Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-27
The Power Of Patronage.

The special announcement made from
Washington, on Wednesday, to the effect
that President Roosevelt had given Sena-
tori Alice absolute control of the Federal
patronage in Delaware, while it contained
no news, tended TO stir interest in the sub
iect, and attract some comment. And
the trend Of the comment was that Senator
Alice with Federal patronage is not a whit
more formidable than Senator Alice would
be without a single Federal Office at his
disposal
Others than Senator Alice have had at
their disposal the Federal patronage in
Delaware, and have found the results
attending It's distribution simply disas-
trous. Who that reads political history
in this State can forget the experience Of
the "first Republican Senator from Della
ware" with not only the Federal patron
age Of the State at his entire disposal,
but with "pull owing to his prestige as
being the first to break along line of Demo
cratic Senators from this State, which
gave him a strong influence with the adj
ministration in the matter of general
patronage also Well, what did he do
with it Did he make his party powerful?
Did he make himself a great political
factor Did he get himself reelected to
the Senate Not a bit of it. The State
went Democratic at the two elections
following his elevation to the Senate, and
though Republican influences prevailed
later, Republican Legislatures were not
able to elect Republican Senators until
the amazing combination Of 1908, which
resulted in the election OF Alice and Ball,
Federal patronage will not elect Senator
Alice. It will not even insure CON
tinuance Of Republican supremacy in
Delaware. In fact, the most conspicuous
lessons Of political history in this State are
that Federal patronage has weakening
and decidedly demoralizing effect upon
the dominant political party. And when
applied to iaotional uses, the consequences
are at times disastrous.
ut makes a big difference whose OK is
gored, is an old saying. With Senator
Lodge, however, it makes a difference who
cores the Senate OK. The present occu-
pant Of the White House may do so with
impunity, but none Of his predecessors
could have done so without ineurring the
weight Of this inconsistent Senator S
sternest condemnation.
The acquittal Of Editor Hapgood of
Golfers Weekly Of the charge of criminal
libel preferred by Judge Deuel. of New
York City was practically a conviction Of
the latter Of the charge Of acting as legal
censor for that disgusting purveyor Of
scandal and blackmail, Town Topics. The
impeachment Of this graceless Judge will
be next In order.
Gen. Wheeler is to be inferred In the
National Cemetery at Arlington. Thus
the man who fought both for and against
his country will be buried in the plot re-
served by the nation for its soldiers. His
final services sufiiced to erase the memory
of his former resistance.
|
Rails Uli is breaking out again in Morocco
II would have been more considerate In
him had he waitedNuntil his outbreak
could be used to inspire another dull and
spiritless Republican National Convention
The price Of bar silver in London is
quoted at 30 l-s pence per ounce, and
steady But silver quotations have not
the interest in this country they possessed
few years ago.
Cuba is to make a wedding present Of
S25,000 to Miss Alice Roosevelt. There
viii be no lack Of substantially in thi.
git.