Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-18
MIsoELIANBoUs RECORD
The Call for "A Caucus.

With a persistency that suggests prod
ding from headquarters at Washington
for bis deal with Senator Alice over the
distribution of Federal patronage makes
the election Of Senator essential as an
accomplishment Of President Roosevelts
administration heard reports that
the Delaware Legislature is to be called
into special session and United States
Senator elected And invariably it is
stated that the Senator will be selected
by the Republican members in caucus.
But the Roosevelt administration and
Republicans here in Delaware as well do
not bear in mind that the Endorsement Of
q caucus selection of United States sena-
Tor is what the decent Republicans Of
the State have halted at for more than
ten yeas. For caucus Senator invari-
ably meant, as IL means today7-Addicbs,
or some one Of his selection. II stands
for Senator who would be a represen-
tative Of the corrupt elements that have
controlled the Republican politics Of
Delaware since Addiclsism gained It's
hold on the State.
Caucus rule in the selection Of a Senator
was first repudiatod by Addicks az the
legislative session Of 1895. He had only
nix votes out Of nineteen, and at the end
Of the struggle had only four. But these
four were sufficient for the purpose, as
sixteen votes were necessary 10 an election
and the other Republicans numbered
only fifteen.
Then the corruption Of Addicksism
began to bear fruits, and at subsequent
sessions Il was the decent element Of
Republcanism that held out resolutely
against caucus selection Of Senators.
For Addicks had bought mp Kent and
Sussex counties, and his henchmen formed
the majority Of the Republican member
ship. Caucus selection meant Addicks.
and the Regular Republicans resisted
Addicl1s and all his works They held
out at the session Of 1901, even against
the personal persuasion Of President Of
the United States They surrendered to
a dlscreditahle compromise In 1908, and
have regretted their weakness ever since
But IN 1905 they manifested their former
spirit Of resistance 20 AddicSsism in any
form, and repudiated even the persuasive
efforts Of the other elements of corruption
which had joined hands with the agents
Of Addicks at the previous election, and
even exceeded them in the extent of theii
corruption funds. Il is true that these
new agencies Of corruption were buncoed
by the agents Of Addicksism, but the ole-
ment Of decent Republican opposition
was just as apparent at the session Of
1905 as it was at other sessions which
ended without the election Of Senators.
Il is a fact that the Republican majority
Of the present Legislature is controlled
by members who we've elected as the
personal agents Of AddiclSs. Even should
it appear that some Of them are willing "a
desert him, he stil commands sunicien,
following to dictate terms in the election
Of a Senator. A special session, there
fore, would either result in "Addicks OF
nobody" or a selection dictated by Ad-
dicks VIII the element Of Republican.
ism that has so devotedly and consistently
opposed Addicksism for more than q
decade surrender TO it now
The caucus selection is a delusion and a
snare. il means Addicks and the abso.
Lutte abandonment Of all pretence O
honesty and virtue among any element
Of Delaware Republicanism. Il is moi
conceivable that Governor lea will yielc
to it to the extent Of calling a specia
session Of the Legislature.