Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-19
ASKS DUPONT TO RESIGN
A Conference Held at Wilmington
Thursday.
HINTED MOVE TO CONTEST SEAT
The Development Of Republican Plans
Will Have Much to Do With
Future Action.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
WILMINGTON. Del. August 1s-J Ed
ward Addicks has called upon Col Henry
A. Dupont to resign a. United States SEN
ator from Delaware. to which ONCE ne was
elected at the special session of the gen.
eral assembly at Dover last June. AddIcks
made this startling declaration to ex-Sen-
ator l.. Heisler Ball, chairman Of the reg
ular republican state committee. a. the
conference which they held In this city on
Thursday. but the fact did not become
known until today. Chairman Bali ex-
pressed the greatest surprise that such q
thing should be considered. but 1t Is said.
Addicks did not withdraw his remarks to
this effect
During his conference With ex-senator
Ball. which was held at the request of the
latter, Addicks referred to the report that
steps had been taken to contest the seat
ing of Senator-elect Dupont when Congress
snail reassemble In December. After dwell
ing on the subject for some time. Addicks
said to his conferee:
The thing for Col. Dupont to do is to
return from Europe at once. present his
resignation as senator to Governor Lea, and
thus allow the next legislature In January
to elect two senator's"
Chairman Bail was taken aback at this
statement, but, 1t is said, he managed to
reply that he was in ignorance of any plans
to prevent the senatoH-elect from taking his
seat, and that he saw no reason why he
should not present his credentials when
the Senate reconvenes in December. Fur
Their than this. it is understood, Chairman
Ball. whose successor in --.e upper house OF
Congress Col Dupont would be. made no
comment.
In narrating this important incident after
the conference, Mr.. Addicks dwelt upon IL
at length and appeared to be greatly
amused He laughed in the presence of his
friends at the surprise with which ex-Sep-
etor Ball received the information.
Dupont in Europe.
Col Dupont. who was in Europe at the
time of lis election. will not return to this
country until about September 3. What
steps he will take. IL any. to thwart the re-
ported movement against him is not known.
1t Is stated that Addicks made this declara-
ton to Chairman Ball in all seriousness
and that he fAddicks) expected something
to come of 1t. Until the arrival at his homo
near this city of the senator-elect. how
ever. it Is not probable that any develop
ments in the matter will occur.
When Gov. Lea last May called the gen.
eral assembly into extraordinary session.
1t was reported that the democrats would
make capital out of general belief that
about S53 600 was sent to Kent and Sussex
counties by the Duponts a few days be-
fore the election in November. 1904, with
the alleged understanding that the money
would be used to help elect Legislators who
would support Col Dupont for senator. A :
majority of the republican legislative nomi-y
nees In those two counties were Elected.
but the ensuing session of thee legislature
az journed without electing a senator.
At the recent special session. however,
Col Dupont was elected. On the eve OF
the converting of this session the democratic
state committee. in conjunction with nu-
lerous party leaders. at a meeting In
Dover. passed resolutions characterizing
the proposed election of a senator as the
tulfllment of an alleged bargain.
Following in the formal election, II wa9
also reported that prominent democrats ana
others would proceed to contest the seat.
ing Of Col. Dupont in the Senate The
grounds for this action have not been made
public.
Addicks' Frienda in the Dark.
Mr.. Addicks did not announce whether he
would take a hand in the movement. and
his friends do not know definitely what his
course will be. It Is believed that the de-
velopment of political events from q repub.
lican standpoint will have much to do with
his future action. In the natural order OF
affairs it would seem probable that he
might shape his course on the attitude OF
the regular republicans In agreeing to hars
mony to his (Addicks) liking.
Should Addicks aid in contesting Colonel
Dupont from taking his seat a. senator
II will be the second time that he will have
participated In suoh q movement. the first
instance having been successful. At the
time of the first deadlock on the senator
ship created by Addicks in Delaware in
1893, Colonel Dupont was nominaIly elected
nv the legislature on the last day of the
session. He had a majority of one OF the
republican members. not counting Acting
Gov. William I. Watson. democrat. Mr..
watson. who has president OF the senate
and who succeeded to the gevernorship. as
such under the old constitution, upon the
death of Governor Marvil. republican, took
his seat as presiding officer Of the senate
on the final day. This prevented Colonel
Dupont from having a clear majority
Addicks lobbied actively against Dupont:
the senate committee on credentials and
elections finally deciding that Acting Gov
ernor Watson had acted within his rights
in resuming his seat as presiding off1cer OF
the state senate. This report was upheid
by the senate, and Dupont was deprived OF
the seat This was the beginning OF the re-
nublican factional war in Delaware.
a number of Addicks friends announced
TODAY that a second contest against Colonel
Dupont would be a striking coincidence. 1t
will not be known for. several weeks, pos
sibly what hea0way. IL any. the reported
move to contest the senator-eiects seat
will make.