Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-25
SENATE FIGHT MIXED
ALICE MEN BASE HOPE ON Al
LEGGED AGREEMENT.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
WILMINGTON, Del, December 24-The
most interesting feature of the United
States senatorial contest that will open at
Dover upon the assembling of the legisla-
ture next week Is not who shall be elected
senator. but how shall the selection be
made. Upon the determination of that
question may depend whether Senator Alice
will have a fighting chance to secure re-
election or go down before the hostile ma
Jority of the republican caucus
The contention is made by Senator Alice
and his friends that at the time Senator Du
Pont was elected at the special session OF
the legislature last June an agreement was
entered into by which the succession to
Senator Alice should be conceded to Kent
or Sussex county, Senator Du Pont being
from New Castle county. 1t Is also con-
tended that the agreement delegated the
choice of senator to the republican members
of the legislature from Kent and Sussex,
they to name the man and all the other re-
publican members to ratify the choice thus
made
There are thirty-six republicans in the
legislature that will assemble at Dover on
Tuesday, January /, 1907. With full
caucus nineteen votes would be necessary
to the choice of candidate for senator.
But the Alice contention that the choice
shall be made by joint Kent and sussex
caucus would make a less number effective.
Of the thirty-six republican members, thlr-
teen are from New Castle, eleven from
Kent and twelve from Sussex. with the
New Castle republican members eliminated.
the caucus to nominate senator would
be composed of the twenty-three members
from Kent ard Sussex and twelve would
make q nomination. Thus. twelve repuo-
lican members out of a total of thirty-sx
will be permitted to name the next SeIla-
tor from Delaware If this alleged agree
ment Is respected.
But the indications are that 1t will not De,
ton In Kent and Sussex counties, as well
as in New Castle. The friends OF harry
A. Richardson and Judge James Pennewill
of Dover, Senator Allee's chief competitors,
are opposed to allowing the choice of sena-
tor to be made by a Kent and sussex
county caucus. each man has warm sup
porters among the New Castle county re-
publican members. J. Edward Addicks. who
persists in saying that he Is CANDIDATE
and who undoubtedly has a few support
ers, is also opposed to the agreement, LOT
it would prove of material advantage TO
Alice, and Addicks would rather see
democrat elected than the man whom ne
accuses of ingratitude and treachery.
1t is believed that tho Du Pont influence
will also be against the agreement, for the
Du Pont men have no love for Senator Al
lee. whom they blame for the protracted
deadlock Of the session of 1900. winch pre-
vented Col Henry A. Du Points election at
that time. Their influence is potent not oniy
in New Castle county. but in Kent and Sus-
sex, and 1t Is believed that their OPPOSE
ton to Alice is fatal to the latter's chances
Only by the scheme of selection by q heht-
Sussex caucus could he hope to overcome
1t, and the general republican opposition
to that method Of selecting senator Is SO
determined that 1t is believed it will not