Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-19
nIsoElLAEEoUs REooRR
presldont and Senators.

President and Senators.
As the influence Of Federal patronage,
despite the great number Of offices COW
cred by the Civil Service, is potent and
iar-reaching, il is an interesting question
how far the desire of Senators to bo re-
elected, and the evident purpose Of Presi
dent Roosevelt to secure their support Of
his administration measures by the judi
cious award Of Offices, will affect the sit
uhtion
The terms Of fifteen Republican sena-
tors will expire in 1907 and the terms Of
eighteen others in 1909. Most Of them
Burton Of Kansas and Platt and Depew
Of New York probable exceptions will
be candidates for recollection. In the opin-
ion Of the New York World, few of these
ambitious Senators who are desirous of
reelection would regard the administra-
tons opposition as a valuable asset when
they 90 before their people for the popu-
lar verdict Of Legislature favorable to
them. On the contrary, the World holds,
most of them win not despise the Presi-
dents support. IL is probable that some
will court Il by subservient oompli-
pliance with every request that the Presi-
dent may make Of them.
But Il is possible that the fate Of some
of these Senators may be determined re-
gardlcss of their relations with President
Roosevelt Take Senator Alice of Dela-
ware, for instance, whose term will expire
in 1907. He is dcsirous of reelection,
and he has tho unquestioned support Of
President Roosevelt. The latter has
placed the Federal patronage Of this State
unreservodly at his disposal He has
permitted him TO name his own choice
for collector of the port Of Wilmington,
IN the face Of an almost unanimous
request from the business interests Of this
city for the retention in office of the former
collector. He is about TO hand over 20
him tho office of postmaster of Whining
ton, to be bestowed upon political favor
ite, when the sentiment Of the patrons Of
the Office is overwhelmingly in favor Of
the reappointmont Of Postmaster Heald
He has appointed other postmasters at his
suggestion, and win permit him many
others yet to fall due. lie has even
thrown down the most vital provisions Of
the Civil Service in order to strengthen
the hands of Senator Alice, so far as Fed
eral patronage win work TO this end. An
this he has done for Alice and will do for
Alice, and, of course, Alice viii do for him
whatever he may by his votes in the
Senate.
But viii the Presidents open support
Of Senator Alice help the latter in his cam
paign for reelection II is very doubt
ful. President Roosevelt did not dis
play in Delaware, at the election Of 1904
the amazing popularity which he un.
doubtedly enjoyed in other parts Of tho
country. His majority was but little in
excess Of that which was given to Nc
Kinley four years before, and the corrup.
tion funds expended by the Republican
party in the Roosevelt campaign, the
benefit Of which extended to the electoral
candidates as well as others, was enor
mously larger than the corruption FUND
at the election of 1900, although the latter
was Of no mean proportions And ther
is no reason for supposing that President
Roosevelt is any more popular in Della.
ware today than he was during the cam
paign Of 1904 In fact, there are many
reasons for holding to the contrary.
As to Senator Alice, he never was
popular man, in the general acceptatioi
Of the term. Prior 70 his accidental eleva
tion 10 the Senate he was. politically
simply a type of the ordinary, averag,
Republican party worker who took hi
share in the small and unpleasant de
tails Of campaign labor. He is not
popular man today. His Senatoria
career. instead Of making him acceptabl,
10 the business interests of the State hai
made him obnoxious, as he has disposcC
of Federal patronage even that applying
10 important positions, as we have citeC
above. in a manner that runs contrar,
to the public interests.
That the influence and support Of Presi
dent Roosevelt viii be Of some benefit
TO Senator Alice is not doubted; but thai
it will be sufficient 70 secure bis re-elec
ton, should the next Legislature be
Republican body, no politician of ever
ordinary sagacity will be rash enough Q,
predict.