Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-15
Republican Harmony.

Nh3iru6n ItnSpn tl Tue
State Central Committee. in his selection
of Harmony committee" 10 arrange
for a union of the two factions of the
party. has given the Independents thc
larger end of the committee. II is an
independent committee in majority.
Whether this will make any material
difference in the harmony arrangements
remains TO be seen. The Independents
have made their purpose plainly known
in advance. They have given it out
chat there viii bc no more tolerance of
such rascality and corruption at primary
contests Of the Republican party as the
Organization was guilty of two years ago.
They say all they want is :, fair and honest
expression of the voters Of the Republican
party st the primary polls
To this proposition there should be no
objection But the Organization has been
80 accustomed 10 running primary con-
tests with high hand. and doing any
kind Of rascallv work necessary 10 the
serving of It's ends. that ii may be doubtful
II viii CONSENT ~ pS EtOd uuAhtk tthS
campaign: even in the face of Threatened
revolt by the independents it should insist
unon being crooked and treacherouS And
Judging by what the lndcpendentS did
at the last election, they will net hesitate
to again administer punitive punishment
10 the Organization should il oncr moro
refuse To play square
However. IL remains Go lie 81, IA what
the harmony committee appointed by
Chairman Benson Of the Republican
State Central COMMITTEE may do Il
has been called to meet in this city on
Friday next. and may 10 some thing or
nothing. Il docs not appear, at this time.
that it can do anything more han ar
range for party primaries 10 bc conducted
on a fair basis. and 10 be determined by
The votes OF q majority Fl the Republican
party One thing Is certain. aud that is
4he independents viii he satisfied with
nothing less
The Dover Index seems - be very
doubtful about anything resulting from
the harmony movement. The machine
faction OF the Republican party. il says
meaning the familiar old Organization
talks of majority rule because SO far it
has. by its methods. been or was able
10 make itself appear thc majority, il
is accused by tho leader Of the other fac
tion OF working III thc interest oi q few
individuals at the expense oI thc voters
and the interest 81 he nation. Il might
bc SAID that il belongs - ono or q few
individuals, and that ii ITS plans for
control the voters may 90 hang u hen .
party Is dependent Tor lis success. NOT I
On the approval oi the voters. but on the
l,ochetbo OF ono or two individuals.
why consult the voters This sort Of
thing has been the rule in Republican
politics in Delaware for quarter OF a |
century. Has the time come when Re |
publican voters are to be consulted? |
We doubt it On the other hand, i this |
faction to be called down by the faction |
naries but refused TO be bound by the i
majority? True. it may be said that
those primaries in many places were so
and controlled and so fraudulent |
that they should not be binding but |
did not the independents well know that |
such methods were common in Republican
politics? Ii the Republican party in |
Delaware submits TO dictation from the
l. =.
been scared, not because II has reformed
II will hope TO have majority, or il IL Is
compelled TO seem TO submit, 1t will be but
TO come back In control later There are
many tricks IN Republican politics, one
II which is when by high handed methods
the party has come into disrepute, 10
uut on a piOus mask, pretend humility,
put up q candidate Of sham virtue and
pol the voters. Ii there is harmony
among Delaware Republicans this year it
slll be the sort that carries guns in pockets
md knives in belts"
Possibly this is a fair presentation Of the
situation. That the Organization has
,een all the Dover Index says it has been
Il not doubted Whether it can even
'retend to be good, for the purpose of
'aving itself from q drubbing by the
remains TO be seen.
Meanwhile, the opportunity Of the
Democratic party is plain It is To advo-
.nte good policies, nominate good candi-
lates, and ask the people for their sup
rort. Doing this, if will have fine op-
1ortunity Of carrying the State at the
november election