Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-08
WEDNESDAY. MAY =. 1918
Can II BE a Final Burial

The Delaware Leader "f Laurel.
Republican paper, Is decidedly optimistic
in respect Of the pt ohah'llty OF thorough
harmony in the Kcpubfcan party q
Delaware this wear \lrcady Il secs TN"
tuo hostile factions the old organIza-
non and the new independents march
ING together IN solid ARRAY, with cnthu-
sla>m ana good feeling I" an old-iime
victory at tho election next November
K,it IN The cxubcranco Of IT'S optimism,
tins Republican organ. possibly IN cntu"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. NAL cs a very important
admission Republicans u Delaware a> 2
unit arr pleased with The harmony plan
and It's DEVELOPMENT Il SAYS. Cdlt"raHN,
IN It's current issue III Is the tnai buriai
Of fraud in Republican politics. and inc
coming of the era Of honesty IN poi'i'ai
ranks. with no one man having per
sonal ambition satisfied.
How refreshing IS the conicssi"n r"n-
tanned IN tins huovant prediction "i 2
Republican party n Delaware puu'trd
hv harmony III dan gone tn whom
charges Of corruption and fraud were
hurled against tho old Organization ~
ID the election 81 1916 IL, entire Rrruh-
hcan party Of Delaware TT" lcadcrS
made indignant dcnlaI and loudly lratCd
about thclr absolute honesty and the
thorough cleanliness ~ thor political
yarn,, Even positive proof. like that
winch VA, afforded hy the famous Lingo
check for $3.50. which icll ,nto the hands
OF Democratic Lingo, instead q thc
Republican Lingo 81 The same naHc t"r
whom it Was intended. failed to shake Z b"
complacency and chccknc~S 81 thcir
dcniaIs
The people. however. wcrc Well awar"
Of the fraud AMI corruption that wcrc
practiccd l,v the old Republican oTgam-
cation fir~s. to rctaIn rs control nt the
party and make rs own nominations,
and then IL carry the election mainly
through ihc brute force 81 money md
bv these means the old Organization con
tinIlcd ii, >ucc,.>~tul rctgu. his overriding
al tho real voice 81 thc voters % pc.a-
ware bv fraud ana corruption tnul The
Independent, Republican revolt Y the
1916 campaign defeated its main object
and left IT to,.ndcrIng N confusiot after
the verdict ii the voters had been rc-
corded
tnd We are now todd by Republican,
organ that parts harmony which Il
80 he brought about iv the analgana-
ION Of tins corrupt clement of Delaware
Rcpuhlicanl-m with the agency that land
It m the du>, II the last election vii
result III tho FINAL hurI 81 fraud N
Republican politics But. can such
Things he p. Can the Old Organization.
merely hy aualcamauon WITH the In
dependent faction. clear itself OF IT. eHiI
tendencies and refrain from IFS base prac-
,icc~ tan tho Ethiopian change has
ism ~ the leopard his spots
II j. very doubtful. a> doubtful Is the
assumption tba, Republican harmony
IN Delaware is an assured fact today The
.4tualganntion has not YET been consuin-
mated No matter what preliminary az
engagements may bc under way or ma!
have been effected hu> far, the great
test Of common primaries i Vet 81 hc met
Il : not Vet assured that the lndepend-
EMS would accept the verdict OF an Or
ganlzaton triumph at common pr
mares. or that tie Organization woulC
.5ccep, the result Of an Independent
victory
And 50 the situation IS sui open, viii
thorough Republican harmony yet Z
be achieved Il may come to pass. ia /
way. but il all probability It viii be har
mony on the surface only, with deeI
bitterness lurking underneath. Mean
while, no matter what may be the resul
Of the harmony pourparlers, the fac
stands forth that the corruption anC
fraud Of the Republican party under Or
ganization domination, so openly charged
and so conclusively proved IN the past
Is now admitted by Republican papers
apparently without the slightest twlnge
Of conscience, and certainly without I
word Of condemnation
Is there any probability, therefore, tina
an even apparently united Republican
party would be free Of the curse Of frau'
and corruption at the election this year