Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-09
About Senators.

About Senators.
In his address az the Masonic centen-
nial celebration at the Grand Opera
House, Thursday afternoon, United States
Senator Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver Of
Iowa introduced himself as simply
plain country politician" with mo pre-
tence Of being a statesman or an orator"
And then, in apparent extenuaton, he
quoted the late Speaker Reeds definition
Of statcsman--"a politician who has
gone dead"
Senator Dolliver also expressed pleasure
IN his visit TO Delaware, a State which,
he said, he had "heard so much about
II would be interesting TO know what he
has hoard about Delaware, for 70 is GER
tain he has read little of It's honorable
history, or he would not so freely accept
rs a truth tho fippant definition which
Speaker Reed once applied to statesmen.
If Senator Dollivor is. as he has pub
licly asserted, nothing but "a plain ooun-
Try politician" the State Of Iowa, which
he represents in part in the United States
Senate, is TO be sincerely pitiod. For
surely it is a disgrace for a sovereign State
Of this great Union to be represented In
such a body as the United States Senate
by . mere Country politician"
To be so represented is now the fate
Of Delaware, but e was not such until
recent political events reversed the policy
Of more than q century and gave 10 Della
ware q Senator whom Senator Delivers
political description of himself most aptly
tits. But IL Senator Dolliver had posted
himself IN the history Of our little State,
insignificant in territory and population
IN comparison with his own State, he
would hive known thot from the formation
Of the United States government until
recent years, Delaware in her representa-
iion in the United States Senate, was the
peer Of any Of her sister States No
'mere country politician" were employed
as Senatorial material by this State. o.
.asionally a man Of mediocre talents
might have been chosen, but in the main
lhc Senators from Delaware were men of
giant intellect and statesmen in the truest
sense of the word And even the most
ordinary Of them were citizens of char
acier and repute, eminently respectable
as representatives, even though they were
not able 10 take commanding part in
shaping the legislation Of the country,
rs were a majority OF Delaware's Sena-
tons up to a decade ago
Il Is true that at present Delaware is
represented by a single Senator who is
a representative Of the Dolliyer stripe
according 10 Delivers admission-ol
Senator'S, in that he is a mere country
politician. without ability OF the slightest
pretensions 70 even dead" statesmanship.
At present we are on the eve of providing
him with colleague, and It will be an
additional disgrace TO the State If those
who have the selection in hand shall
select another man equal 10 either Alice
Of Dolliver- accepting the lattor's osti-
mate of himself as ue-to fll the vacant
seat in the United States Senate which
for years has spoken eloquently of the
fall Of Delaware from her former proud
eminenoe
Those who have this great trust in
hand are not compelled to make such a
selection. There are men In Delaware,
connected with the political party which
ut present, most unfortunately, is domi-
nant in the Legislature that has been
called in special session 10 make the solec-
ton, who would pnove worthy successors
TO the many good men who have made
Delawares name honorably known IN
the Senate until recent years But, un-
fortunately, the names of those men an,
not even mentioned in connection with
the vacancy They lack the quali6ca.
tion now considered essential great
wealth-and not one Of them will receiv,
a solitary vote in The nominating caucus
The probabilities are that ii the attempt
TO select a Senator shall end successfully
the selection will be another country
politician to keep Dolliver and Ale,
from feeling altogether lonely.