Evening journal., 1908-09-30


peared in the Delaware News OF last
Saturday, will be of interest to the vot-
ers generally throughout Delaware:
There has been going the rounds Of
the Democratic press Of the State GER
tain slanderous statements concerning
the ability and moral character OF Mr.
Frank H. Davis, the regularly nominated
candidate OF the Republican party for
Attorney-General Of the State Of Della
ware. To the shame Of certain persons
who owe their past and present official
positions to the votes OF the Republican
party IL must be said that they have
done all they could to aid the Democrat
ic press In these attacks. IL is to set
Alright before the Republican and con-
servative voters Of the State that we to-
day appeal TO them TO read what we
have 10 say in this article with the
knowledge that it Is made TO them only
as direct appeal 20 the sense Of JUS
tice Of the rank and file OF the voters
OF the party that has controlled Della
ware for these many years.
IN the first place, we feel that in JUS
tice to the candidate. we should state
that In the issue Of this paper the same
week OF the Republican State conven-
ton, we stated that we had heard GER
tain statements derogatory 10 the nomi-
nee, and that the Democratic press OF
the State would avail themselves OF
the opportunity 10 defame any man not
of their political belief We are frank
70 say that as one of the few newspapers
in this State that looked az candi-
dates record and reputation, both NOR
ally and mentally, we had concluded that
unless an investigation OF the real facts
revealed something better than what we
had heard, we, too. would be compelled
10 advise the people against the cleo
tion OF Mr.. Davis. For be II understood
that since this paper has been in the
hands OF the present owner, we have al
ways advocated the election OF good men
with high moral principles, and the de-
feat Of any man who was generally
known as morally and mentally unfit
To such an extent have we carried this
practice that we feel proud Of the un-
disputed fact that we today have the
confidence OF the best class Of people
that comprises the population Of the ter
ritory in which we circulate this paper
Our readers generally know that they
can place confidence In what we say con-
cerning a mans character, so much so
nee this hard-earned reputation, a repu-
tation that Is not acquired in a day, by
endorsing TO the voters OF this State a
man who is morally and mentally unfit
to occupy any ONCE In the gift OF the
people And in view OF the stand that
we have always taken for the election Of
clean men. we feel that we to-day have
the right to ask that every man who
~ q all II. t,Ia IA
conndknce IN what we say. even though
the two thousand persons who today re-
ceive the paper for the FIRST time have
never before seen a copy
within the last two weeks we have
spont cohsiderabe time and have been
to considerable expense 70 look up Mr..
Davis real record and reputation in the
town where he has spent practically all
his existence. We have interviewed
men OF opposite political belief, but men
who know Mr. Davis from childhood; we
have looked up his reputation as a law
yer: we have seen and gotten opinions
from judges Of the State before whom he
has plead cases; we have looked mp his
position in the local option election last
year: in fact. we have left no stone un-
t1rned to get the real facts Of the case
IN order that we night imparually Inn
part them 10 our readers, with the belief
that justice and right viii prevail. We
could not afford TO have endorsed his
candidacy without first having investi-
gated the reports concerning him; nor
could we In justice 10 him have refused
a. support him without frst investigat-
ing his record from an impartial stand
point For we may say right here that
we were not acquainted with him. had
never seen him, and had heard very lit
tie OF him until the Republican state
Convention was held in Dover on August
18th And II is TO state the facts as We
found them that we today devote per
ton Of our editorial page.
~AlleRation No a, that Nc Davis =
morally depravedN We have found that
mentally he is considered as being on'
OF the brightest men at the Dover tar
end in the natural sense Of things ?
man mentally bright cannot be consid
erei as being OF such low mentality a
70 be morally depcaved. For we all know
that II is only men of low mertal "a
r1csty and cunning who are conH iere,
mora lly low. An investigation Of hir so
cial standing revealed the fact that he a
admitted TO the homes Of the very bes
class OF people in Dover and elsewhere
and is and has always been on the friend
lest terms with the best society wher
ever he is known. Does not common
judgment upon the part Of any un