Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-05
Aealn the sheIIpot go.

ary election in the Shelpot district OF
Brandywine hundred, in the fail Of 1904,
and was surprised at their reopening by
another arrest and prosecution, those who
had some knowledge of the undesuriace
conditions were fully prepared for the
action that was taken. Attorney-Gen-
eral Richards 10 his great credit be it said,
has not beon satisfied with the conviction
Of the two subordinates in this grave
offence, but has been working earnestly
and continuously for the purpose Of reach
ing those who were "higher up" in this
outrageous conspiracy against the sane
tity of the ballot.
No matter what may be the FINAL OUT
come of these Shellpot district frauds,
what has been accomplished thus far,
10 say nothing Of what may be expected
later, has done a great work for the puri-
fcation Of elections in this State. For the
stern devotion to duty which At
torney-General Richards has displayed
in these cases Is an earnest that all other
cases involving assaults upon the integrity
Of the ballot will encounter the same skill
ful and relentless prosecution at his
hands. The prosecution Of crimes against
the ballot will not be confined to primary
elections, but will be extended TO gen
eral elections whenever there is the slight
est probability Of securing evidence sufli-
cient to warrant action.
That the lesson Of the Shellpot district
cases will have a salutary effect upon pri-
mary elections in New Castle county for
years 20 come is not 10 be doubted. There
will be general realization Of the fact
that the law governing primary elections
must be respected as rigidly as the laws
governing general elections. Tho Pri-
mary ELECTION law is a statue Of the State
Of Delaware. In addition there is con-
stitutiond provision against election
crimes applying TO primary and general
elections alike, as the prosecutions already
had in the shellpot district cases were
conducted under the constitutional pro-
visions, while Of the two actions now
pending, one will be tried under the Con-
stitution, with the judges Of the General
Sessions Court as the jury, and the other
before a trial jury, under the Primary
Election law.
Tho hitter law, since its enactment, has
been rigidly respected and contemptu-
ously ignored. IL was passed by Demo
cratic Legislature, at the instance Of
Democratic politicians, but for a worthy
purpose. Democratic nomination cleo
tions in New Castle county had become
such a rotten farce that they were deter.
mined not by the voters Of the party, but
by those who secured control Of the cleo.
tion machinery. Under the vicious sys
tenn that had grown up, a candidate fol
nomination might receive a thousanC
honest votes against a hundred polled by
his opponent, and be counted out Will
unblushing efrontery. Il was for th,
purpose Of amending these disgraceiu
conditions that the Primary Election Law
for New Castle county was enacted, anl
from the day Il went into effect there ha
not been a single legitimate complain
Of illegality or rascality Of any kind at
Democratic primary election.
But Il was not so with Republican pr
maries. For some reason or other, Re
publican politicians seemed 70 rest unde
the impression that the law applied {
Democratic primaries only, and scan
attention was paid 10 il at Republica
primaries. Only its formalities were com
; piled with, while It's spirit and intent wer
oontemptuously ignored and its penalte
dodod. Abuses Of irregularities and frau
in the voting We're continuous, until fnall
halt was called by the prosecution Of tn
shollpot district cases.
These prosecutions will naturally ten
!, toibring about a better order Of thing
Respect for the law and obedience TO Il
provisions viii hereafter be the rule
! primary elections. And may we n,
hope that the effect viii be felt St gener
1 elections also, particularly with respe
y TO the disgraooiul disregard Of constitr
n tional prohibitions Of suffrage debaucher
3 and the open purchase Of votes