Smyrna times., 1908-08-19
POLITICAL GOSSIP OF WEEK.
W. 0. Hoffecker Boom For Congress
Will Depend on Situation.

MASTER William H. Heald, of
Wilmington, for Representative in
Congress, and Frank H. Davis. of
Dover, for Attorney General. With
the primaries for the selection of
delegates to the Republican State
Convention, at Dover, on August 25,
one week off, this is the slate, which.
it is generally understood, will 90
through. These are the three most
important State nominations to be
made and they are the only ones on
which line can be had. Nominees
will be chosen for State Treasurer,
Insurance Commissioner, Auditor of
Accounts and Lieutenant Governor.
but 1t was announced Saturday no
slate regarding any of these has been
decided upon. General T. Coleman
dupont, the head of the Republican
party in Delaware, who is also the
director of the speakers bureau in
New York in connection with the
National Republican Executive Com
mlttee, of which he is a member, re-
Gently announced that he is in favor
OF the nomination of Messrs. Penne-
will and Heald. While no final an
nouncement has been made as regards
Mr.. Davis for Attorney General, his
nomination is anticipated by reason
of the fact that he and Mr.. Pennewill
have an agreement whereby they are
to help one another in Kent county
and Sussex county, respectively.
This illustrates that the Pennewill
delegates and the Davis delegates
will work together.
Kent And Sussex May Combine
1t will also doubtless mean that
they will control the Kent county and
the Sussex county causes, mutually,
the delegates from these two counties
comprising 50 of the 160 in the State
Convention, or majority there of.
The success of Pennewill, Heald and
Davis will mean the defeat OF
Deputy Attorney General Hastings
in his endeavor to succeed Attorney
General Richards. A slate made UP
of Governor Lea, Congressman
Burton and Mr. Hastings is supported
primarily by the opponents of the
Organization" as headed by the
duPonts. 1t is stated that the
"antis' will not have over a dozer
of the 40 delegates from this city,
while their total strength in the
State Convention has been variously
estimated at from 80 to so. The
"Antis" are stronger in New Castl,
county than they are in other portions
of the State, and whatever strength
they will have will come principal!
from that county.
When Nominations May Go
The leaders in Sussex county state
that they want the nomination o
State Treasurer, in addition t.
Governor, and it is likely that the.
will get it. Kent county may secur
the Insurance Commissioner an
Lieutenant Governor, thus leaving
the Auditor of Accounts for rura
New Castle county. AS Wilmington
will secure the Congressions
nomination, it will probably no
claim anything else, unless tn
candidacy of Mr.. Hastings shoul
become formidable. Charles Maull
of Lewes, is the man most promi
: nenttly mentioned for State Treas
urer, while D. Miff1in Wilson, o
Dover, may secure the Insuranc
Commissionership. Ex-Congressma
Walter o. Hoffecker, of Smyrna
can have the nomination for Lieuter
ant Governor if he will accept il
but he announces that he is
candidate for Representative
: Congress and that nothing else wi
suffice. The delegates for Due
Creek hundred (Kent county, wherei
y Smyrna is located will give MI
Hoffecker solid vote .fS
, Congress, but there is no likelihoC
e of this "boom" reaching any materi;
n proportions. Should the Coz
I gressman come from Kent count!
e Mr.. Hoffecker would stand splendi
> chance.
"Drys" Again Active
Mr.. Hoffecker was leader Uf tt
t "dry' forces in the local optic
j, fight in Delaware last year. II
It "drys'' have already become actiN
n for the approaching election al
e announce that they will suppo
3 nominees, especially for the TIegisl'
}, ture, of either party who will upho
,. dry legislation. Although par
re lines will be largely adhered to, tn
/, year, the "dry' and "wet
ID agitation of last year may be mo
:, or less of a factor. 1t is not b
lieved, however, that it will be d
Gliding element.