Evening journal., 1911-04-04
DEMOCRATS
In A TANGLE
Followers Of MIR. English and
MIR. Ford Don't Like the
Mayors "TurR Down"
DEFICIT AND "FORDLAND"
BURDENS TO CARRY, TOO

Wilmington Democrats are involved !
in the biggest kind of a wrangle |
among themselves as they approach
the city election of June. and the dif-
ferences are such that the sting prob
ably will be carried all the way
through the campaign and cause many
men of that party to "lay down. The
latest troubles have come because of
the "turn-down" of James J. English
for appointment as Street and Sewer
Director. to which place Matthew ID.
Murphy was appointed. Friends of
Mr.. English are sore, and they do not
hesitate to say SO Mr.. English him
self says he has no feeling over his
turn-down. but his friends are not so
easily reconciled. Not that there is
any personal objection 10 Mr. Murphy
on their part. but they feel that Mr..
English should have had the place be-
cause of the strength of his backing,
and the services he rendered during
the campaign two years ago, when he
was City Chairman and at the head
of the organization that elected Mayor
Spruance and the Democratic Council.
Mr.. English had the backing of many
Democratic workers from each ward
I'm addition to other influential Demo-
Gratis, but It seems that the supporters
of Mr. Murphy, who. also were many
had more influence with Mayor Spru-
Rnce
Ford Followers Active.
There is still another factor to be
reckoned with in the Democratic sit
uation, he being Peter j. Ford, who
was spoken Of frequently for the
Street and Sewer Department ap-
pointment and who was urged for
that place by many Democrats Mr..
Ford all along has been regarded as
one of the chief advisers of the pres
ent administration, and particularly
a friend of Mayor Spruance 1t was
said to be due to the influence Of Mr..
Ford that John w. Brady was ap-
pointed City Solicitor by Mayor Spru-
ance. for which position he was slated
sometime hefa~" The appointment was
made.
Now that Mayor Spruance has an
nounced his candidacy for a second
term merry time is looked for.
With the Ford followers sore
against the Mayor, he can expect op-
position from that quarter. and It was
reported today that the Ford followers
are behind the plan to bring Robert
Pennington. a well known lawyer, to
the front as a candidate for the
Mayoralty nomination. This means
hard shedding for the Mayors cam
paign for a second term. The friends
of Mr.. English cannot be expected TO
show much enthusiasm for the
Mayors second term aspirations.
Democrats Have a Burden.
With the trouble stirred up over the
Street and Sewer Department appoint
ment to split their forces. the Demo-
Gratis also have the burden of a big
deficit in the present City Council
and the "Fordland" playground deal
to carry through the campaign with
them. The present Council is con-
fronted with a prospective deficit of
anywhere from $4,000 to $4,000, &C
cording to how plausibly the figures
ore presented, and they are hoping 70
smother this deficit by temporarily
wiping IL out with a bond issue or
with a loan to be contracted. The
Republicans. however. do not propose
TO let the Democratic deficit be ex-
tinguished that easily, as they will
point to it as merely another evi-
dence Of the oft-repeated assertion
that the Democrats cannot make
financial ends meet when they are IN
power.
The "Fordland" playground deal
will come to the front as one Of tht
issues of the campaign, to show how
the Democratic Council paid Peter J
Ford the very high price Of S20,00'
for a tract of land partly in and
partly out of the city for playground
purposes.
Council had hoped to be reimbursed
for the $4,000 paid for playground
out of a bond issue for the Park Com
mission, and In this connection an In
teresting point has developed. Th'
Park Board bond issue law provide
that none Of the money shall be ex
pended for land outside the corporal
limits of Wilmington. Part of Ford
land" is outside the city limits. an
therefore that part legally could not b
paid for out of the Park Board bon
issue, but Council will ask for tn
full amount on the ground that tn
aand already was paid for prior {
enactment Of the new law.