Newark post., 1914-01-14
Saulsbury's
Measure
Junior Senator Of Short Stature
According To Sussex
Republican

If newspaper reports are true,
the new Democratic Senator from
Delaware has not been made mag
unanimous by his elevation to the
Senate.
Right in the midst of the Christ
mas holidays, when all men are sup
posed to be somewhat influenced
by the season of giving, and to al
low even a tender feeling for their
worst enemies to diffuse their heart,
and in retrospect, disposed to undo
the wrongs and mistakes of the past
year that the new one may be en-
tered upon with a clean slate and
less-scarred conscience, comes
the news that Willard Salisbury
has refused to permit the powers at
Washington, led by Secretary
Bryan. to bestow upon L. Irving
Handy, Christmas present-a luc-
rative office at Washington.
That is Bourbonism with a ven
geance. and. if true, takes the full
measure of the junior Senator as
a man and as a political leader.
We have no particular interest in
the matter, except we do like to
see a square deal. If the story be
true, we centure the statement
that Handy has more friends now
than he ever had in the past.
In season and out of season. in
he State and outside the State. his
voice has been heard in behalf of
Democracy. and it is an eloquent
voice, too. He is always i'll demand
as a spell-binder. and many is the
dying Democratic spark he has
famed into new life by his elo-
quence. Such service demands re-
cognition and reward. We believe
it has been unselfsh. Ii he has as
pired to political recognition in the
way of nomination or elevation to
office he had a right to. Such as
piration or effort in that behalf has
not hurt his party. nor has it hurt
Salisbury. as appears from Demo
cratic success and a Democratic
Senator. And. as for this success,
Handy deserves as much credit as
the man who got his plum and now
refuses Handy his.
Handy was elected TO Congress
some years ago, because of Repubi-
can division, and Willard Sauls-
bury now sits in the Senate, not be-
cause of any political prowess or
astuteneSs of his own, but because
of the lack of it in the Republican
party. which brought about the
break in the Republican ranks last
election.
We cannot imagine a reason for
such action. unless it is purely per-
sonal. Such a position Salisbury
could not have secured for any
other Delawarean. He would have
placed Handy under obligation to
himself and removed one of the
biggest obstacles to a successful
leadership in his party in this State
Salisbury. of course, has his
hands full with the crowd of Demo
cratic office seekers. but it is part
of the job and he knew it when he
has been chasing the self-same job
himself, for many, many years.
Salisbury needs to be careful. A
like mistake by a distinguished Re-
publican Senator and leader, twen-
ty years ago, prevented the eleva-
ton of a distinguished Delawarean
to the United States Supreme
Bench. and intensified a personal
feeling that paved a way for the
advent of Addicks and the unfor-
tunate Republican party exper-
ience which followed.
The history of political parties is
full of like incidents of personal
feeling playing havoc with parties
Such exhibitions measure men S
limitations.
Sussex Republican.