Evening journal., 1906-09-13
Thursday, September 10, 1906.
LESSON FOR DELAWARE.


q BOUT as many different opinions as there
\ are mosquitoes at New Jersey summer
resort, are being drawn from the recent election
in the State of Maine All the Republican con
gressmen were re-chosen by greatly reduced plu-
ralities and the governor was again successful by
a smaller majority.
1t is asserted that there was not so much of
change in the Republican vote, but that the diff
ference as compared with two years ago, was
due to the fact that many stay-at-home Demo
Gratis came to the polls and thus swelled their
party vote This is one reason advanced by those
who try to draw comfort from the election fig
ures.
The temperance question undoubtedly cut
large figure as the vote in the cities plainly indi-
Gated that a large element Of the people wanted
the question Of the sale of liquor submitted to
them for adoption or rejection, They wish an
other chance to vote on that issue.
Still another reason for the change is that the
people were opposed to stand patsm," as advo-
Gated by Speaker Cannon and others All Of the
outside orators who were thrown into Maine to.
bolster up Littleheld, talked "stand pat except
ing Secretary Taft, who expressed more Of the
views Of the administration There is no ques-
lion that there is a demand for revision OF some
Of the schedules Of the tariff. One has only to
read the Republican papers throughout the coun-
try and to notice the expressions of the leaders TO
be aware of this sentiment In taking the posi-
tion that it did, our own Republican State Con-
vention got in the front rank of the procession.
President Gompers, of the American Fedora
ton of Labor, made hard fight against Con-
gresham Litteheld who pulled through by
greatly lowered majority The reelection Of
Littleheld has pleased immensely the corporation
papers and those who believe that the laboring
people should have no voice in the administration
Of political affairs
Some Republican papers think the Maine cleo
tionw indicative Of the general unrest through
out the country and they also see in it
warning that the people are becoming dssats-
fed with the political machine bosses and the in
solent demands of corporation interests. The
New York Press takes this view OF the matter
and Republican papers in any part of the country
are crying out against the bosses and efforts of
special interests TO control party politics
Some organs of corporations like the Chicago
Inter-Ocean, which voices the views of the
canned beef trust of the Windy City, believe that
the slump in Maine is because the conservative
Republicans are disgruntled and do not like the
appearance of things. What it means by the
Conservative Republicans or Conservative Demo-
Gratis for that matter, and there is not much diff
ference between them, are those who think gov
ernment is a means for furtherng ones private
pocketbook Every trust magnate is "conser-
vative" whether he is Republican or Democrat.
This question of special and corporate interests
will no doubt engage the attention of the people
of Delaware. Even this far before the election il
is settled that the people will not trust the Demo
cratic party of the State with a return to power
For some reason the Democrats are utterly apa-
thetic, and it is doubtful whether they will make
more than semblance of a campaign
The Republicans, however, should look to tn,
future, and beyond merely the coming election
It is up to the Republicans to give the State good
government, administered economically and well
And above all it is up to the party leaders not tc
make the Republican party of Delaware the mere
stalking horse Of special interests. No matter
what our opponents may say, the Republican
party of this State has no boss. Any one who
attended the recent State Convention knows thai
the delegates were free to do as they pleased
There was no one holding tight rein upon them
and there was no machine debating orders tha
this or that should be done. The convention hae
free rope and the delegates were supreme. w,
have no Republican boss in this State to-day. anc
we are not likely TO have one
There is plenty Of evidence, however. that ;