Evening journal., 1910-06-08
Republican Outgoing Of.
ficehoIders Will Have
Meeting and Announce
Their Attitude Not TO
Claim Places

II is altogether likely that there will be
no contest on the part of Republicans TO
Try TO gain possession of city offices held
by Democrats. following the court decision
of yesterday declaring invalid the law un-
der which the last city election was held
The Republicans who surrendered office
in June last will hold meeting In a few
days and it is expected they will issue a
formal statement that they have no in
tention Of trying to acquire the offices Of
Mayor and Councilmen, even though they
could make a legal claim upon the Offices.
Meanwhile tho Democratio offceholders
are awaiting developments. The Demo-
cratic Councilmen will talk the situation
over at the Council committee meeting to-
might. one of the Democratic leaders to-
day said the attitude Of the Democrats
nill be guided by what the Republicans do.
some Democrats are urging that Mayer
Spruance and the Democratic Councilmen
resign, hut 1t is hardly likely that this
will be done II would have the bowling
opposition OF the men given jobs under
The present administration.
The outcome of the situation in all preb-
ability will be that the present city Of
folals will remain in office until the end
of the terms for which they were certified
as elected.
While there is much speculation as to
the exact status of the present city ad-
ministration, the situation seems to be
as stated dn these columns yesterday.
that the present oficeholders viii continue
rs incumbents until their right to ONCE
Is questioned in the courts by quo war
rsnto proceedings. The only person who
can question the right Of an incumbent
30 Office is the predecessor Of the present
incumbent. unless tho man now in office
also was in the same office prior to June
last.
The men whose positions might be con-
tested include Mayor Spruance. President
Of Council Banning. Councilmen Demp-
aoy, Democrat, of the First ward; Coun-
Gilman Taylor, Republican. Fifth ward (;
Councilman DuRoss. Democrat. Sixth
ward. Councilman Downes. Republican,
Eighth ward; Councilman BilderbacS,
Republican, Ninth ward; Councilman Nc
Mullen. Democrat, Twelfth ward. The
other Councilmen were reelected in June
year ago. and their status would not
be affected by contest, as they would
rontinue in office by reason of being cleo
tcd ID lsvt-
Since the court has asserted that the
present officers are the officers de facto
of Wilmington there Is said TO be some
uuestion Of whether the men appointed
by Mayor Spruance and elected BY Coun-
ell in their capacity as de facto on
GERS could be ousted under QUO warranto
proceedings City Solicitor Brady. the
Board Of Health. City Auditor kurtz.
clerk Of Council McGovern, Building In
spector Cassidy, Water Commissioners
Poole and several other officers. have
been appointed by the Mayor or Council
since June of last year, and it is prob
lem with some lawyers whether they
could be affected since they were ap-
pointed bv officials now stated by the
court 10 be de facto officers, whose acts
have been validated.
should any outgoing Republican Office
holder Of the administration that ended
In June of last year decide to make a
contest by quo warranto proceedings il
nould not be done before the September
term of court, and it might be several
months before the case could be passed
upon in the Supreme Court. The terms
pf the present de facte administration