Evening journal., 1910-10-31
MONDAY, OCT. 81. 1910
DIPPING INTO THE PAST.

a THE campaign is drawing 10 a close II be-
n comes more noticeable than ever that the
purpose OF the Democrats is to try to secure con-
troll of the State, using as their chief argument
that the Republicans in the past have illegally
employed money 10 influence votes and that they
intend TO do so at the coming election. We have
vet T., find a Republican newspaoe~ 10 condone
the violation of the election laws regards the
purchase of votes. OF course the violation os cleo
zion laws cannot be defended in any respectable
manner. Unfortunately politics of every descrip-
ton is Toe often besmrched by tactics which have
not the approval of decent and respectable citi-
zens or those who try 10 be such. Among large
clement Of citizens who endeavoF 70 he decent
and respectable there is still a strong aversion to
politics.
But the point trying TO be made by the oppo-
nents Of the Republicans is that their party has
been clear Of the evils for which they denounce
the Republicans And yet this is far from the
truth. Democrats themselves admit that eorrup-
ton was practiced by them in the past. And il
is known that if the Democrats in the lower coun-
ties in the days gone by, the evils of which
we hope will never return, did not use as much
money as the Republicans we're alleged 10 have
used il was not because of any moral political
superiority but simply because they did not have
The money to use. The Democrats would have had
no compunctons against using money if they had
iad it,
Various lists of figures have been given of the
alleged huge sums employed in previous
paigns. We have way Of finding out the
amounts. Probably the sums greatly eyag-
gerated The Democrats are regretting that the
statutes of limitations prevent the punishment of
those whom they think guilty of improperly en-
ployng money. But the statutes of limitations
do not prevent the Democrats from making an
expose Of the facts if they have them at hand But
even should there be such a statement, DO not
that it would have material bearing on the
coming election Certain il is, if We arc to have
Gle fO do &c IN ff,e
of money at the coming election and not only
to prevent the use of money but TO bak If pos
sble, all other contemplated schemes Of irregular
ities or frauds. AS we have said there is a we'll
grounded suspicion that in some Of the Democratic
districts Of this city the voting lists have been
heavily padded.
II the Democrats 90 back and rake up The re-
cords Of the alleged of money by the Re
publicans, it is just and proper that the Repubi-
cans should dip into the past and touch upon
other records. The Middletown Transcript very per-
tinenty recalls the times of intense partisan feel
ing in Delaware and of the niquites practiced to-
wards the Republicans Ii recalls that in this city
Republicans we're illegally disfranchised that out
ragged citizens once chased tax collector Demo
cratic tax collector who has again become prom
nent in the party because that collector refused
10 permit Republican voters to pay their taxes
And il might have added that such scenes wer,
common in Wilmington-that the politics of tina
day was continual struggle the part of th
Republicans TO secure their right to vote-tha
elections we're not decided on the free expression
of the people, but that they we're decided on tn
fact of how many Republican voters could be pre-
vented from qualifying so that they could cas-
their ballots
There was little or no discussion of any othe
issue of Importance. Young men who have latel
come upon the stage know of these things only a
they are told. They know not through persona
experience of the troubles under which Repub
cans suffered because of manipulation of the eleS
ton machinery by the Democrats when in power
And there is hardly district in the State that tn
same outrages those inflicted in wilmineto
we're not practced. II is these things that sti
Republicans, who know the history Of the Demo
cratic party in Delaware, TO resentment and a,
ton. They know that as a result of Republca
agitation we have a free ballot and fair coun
They know that as result Of this agitation IN
causes of the turmoil that Delaware once had i
her politics have been removed. They are su:
picious that return of the Democrats TO powe
would mean attempt to revive methods whic
were the cause of SO much bitter feeling and an
fagonism They know that the Democratic claim
OF purity and rectitude are in the main hypocriti
cal pretenses that must be taken with bushe
OF salt
The Journal would much prefer TO let bygones
be bygones to consider the present and the future
and not the dead past, TO express its opinions
upon the platforms as presented by the two par