Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-14
what Of tho Futuro7

The end Of the great struggle for a seat
IN the United States Senate which was
brought 10 a close, yesterday, when the
Legislature formally directed the confer
ring Of tho desired certificate upon the
successful contestant, brings relief TO the
people OF Delaware, but only for a short
time. Already the State campaign is
under way which will determine the result
Of another struggle for another seat in the
Senate, the one now occupied 80 incom-
pletely by Senator Alice.
WIN this struggle take on any of the
remarkable and undesirable character
istics OF the one from which we have Just
emerged
The controlling influence In the contest
that closed yesterday was money.
Whether the same influence will be con-
apicuous IN the coming contest is a matter
for our own people to determine People
outside Of tho State expect that il will,
as a matter Of course, so notorious has
Delaware become through the auctioning
Of Senatorial seats that has marked the
past dozen yean Of her political history.
"A man without a check book hehind
him." says the Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin in an editorial reference 20 the
ending of the recent notable contest, "is
likely to cut a pretty sorry figure as a
Senatorial aspirant Ia the land Of the
Blue Hens Chickens"
What cuts most deeply in this bitter
comment IS It's absolute truth so far as
recent yean are concerned. And vet
It was not always so. Bargaining for a
scat in the Senate began with the advent
Of Addioks and has continued ever since
Even whom money did not count directly
a. in the case Of BAH and Alice, thcii
election was the result Of a political and
fractional bargain that was almost az
disropulahlo and fully as disgusting a.
a bargain with money as the chief con.
sidoration would have been.
Today Delaware has probably her iirsi
wealthy senator, as the word wealth
now goes. OF brainy Senators she ha,
had more than her proportionate share
for no other State can surpass her recor,
IN this respect during the first centur
OF the oouutys history. The Bayard
were not men of largo wealth, although
they were Ia comfortable circumstances
Not one Of them was worth tho none,
which Addicks boasted that ho had ox
pended on six campaigns IN this state
S2S0000. John NJ Clayton had only
moderate fortune, but he was a Statesman
and leader of his party. The Sauls
burys could not boast Of large wealth
George Gray, man Of commandinr
ability and one Of tho great intellocts O
the SENATE, was never conspicuous b.
reason Of his worldly means. And y
the list Of Delawaro's Senators might b
ecrutinized from the advent of Addick
back 20 the beginning. There wen
giants among them. but no money king.
Now the impression has been create,
throughout the country that Delawar,
once the peer Of any Of her sister State
in her representation in the United State
Senate, has degenemted into mer
pooket-borough, Of which any vules
aspirant possessed Of sufficient wealt
and with the disposition to oxpend
may purchase a seat in the Senate.
check book, in the opinion Of the pane
from which we quote above, is the chi,
qualification for a United States Senate
in the eyes Of our people We hav
brought this contemplate reputatio
upon ourselves Shall we continue
deserve il ?
We may answer this question AZ on
next election. Again a seat in the Senat
viii be the chief political prize. A,
dicks, the defeated and Inundated col
ruptionist, says he viii be in the frh
and doubtless he viii II he can raise m
price. And there may be other bidder
Shall the once honorable station be p,
up at auction and knocked down to n
biggest coruptionist in the market d?
Whatever else the people OF Delawai
may do at their next election they shoul
choose a Legislature which will show
the world that for once a seat IN n
United States Senate will be awarde
from other considerations than those
mere money.