Evening journal., 1910-02-01
TUESDAY, FEB. | 1910
LEGIsATIvE CANDIDATES.

II
II have been discussing very intelligently the
desirability OF having frst-class men as candi-
dates for the Legislature at the next election and
no one who wishes for good government will fail
to approve the suggestions.
The Democratic paper, however, goes out OF
its way to take fling at Senator dupont and
seems TO think that the only object the Republi-
cans will have in mind in making the nominations
will be TO select men who will vote for the re-
election of Senator dupont. AT the same time It
intmates that there are at least seven Demo
cratic aspirants for United States Senator and
their aspirations will enter into the naming OF
Democratic candidates.
Even assuming that the sole purpose OF nam-
ing Republican candidates is the reelection OF
Senator DUPONT, it does not follow that the cam
didates SO named will not be good men. We
think our contemporary would be willing to adj
NIT that the New Castle county men who have
supported Senator DUPONT in the past have been
among the very best men sent to the Lcgisla-
turc And there is no reason to think that there
will be any change in this respect
And so far as we know the Republican mem
bers will be perfectly free to make their caucus
nomination of a Senator 1t will be recalled that
the honor of an election as Senator came III
first place entirely unsought TO Senator dupont
and it may be recalled that the opportunity was
open to him TO be Senator long before he de-
cded to accept the position. Unless more seri-
GUS objection comes up than now appears on the
surface, we have no doubt that the reelection
of the Senator will be taken a matter Of
course in the event of a Republican victory.
While the Republicans may have in some in
stances difficulty in getting proper men to run
Tor the Legislature because of the aversion Of
many good men to entering politics, we think
our Democratic friends will find the problem Of
getting good men more difficult. The standard
of the Legislature during the last few years has
improved considerably. One notable thing at
the te that IN mos cneriailty
on questions outside of strictly partisan mat
ters, the members of the General Assembly have
voted as individuals. That is a good thing for
the State The fact that members do vote as
individuals emphasizes the importance of nom
mating good candidates. for the higher the STAN
dard of individual legislative membership, the
more likely are we under this system of indi-
Nidua voting to get good legislation and after
all that IS what the average citizen wants AS
we have said it looks to us as if the Democrats
would have some difficulty in getting desirable
candidates
For years the Democrats were almost down
and out, but the party got together during the
last campaign and made more aggressive fight
Mistakes OF Republicans helped them and
naturally the Democrats will enter the coming
campaign with considerable spirit.
The fact that a United States Senatorship will
be at stake is already squirting the Democrat,
aspirants who are planning to secure contro
of the members of the Legislature There will
unquestionably be fights in many of the dis
fricts and there will be little unanmity of opin
ion among the Democrats about legislative can
didates
1t will be recalled that for years the Demo
cratic organization OF the State was controlle
by the Saulsbury-Kenney combine, combin
which bore the heat and burden of many PC
tical battle. Naturally when things becom
warm the friends Of this combine will have
finger in the pie and their opponents will be ju:
as eager to control
The Democratic situation therefore. will d,
vclop into a lively scrap" and it is to be hope
in accordance with the ideas expressed bv III
papers we have alluded to, that the Democrat
factions will keep in mind the necessity Of nan
ing frst-class candidates.