Evening journal., 1910-02-22
DEMOCRATIC RUMBLINGs.


and dash of mysticism that surrounds
some of the comment on the subject, we surmise
that the Democrats are preparing for lively
struggle over the nomination of candidates for.
the Legislature The last election has encour-
aged them, and the Republicans should be on
their guard.
The Legislative districts are so arranged that
it is possible for the Republicans to carry the
State for Congress and for the State ticket, and
TO lose the Legislature. This has not happened
so far under the new constitution because the
majority for the Republicans has been so large
that it has always swept the Legislative
ticket along. At the last election the Republi-
cans carried the State for President by large
majority and they elected their State ticket by
varying majorties there was more cutting and
slashing Of tickets than ever before, but they
lost the lower House of the Legislature. The
Senate, owing to the holding members, re-
mained Republican.
1t is well for the Republicans to face these
facts and TO plan their campaign accord
ingly.
This situation has naturally made the Demo-
Gratis cheerful and while they may have little
expectation of carrying the State as a whole, of
eecting a successor to Congressman Head,
they have hopes of being able to control the Leg
isature. Therefore they are lining up candi-
dates for the Legislature.
Some of their papers arc calling upon the
Democrats to consider Legislative nominations
but such advice is not likely to be needed. For
years certain Democrats have been anxious to
go to the United States Senate and when they
even a faint chance of having their ambi-
tons realized, they arc certainly going to look
out for the Legislative candidates.
Under the system of nominating candidates in
the lower counties such nominations will be
more or less in doubt. The Legislative candi-
dates are named by delegates to the county con
ventons, a roundabout method AS said
yesterday, the Sussex Republican has come out
for the primary system of nominations for the
Republicans. and the Dover Delawarean is for
having the Democrats name their candidates ac-
cordng to the same method. Under the present
system the Senatorial asprants will find it more
difficult to get their favorites named for the
Legislature to a certainty than they would under
a primary system
But however that may be, the political pot is
beginning TO boil. The last Democratic State
Convention was practically in the hands of the
old Wolcott faction of the party, but that
perhaps because their opponents did not think
it worth while to make fight. They had borne
the heat and burden OF carrying along the party
machinery for many years when there was no
chance of victory. and they we're willing to let
the other fellows do some of the carrying. Things
will be different this year if we mistake not The
roar of battle will be heard among the Demo
Gratis in every part of the State.
Already the batteries have opened on some
cratic candidate for Senator Soon perhaps when
the newspaper seuths who have made the at
tack get the evidence for which they have been
searching for thirteen years. the fight will be car
red on in the open and not from ambush At
any rate we conjecture that it will be regular
old-time Democratic fight Such fights always
have been merry and this year promises TO be
no exception to the rule
From what has been said in various quarters
about sums of money that have been used by
Gold Democrats in the past we are led to in
quire whether there is a probability that money
will be used by these warning Democrats in an
endeavor to control the Legislative nominations
We trust that this will not be done, for there is
good reason to believe that the day of the cor
rupt use of money in Delaware is passing away
if it has not already passed
SO far as we have observed the coming battle
will be a fight between factions that represent the
old Gold Democratic element The former fol-
lowers of Colonel Bryan will be permitted to
make the usual amount of noise. They will en-
tertain the party leaders at their handsome club
house in this city. In fact, they will be "long" on
many of the adjuncts OF political campaign but
they will be "short" when it comes actually to
controlling the political situation in the party
But however all this may turn out, the Demo-
Gratis are preparing for battle more encouraged
than they have been for years, and it behooves
the Republicans to stand up and take no
!