The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1916-03-04
THE FRANCE
CANDIDACY GROWS

The candidacy of DR.. Joseph |.
France, of Cecil county and Baltimore
City, for the Republican nomination
for United States Senator, is meeting
the approval and endorsement of
leading Republicans throughout the
State. Some days ago former Secre
tary of the Navy, Charles J. Bona
parte, the Progressive State leader
and the warm friend of Mr.. Roosevelt.
announced that if DR.. France were
nominated, the Progressives would
make no nomination against him. On
Monday of this week State Roads
Chairman O. E. Weller. who came
within a few votes of being elected
Governor last fall, on the Republican
ticket, declared he would not be a
candidate for U. S. Senator, but would
give DR.. France his hearty support.
On Wednesday of this week, Republi-
can National Committeeman, William
p, jackson, announced his decision to
"bend every effort for the nomination
and election of DR.. France" setting
forth his position in the following
written statement:
For the last two months | have been
very carefully considering the ques-
tion of the Republican party nomi-
nation for United States Senator.
During that time there have been
three avowed didates-Colonel
+. c. Darlington, X-GovernorGolds-
borough and DR.. Joseph |. France.
| mention them in the order in viii h
their announcements have been
made. | have considered this mat
ter from the viewpoint both of state
and national politics. In the first
place, | have constantly had in mind
that our party is in the minority in
this State, not hopelessly so. but,
nevertheless, minority party. 1t
is, therefore, necessary for US in
peculiar degree to nominate candi-
dates for office who will receive the
cordial support Of all the elements
in cur party. | have also had in
mind that the election of Senator
in Maryland may decide whether the
kep hiican party will control the
Senate of the SiXty-ffth Congress,
wi,h the result that this nomination
Is really matter of national con-
cern. ! am under no delusions re-
garding the fusion apparent in the
past three years. A mistake at this
time might reopen the gap as it
existed in 1912. | have, therefore,
considered the prime Importance OF
our nominating candidate who
would be acceptable to the Progress
sives and Republicans in this State,
and whose selection would be a con-
vncing indication to the National
Convention that Maryland Progress
sives and Republicans are united.
have thus slowly, but inevitably,
come to the conclusion that our par
ty should nominate DR.. France and
that |, as one deeply interested in its
welfare, should give him my out
spoken and vigorous support. He is
splcnddly equipped for the office he
is seeking. He is graduate of
Hamilton College. which was also
the alma mater of Senator Root, He
has been Il close student of public
affairs and is by conviction and
training a loyal and intelligent Re
publican. He has served with dis
tinction in the Maryland Senate. He
is able to present the issues of this
most important campaign to the
voters and should prove to be a
courageous and inspiriting leader In
the campaign. There is no reason
in the world why he should not be
acceptable to every Republican in
Maryland.
Again, | have learned. after care
fully inquiring, that he is acceptable
to the Progressive Party in Mary
land, and that on the contrary the
nomination of Ex-Governor Colds
borough would provoke opposition
from the Progressives. and would
most probably result in that party's
making a separate nomination. The
selection of Colonel Darlington
would he equally unsatisfactory to
the extremists of the o.d-line Repub
Leans.
In conclusion, believe that ma
iority of the party is already. for
DR.. France, that ne will be nomlnat-
ed overwhelmingly and that his
nomination will strengthen the
party internally by promoting har-
mony, and among the voters at large
by demonstrating, just as did the
nomination of Mr.. Weller, our abll-
ity to propose candidates OF the
highest qualifications for office
whom the friends of good govern
ment and the advocates of Repub-
.ican policies will delight to support.
Having reached this conclusion, l
shall bend every effort to bring
about his nomination and election.