Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-04-23
- Con- lionae -. ?

Tie "Cour House Ring. says the
Newark Ledger "is quite. powerful and
viii make a capital fight before surren-
dcriug
The "Court House Ring" s AN Office
holding cotore composed of those Who
enjoy the lucrative offices which are
housed within the County Court House.
and their subordinates, satellites and
haugen-on in general The profits of
the offices are large. and thus the "Ring
is enabled TO devote much money towards
the work attendant upon extending its
influence to the control OF the Republican
voters, 30 that the "Ring" may obtain
possession Of the party machinery in tho
years of general election
Tho absorbing motive for tho organi-
zHiion of this "Ring is TO continue its
members in office. The official terms
are four years each, and they are so ar
ranged that a part of them come before
the people at each biennial election At
the election Of 1904 the chief OF the "Ring
WIS reelected, as was also iis iactotm
and errand boy 40 the election Of this
year the Office held by the chief manipu-
lator Of the "Ring' its brains in fact,
and another in possession Of one Of its
most skillful political organizers, will
be at stake Both officials are striving
earnestly for denomination and reelection,
and the solid influence Of the "Ring"
will be exorted In their behalf
That there should be opposition among
the voters Of the party to the continuance
Of these men in their profitable offices,
term after term, is only natural. The
public interests are not centred in the
administration Of these official places
to such an extent as to make it strongly
advisable TO continue the incumbents in
power so long as they shall well perform
their duties, as it is in many other de-
partments of the public service. There
are hundreds Of men in the community
who could perform the duties of these
Offices just as acceptably as the brainiest
member OF the ring does. Given ordi-
nary clerical ability and due attention ia
business-and the emolunents are suih-
cient to inspire the desired ifdHstIy-
and the Offices are filled without the
slightest detriment TO public interests by
reason OF changes.
But of course the "Ring" docs not
propose to surrender possession of those
easy and profitable places without q
struggle. It's members, therefore, have
banded themselves together for mutua
benefit. Their motto is that of Dumas
famous "Throc Guardsmen." zone for all
and all for one" TO make its work efIec.
tive, the "Ring" naturally seeks contro
Of party machinery. Il is well entrenchec
in this respect in New Castle county
having the county organization of tn,
Regular Republican party safely in hand
with influences at work that promis,
an effective combination with the Unior
Republicans Recently it ,essayed tc
secure control of the State organization
Of the Regular Republican party, in ordei
TO make an alliance with tho Union Re
publican State organization, but in thii
scheme it was defeated at the meeting
of the Regular Republican State Centra
Committee in Dover on Thursday last
The "Ring's" centre of action is New
Castle county, and at present it is work.
ing night and day TO continue its contro
Of the Regular Republican organization
and extend IFS Union Republican ALI
anoes. This control is necessary 70 the re-
nomination of two of its strongest mem.
kers and persistent office-scekers- the
political brains and the political manipu-
lator of this organization of official leeohes
With this work effectively accomplished
the "Ring" will be in control of the pri-
mary election machinery, and will make
sure that these two officials, at least,
secure denomination As TO the means
to this end, the "Ring' is not particular,
nor does IL have any regard 10 the pro
lection which the law throws around pd-
mary elections or any fear of the c6nse-
quencos Of It's violation The creatures
of the "Ring" may go to prison for pri-
mary election frauds, but not the NOM
bers of the "Ring" They are too shrevd
TO be caught.
Among Republican voters all over New
Castle county the sentiment of hostility
TO this oifice-holding and ohicc-seokinp
"Ring' is pronounced and active. The
thing to be done is 20 concentrate this
sentiment into an effective organization.
BY this means the schemes Of the "Ring'
may be defeated and its members driven
from office.
We desire to add, in this connection
however, that there is one county officer
who is not member of the "Court House
Ring" lie is the County Comptroller
Philemma Chandler. The "Ring" despisc.
him because he gives a close and careful
official scrutiny TO an expenditures, pre-
forring to stand by the people rather than
stand in with the Ring
.,----
In the course of his message 10 Congros.