Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-07
Democratic Primaries.

This afternoon the primary elcchoh
of the Democratic party of New Castle
county is being held, and it is quite an
interesting event II involves the cleo
tion of delegates to the Democratic State
Convention to he held at Dover, next
Tuesday, and the nomination OF candi-
dates for recorder Of deeds, register of
wills sheriff and coroner of candidates
for State Senator in the Flrst, Third
Fifth and Seventh Senatorial districts
Of candidate for Representative in the
General Assembly from each OF the fifteen
districts of the county: of candidates for
levy Court Commissioner IN the Second,
Fourth and Sixth districts; and OF candl-
dates for county assessors and inspectors
OF election
The chief interest in this primary
contest IS in the election Of delegates to
the Democratic State Convention, at
which candidates for United States
Senator and Representative m Congress
VIII bc nominated This special interest
is due to a certain amount of opposition
10 the rcnomination OF Senator Willard
salisbury, whose term will expire on
March 5 next. but what extent tins OPP
position may reach is problematical.
The Senator is trongly aided by the
influence Of the Wilson administration
To the rcnomination of Representative
in Congress Alfred T. Polk there IS no
opposition whatever lie viii be re-
nominated IN accordance with a time
honored Democratic custom, seldom dc
parted from, and, in addition, by reason
of his ability and popularity, and Of
record OF effective Service IN Congress
seldom accomplished by a Representative
during his first term.
The local contests are not Of unusual
moment, the most important beng for
nominations 10 the General Assembly in
districts that afford Democrats good
chance OF winning at the election, and
the nominations for district Offices Of
like character 80 Tar as the general
county nominations are concerned, New
Castle county has been Republican for
such a long time that there Is no occasion
for Democratic fighting for these selec-
tions. Still, there is no telling what may
happen at this years election.
II Will be seen from this summary that
the Democrats viii complete all their
primary work At todays election With
the Republicans it is different They
held one primary contest merely for the
election of delegates to the Republican
State Convention held on August -. and
next Saturday viii hold another primary
election for the choice Of candidates for the
places covered By the Democratic pm
mares this afternoon, as above enumerat-
ed There was no sound reason for thus
holding two primaries where one would
have answered all purposes. except the
pleasure and convenience OF the managers
Of the Republican party. And as the
costs of the primary elections are paid by
funds from the county treasury, con-
venience counted far more with these
Republican managers than the interests Of
the public And 50 the taxpayers Of
New Castle county, already burdened by
heavy taxes and extravagant expendl-
lures, will have to bear the waste Of
money involved in the holding of two
Republican primary elections when one
would have answered all party purposes
completely. But what do the Influences
that have long controlled the Republican
party Of Delaware etther the old Or
ganIzation OF the New Dispense ton now
in the saddle-care for the interests ol
the people? Factional interests are ever
first with them