Evening journal., 1911-05-10
MAYOR DUBS HARMONY
PLAN "UNDEMOCRATiC"

slider IL 2 patriotic and party duty to
do all I can TO avert the party and
governmental disaster that is sure TO
follow such a course.
Besides. what right have We. as
three members Of a political party, to
usurp the functions Of the whole body
Of the Democratic voters and under
take to name six persons who. to-
gether with the chairman Of the City
Committee. lis to select a candidate for
Mayor" II the Democratic party would
submit TO such procedure then ] have
failed TO comprehend the temper and
manhood OF It's individual members. In
fact would expect the party to feel
insulted and proceed at once to re-
pudiste the usurpation and register its
disapproval Of such self-appointed
guardianship.
II have written-in this frank and
positive manner because Of the deep
interest have in the triumph OF the
Democratic party as an agency Of
popular self-government which is TO
me much more to be desired than any
mere personal success that may come
TO me
Therefore. for the foregoing rea-
sons, I must decline to participate in
the proposed programme.
with assurances of my personal re-
CARDS, ] am,
Very truly yours,
-. Harvey Spruance."
Mr. Peningtons reply to Mayor
! Spruances letter is as follows:
/ Honorable '. Harvey Spruance, Will
mington. Delaware.
Dear Sir. am in receipt OF yours
dated the 9Th instant which. however
does not appear 20 have been mailed
at the Wilmington Postoffice until
yesterday, the 9TH instant, at $50
p. m.
am very much surprised 10 note
/ that you decline my proposition upon
the grounds that IL is undemocratic
especially I'm view of the fact that
/ the first proposition of this sort
which was made in the present con-
/ test. came directly from you, and was
not nearly so broad nor, to my mind,
so fair az my proposition. Your
proposition was that each of the can
/ didates appoint five friends for the
purpose OF considering the advisable
/ ity Of the withdrawal Of the present
candidates. with the understanding.
however, that Mr.. Dubell and myself
should withdraw and thus be elimi-
mated, but that your name should not
be eliminated from the consideration
Of the committee. / make this state
ment advisedly. after having confirm
ed the correctness of the same.
| am unable to persuade myself
that the propositioH-mad by me is I'm
any sense undemocratic. As mat
ter Of fact. II was made with a view
of promoting harmony in the party.
] am perfectly willing to stand back
of my proposition, as well as my
record for Democracy.
Yours truly,
Robert Pennington.
Mr.. Pennington stated that in fair
ness 10 Or. Spruance. the recollection
of one Of the members of the COM
mittee is somewhat different from tho
statement contained in the foregoing
letter. but the proposition in effect
was as stated
THE proposition which DR. Spru-
ance originally made was accepted by
me- said Mr.. Pennington, twas re-
! iected by Mr.. Dubell, and when the
committee went back to Or. Spruance
\ he withdrew his proposition"
\ 10 appears that the Democratic City
I Committee had appointed a sub-com-
mittee TO confer with the different
candidates and try 20 reach some
compromise that would avert bitter
fight at the primaries This commit
tee conferred with the different candi-
dates, but was Unable TO persuade
them 10 withdraw Mr. Pennington
Yesterday voluntarily withdrew from
the contest