must register your vote In order to buy
IL" When financial stringency or some other
reason prevented Mr.. Addcks from drawing his
usual matchmaking q deposit TO give evidence
Of good faith IS about the commercial phrase to
describe it-there was sound OF waiIing among
The politicians. A killing frost in peach time
would not have evoked more general complaint.
Then It was that the aforetine Addicks leaders
found audience IN the camp Of the enemy, ac-
ceded to conditions still undisclosed. and, so the
story goes. found other bidders for the latest
crop Of votes
This Of course shook the Addicks structure to
Hs cellar Mr. Addickss title 70 political pre-
ferment lay in the fact that he had found fac
ton naked and clothed II fed It and supplied IT
with pocket money. II he failed TO supply the
allowance Of pocket money the only lien he
would have upon his political ward would be
gratitude, and no one wasted much time in dis
cussing the Importance Of the factor OF graft
tude in Delaware politics. The concessions to
which the Addicks leaders agreed made possible
g fusion between regulars and Addicks Repub-
lcans, resulted IN the election OF a Republican
Governor and naturally. Republican State
Legislature. 1t also prepared the way for the
latest fight for the United States Senate, since
Senator ]. II. Ball, the regular sitting. IS
concededly out of the FOR reelection when
his term expires next month
When Election Day came, however. the Ad-
dicks 'ebar'l" was still as empty as It had been
On registration day. Once more there came
from Southern Delaware. where Election Day is
concededly more renunerative than the peach
crop a wall OF anguish. Subsequently. there
came also several men hitherto recognized as
che spokesman OF Addicks. and when they re-
turned from Wilmington thsre was no further
7Tailing in the land Of Southern Delaware the
hunger Of Kent and Sussex counties was ap-
peased. Election Day passed votes touched
figure hitherto unparalleled even in Delaware.
In a single hundred, the Delaware legislative
unit twenty votes IN a block brought 81 900;
and yet there IS some doubt as to the source of
tho campaign fund. Delaware was bought, g 8
usual but the average voter is still ignorant Of
his purchaser, is waiting for the legislature TO
meet TO see who bought him and what for
But his interest is not exactly vital
OF course all this does not controyert the
widespread notion that at the eleventh hour
Mr. Addicks by heroic means rallied his for
tunes and once more tilted up the cover OF his
'barl" There are those who DO not hesitate
70 say that the Addiclls neutenants trtcked the
new sources Of campaign funds, that they first
exhausted them and then drew on Addicks for
the rest Of the supply TO be used IN districts
where Il would do the most good" There are
lew who do not believe that at the last moment
q moderate sum Of Addicks money-S4o 900 is
the ngure usually agreed upon-7vas forthcoming
and went where 1t would help his cause the
most. There IS no doubt that some ne -
did, but when the fusion had been agreed unor
when the combined forces had swept the State