Evening journal., 1910-12-20
BAYARD REPLIES
TO LEWIS LETTER
Democratic State Chairman
Would Have Bribery
Gossip PrObed

Thomas +. Bayard, chairman Of the
Democratic State Central Committee,
to-day sent TO Thomas S. Lewis, sec
retary Of the Republican State Central
Committee. the following letter, which
explains itself:
Wilmington. Del, Dec. 20, 1910.
Thomas 5. Lewis, Secretary Republic
can State Central Committee, Will
mington, Delaware.
Dear Sir: In the Morning News of
the 18th inst. and THE EVENING
JOURNAL OF the 10th inst. you, as
secretary OF the Republican State
Committee, in paid advertisements,
undertake TO arraign the Democratic
Organization In this State at the Bar
Of Public Opinion, on some seventeen
charges.
Il so happens that | have the honor
TO be chairman Of the Democratic
State Central Committee, and on be-
half OF that committee as representing
the Democratic party I'm this State, |
absolutely deny all the insinuations
and charges made in your above men
Observation-Disclosures. And further than
that, If II should happen that ! am
ignorant OF the facts which you
charge to be true, and you are able
to produce proof at the proper time
and place to substantiate your
charges. ! will be glad to lend you
every assistance in my power TO see
to it that no guilty party shall escape,
no matter what his politics may be.
In the last paragraph in your publi-
cations above referred to, you state,
ut Is one thing TO make charges; IL
Is quite another thing 10 substantiate
them You, sir. have, as | have above
noted. made some seventeen charges
against the Democratic Organization
aud yet YOU offer not one word to
| prove the truth OF them. I'm this con-
nection. I want TO make two sugges-
tons 10 you, I'm order that you may
demonstrate your good faith, If so be
II your charges were made I'm good
faith, to the people in this State.
First You have every reason TO
know that the services of the attorney
general are at your command If you
will bring to his attention any infrac-
tion of the law, no matter whether
that infraction be of the laws per-
tanning TO elections or otherwise; and
from the conduct of the present at
tOrney general since he has assumed
Office, there can be no doubt I'm the
minds Of any of the citizens of this
State, but that he will do his full duty,
and that the parties whom you charge
with infractions of the laws of this
State, Will, If proved guilty. be pun
ished.
Second. The Republican party of
whose State Organization you are the
secretary, will have a majority in
both Houses Of the next Assembly,
and II will therefore be in their power
to pass such legislation that a fair
and thorough investigation may be
made OF all the charges you have
publicly made against the Democratic
Organizatuh.
II you are honestly In earnest in
making the charges have above re-
ferred 10, both you and the Republican
party which you represented wher
you published these charges, are in
duty bound TO pursue one of the two
or both of the courses which l have
above presented to you. And let me
assure you that the Democratic State
Central Committee, as representing
the Democratic party in this State
will welcome and assist you and your
party I'm putting an end to the In
fractions of the election laws. no mat
ter by whom the same have beer
made.
Very truly yours,
Thomas +. Bayard.
Chairman. Democratic State Contra
| COmmittee