The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-15
pIscnEpTTApIE CONDITIONS.

lack but precious little of being disgrace to our form of government. 4 It Is not uncommon for Legislatures 10 deadlock over the election of United States Senators. but in these two in- stances the fact is nos creditable to the States or the legislators
 In Delaware the unspeakable Gas Addicixs is at the root of all the trouble. The Republicans have a safe majority on joint ballot and could easily elect Senator if they would unite on a decent candidate, but for tunately for the State and for the country there are a few honest ones among them who will not support Ad- dicks under any consideration, and they hold the balance of power. The Union Republicans, as they term themselves, cannot elect their candi- date without help from the regulars" or from Democrats. They cannot ex- pect any help from the latter. of course. and the former seem just as determined not to vote for Addicks. They could unite with the Democrats
 
 refuse to do. They are too honest to support Addicks and too strongly par tisan to support a Democrat, and thus 1t stands.
 But The Wilmington News ejects a | new feature by intimating that the Union Republicans. or part of them, will discard Addicks in the end. It is intimated that they see no hope or possibility of electing their candidate. and will eventually forsake him. That indicates that the Addicks barrel is | getting low and that 1t will not be able to supply funds enough to hold out to the end. But then here comes | in Senator Alice, the creature and tool | of Addicks who insists that enough at least, of the Union men will hold out to maintain the deadlock until the ses- sion expires and thus continue the va cancy.
 And there is another feature of this altogether dirty business that makes 1t probable that there will be no choice at this session of the Legislature The term of Alice will expire in 1906 and if the Addlcks crowd can slave off the election now there will be campaign next year for two Senatorships. That will leave two rich plums to contend for and that, again, means big cam 1 paign contributions and rich pickings for the faithful Such a prospect as that is delightful to those who control Republican politics in Delaware, and may well cause them to keep up their fight till the session expires. And re- ferring to the efforts of the little band of Republicans who have thus far held their own, The Boston Herald thinks it not impossible that they may win out in the end. but adds:
 Probably they could do that today If they would agree not to oppose the election of Addicks to succeed Alice. but, fortunately. as yet no offers to trade have been accepted by them when the condition was attached that Addicks should be given the position for which he has striven so long and expended so much money From the | point of view of the whole country or of Delaware itself, there could be no outcome of the Senatorial contest that l would not be preferable to the success 1 of the Union Republicans in securing the election of their. leader, who has l a for shame and corruption.
 | In Missouri the situation is but little better. While Niedringhaus is not up to Addicks in general unftness for the position of Senator, 1t Is beyond doubt | that there are good reasons why he 1 should not be elected to the Senate l from a State which has been represent | ed in the Senate by such strong and good men as have gone from Missouri in times past. It ought to be evident to this man and to those who support him that he cannot be elected The Democrats and the anti-Neidringhaus men control the situation, and they show no disposition to change. If he has any regard for decency or for his party he will get out of the way and allow the Republicans to elect a bet ter man if they have one. If not, 1t would be much mores creditable to the better class of them to unite with the Democrats and re-elect Cockrell. or some other Democrat, but there seems little prospect of that, They are in a fair way to go on and keep up the deadlock until the session ends with out a choice.
 Revertlng to the Delaware case 1t Is but proper to state that later reports point to a break from Addicks. This may be true, but again it may be merely an experimental expedient. Probably the meaning of it is that the gas man is not coming down with suf- fcient liberality and his supporters take this method of giving notice that he must do better or lose their sup port. Then, again, 1t may mean that they are ashamed of the situation and are determined to end it. If they are thus Influenced they may finally elect decent Republican or join in the cleo tion of a good Democrat, Either will be a credit to them, and Co the State of Delaware, for certainly conditions so far have been discreditable to bothl Still 1t is not safe to predict that Ad- dicks will lose his hold on the party in the Legislature, or that his friends i will not continue in control of the sit- uation. However the matter may ter minate, we repeat that Delaware and Missouri are not adding any credit to our system of government or to our