Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-05
Willard Salisbury Center
Of a Political Hodge
Podge
DIVIDED FOES A FACTOR
Lack of Cohesion Among OPP
ponents an Element in
Senator's Favor

BY n Std6 Correspondent
WILMINGTON, Del. Dec.

WILMlNGTON, Del, Dec D.
To state the number of the political
elements that will effect in greater or
lessAdegree Senator Willard Saulsbury's
fight for Democratic denomination and
reelection as United States senator
from Delaware is as difficult as stating
the constituents of war hash. That
means It is impossible. for even peace
hash has baffled all but spoonful of
the worlds greatest experts.
Some of the elements are known;
however. though anybodys guess Is as
good as the next ones as to the number
of cubic feet of ice they will cut.
We know, in the first place, that all
Senator Saulsbury's opponents will so
!.cit the support of such disappointed
place-seekers as cannot he induced to
forgive the Senator before the conven-
ton This support ought to be some
what divided among those opporents,
which will make 1t better for the Sena-
tor than It would be if only one man
was to contest his denomination.
The big fight will he on the floor of
the convention at Dover, which will be
held some time in September. 1918 Del
esates to the convention will be chosen
Mt the primary late in August or In
September--but the delegates. will not
.e pledged. The primary will really
decide nothing The delegates may go
to Dover wanting to name one man and
they may vote for somebody else. All
will depend on how they feel when they
get to Dover. how strong the various
candidates are and how much pressure
can he brought to bear on betalf of
this man and that.
There will be some nominations to he
made for other offices and there may b.
some ffading back and forth What
this may develop SO far as the senator
ship is concerned nobody knows. for all
is quiet so far regarding the state Of
fees
WOLCOTTS ATTITUDE
There are all sorts of runners to the
effect that friends of Josiah Q. Wolcott
a Democrat, Junior Senator from Della
ware, will he against Saulsbury's re-
nomination. Wolcott refuses to make any
statement. but his friends say there is
no, movement by Wolcott's friends as
such to defeat salisbury. They DOM
deny that some individuals who sup
ported Wolcott last year when he was
nominated and elected will be against
salisbury. but they say others will tt
for the senior Senator. So far as Seha'
tor wolcott is concerned. they say, he
will keen his hands off. just as Sena 'oi
SALISBURY kept his hands off the primary
fight in which Wolcott triumphed.
still the rumurs persist that ma
iority of WoIcytt's important politca
frientl., will be for somebody other thar
Salisbury,
The runner is SO persistent that 4
has even been mentioned to WoIGott
half a dozen meil--Wocott among then
happened to be in Senator salisbury
office one day recently and quite natural
~ the conversation turned to the com
ing senatorial nomination. Whereupon
somebody said to Wolcott iT substance
40, ! hope you are not going to hgh
willard for renominationE
Wolcott was offended. He said tn
question was uncalled for. There was n
reason to suppose he would hght Sauls
bury. he said and the question was Il
effect an accusation.
still. lot of people say most of tn
wolcott men viii be against the senio
Senator. Even though Senator Wolcot
himself may disapprove, the friends VIII
successfully campaigned for HIM, prou
of one victory. may pick man and stai
out to gain another They are mostl
young men, and when young ma
begins to feel his power he likes to e>
tend it, That's natural II you felt tina
you had made one man in Delaware O
any other State a Senator, wouldn't 70
kind of itch to make another one
Senator?
Inere uSeu 10 be Iot "a BoliNiSs
fighting between the salisbury and Wo
colt families That was in a previou
generation.
Senator Saulsbury'G father Willar
held high political places in the Stat'
and so did the Senator's uncles, Grow
and Eli. Senator Wolcotts father. jaime
J.. WoIcott, was once Chancellor of III
State, as was once Senator salisbury
father.
And the N-olcotts and the Saulsbur!
never were on the same political sid
Senator Salisbury once successfully ol
posed James l.. Wolcotts appointmeI
as United States District Judge, an
Judge Bradford was appointed.
When Josiah o. Wolcott loomed as
senatorial candidate, some said that II
old political enmity was not dead an
Senator Salisbury would fight Wolcot
but Senator salisbury didn't. He kel
his hands off. as he had said he woul
maintaining that one Senator had n
right to try to determine who the oths
Senator should be.
Now some say the old enmity is sti