Evening journal., 1908-02-01
What | Know About
Delaware Politics and
Other Things
EIFTIETH ARTICLE.
By Washington Hastings

either
nihcent trees and spacious lawns behind which
stand many fine residences and smaller comfortable
looking homes bears evidence being ideal place
abode for an Intelligent and cultivated community where
professional man or a retired gentleman Of means
might lind congenal society and attractive companions
ship among which to take his residence and spend
his dayr in ouetness tranquility and peace And all
of this Dovei undoubtedly is for probably tenths
Of the but for the remainder of the time say
instance during sessions Of the General Assembly, and
that body when statesmen and politicians from all over
the State saiher there to it that the legislature
gets proper send-on the moral attitude and atmosphere
OF the place seem to undergo complete and remarkable
change and the streets while not quite equalng the
lower Bowery or the Great White Light region Of
upper Broadway in hustle animation and the Hotel
Richardson. the Capitol Hotel and the Bayard House
not fully assuming the brilliant and dazzling effects Of
the the Plaza the St Regis every
seems to be doing his best emulate those and
spectacles Of briiancy and make Dover look much
IKE the great metropolis as possible In the meantime,
and for the time being the stad, sober minded dgn-
fed citizen must either stay in his home and read his
newspaper or go out and minge good d-naturedy with
the crowd and enjoy himself with the resand accord
ing to my observation. he usually does the latter.
"And all the worlds a stage.
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts"
The 'pageants scenes" enacted on the streets and
in the public houses in Dover the afternoon and
evening, and far into night, of the 31st of Decem-
Der 1888. all theatrical and them dramatic;
a legislature assemble having majority of its
memt ership ointballot composed Of Republicans;
which circumstan, phenomenal in its way moth
the state.
A majority such as the Republicans possessed was
eneeNe onyop such measures as II was necessary for
the two branches Of the legislature coniointy
vote together body; but it ineffective ant
useless Tor general leglsauoni because any measure
passed by the Republican majority of house was
liable 20 be promptly killed by the Democratic
ority OF the other house, and vice versa and unless
the proposed legislation entirely absolutely de-
void Of politcs"-and little if any Of IL vast was
certain TO be unce tremendously defeated or pgeon-hoed
But the a-important and momentous business which
completely overshadowed and banshed every other ques
uon or consideration, the election of member of the
United States Senate being joint-balot question, put
the Republicans long way ahead in the running;"
ana, as the Republicans We're 10 caucus on that mat
ter at eight o'clock that evening, the Republican
bers not only the observed Of all Observers but
they were the buton-holed of all button-hoers. And
Immediately after supper the play in how many acts
win never tell, began.
The corridors of the hotels packed with intensely
interested but goodnatured crowds Of menprincipaly
Republicans but quite large sprinxlng of Democrats;
for, while they realized that Il Of their we'd
ding but possibly their funeral them could
not fail to be around at such political gathering SIM
ply from force OF habit
Suddenly about o'clock, accompanied by a WELL
known WILMINGTON Republican politician tall, hand.
slowly down the wide stairway of the Hotel Rich
ardson who Immediately attracted universal attention
The hum and buzz Of animated and excited conversation
almot entirely ceased and extraordinary quiet for al
assemblage Of that kind prevailed for several minutes
nanf lie evidently was Stranger put someWha
impressive ana important looking stranger, and every
body was on the qu vive as 70 his identity AT last
began TO be whispered around that's Addicks" AnC
this so far as I knew or heard, was the adven
of John Edward Addicls IN Delaware politics. I haS
heard nim spoken Of before in political circles as veal
thy Republican who had a summer home at Claymon
with political procivities and aspirations but wa'
quite unprepared Tor what followed that evening-a
think everybody else except perhaps the two o
tnree men VINO seemed 70 pc aeqnahteo ga WIN MN =
soon became apparent however that MT Addicks was
"a good mixer for he took position at one end of th'
corridor and appeared TO be holding quite evee, as
many avaied themselves OF the opportunity 10 De IN
troduced TO him; but some Of us did not embrace it
and thereby, failed to heed the admonton opportuni
knocks al the door Of every man once and only once
but the sequel proved, there were 10 be Other
opportunities in this and plenty Of them-perhap
too maryland we might get In later II we wished to
It soon began to be whispered around that Mr.. Ad
dicks was a candidate for election 20 the coveted
in the Senate; and people smiled and some wer'
thoughtess enough to laugh outright But along abou
midnight some who had smiled in derision and con
tempt the proposition had occasion TO laugh with th
other side Of the facet Mr. AddclSs. after he ha'
become better acquainted publicly announced that il
men who were being urged by their friends for th'
place account Of factonal controversies and con
become candidate and that II the party would sen'
him to the Senate he would not be dead head" an,
the Republicans would find that they had not mad
an Improbable investment--or words 70 that effect
| The announcement was received by the crowd viii
varied expressions Of opinion few said that Il wa
a capital idea; that this was just the kind Of a mar
the party had always needed, etc, but most Of then
IL was pftpostefous ana not Tor minute
TO be thought Of and used language IN express
ing themselves which would have sounded well II
gentle and polite association and which, perhaps the!
would not have used under ordinary circumstances.
But as the night advanced rather as the morninl
approached and the agtaed company Of patriots sough
the needed repose Of their vrtuous we an con
soled ourselves with the assurance-at least an OF u
VINO did not approve Of the propositon-that this wa
but passing fancy OF wealthy but over-ambtou
man who would soon become aware that he was no
quite the kind Of timber Of which Delaware Unite,
states senators were built and he would quietly sub
soe OF else that ne would be promptly eliminated But
we missed our guess and reckoned without our hos
for Mr. Addcks did anything "subsdo' ana II TOOL
abou. twelve years Of unceasng strenuous efort
in which some OF those efforts periously near ben.
futile, before he eliminated"
Sro be continued)