Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-20
ON CONVENTION EVE
SENATORIAL FIGHT
SEEMED STILL OPEN
Alfred I. du POnt Was on Hand,
but Did Not Issue Any
Orders.
EX-SENATOR BALL
STILL IN THE RUNNING
And is Strongly Backed in the
New Castle County
Delegation.
BOOM FOR E. c. JOHNSON

Special Dispatch by staG Correspondent
DOVER, AUG. 20
Following numerous political confer
ences. that continued long past midnight,
, II seemed mt q clock this morning. near
which time Alfred | du Pont and his
chief advisers went to Their beds. that
Republican harmony i'll Delaware was
.rarilc and would b shaft red IN the
Republican State Convention today.
With respect Ia nominations, politicians
said everything was III the AIR, and 1t
was predicted there would be a hot tune
IN the convention For the senatorial
nomination Dr Lewis liciSlcr Ball, cN-
Governor Charles Il. Miller and William
IT, Hcald were most prominently men
toned and II was stated they were Nlr
du Points preferences Some trends ot
Daniel q. Hastings howled out OF the
contest hv Mr. du Pont, were sand to have
ielped the Miller forces, and many Hast
inps men were reported rs proposing
Everett G. Johnson for the scnatorsmp.
For three hours last night Mr.. du Pont
was kept busy receiving delegates n the
hcadouarterS OF the Kent County Rc-
puhllcan Club. lie received New Castle
county. Kent and Sussex delegations IN
the order named and conferred SubSc-
nuentlv with Edward G. Bradford. Jr.
Daniel ] LAYTON, Jr. J. Frank Alice. l.
Dolphtis short, Or Ball, Isaac " Bowers
and other political lieutonants.
NONE or "oLp GANG FAVORED.
When addressing the delegations Mr
du Pont recommended the selection Of some
New Castle countian f,r the senatorial
nomination. according to Tum0r, and
sand h, preferred DR. Ball Mr. Miller
or Mr. Hcald, but would not oppose any
Republican not allied with the "oid
gang He spoke Of the Importance OF
rhe labor vote IN the Republican cam
nalrn and was reported as saying New
('aStlc county senatorial nominee would
appeal the strongest 10 the labor Gle
ment When Kent countans suggested
MIR Johnson for the nomination it was
stated he said he did not know Mr.
Johnson. never had the pleasure Of
meeting him.
"ENERYTHING IN TIE AIR
Previous to ) q oclock Yesterday after
noon but 80 politicians had registered AT
the Hotel Richardson. Republican head
quarters Many Kent countians motored
70 town. however. and mingled on
Dover's streets with Republicans from
other parts of the State
With respect to the senatorial and
other nominations It was generally ad-
mitted that everything was in the air
Interest centered in the senatorship, and
little attention was paid to other offices
TO be filled in November
There was an impression that \ New
Castle countian would receive the sena-
torial nomination but no one knew
whether the New Castle county caucus
would be allowed TO select the nominee
or the whole convention would participate
IN the selection The uncertainty con
cerning who would he privileged 10 select
the nominee prohibited predictions re-
garding the successful candidate
With many Republicans however
DR. Lewis Hcislcr Ball and William II.
Heald were senatorial favorites, and 1t
was said Alfred / du Pont preferred the
latter. II was claimed DR. Ball was
stronger than Mr. Heald in New Castle
county. and friends Of DR.. Ball thought
he would receive the senatorial noInIna-
ton if the New Castle county caucus
were accorded the selection. Advocates
OF MIR Heald declared he would be strong
or than DR.. Ball and doubtless would be
nominated il the whole convention
participated in the selection Not
wi1hstanding II was widely rlunorcd that
Mir Heald was not & candidate. IT was
stated ut anu Ii ifa1li NtlC "OlklilE
together hand and glove and DR.. Ball.
should he he eliminated bv Alfred |. du
POM or should he see ne could not be
nominated, would transfer ms delegates
10 Mr. Heald.
Some Republicans hoped there would
lie free-for-all senatorial fight on the
convention floor Sussex countians
thought that would improve Ruby r
Wales chances. and others said keep
YOUR eve senat0rally on Everett G
johnson.
HASTINGS FRIENDS RESENTFUL
In the political tide throughout the
afternoon there was an under-current
of resentment against Alfred du Pont
for eliminating Daniel O. Hastings from
the senatorial contest Kent county
Republicans. both Old Line and Inde-
pendent. asked would il be d people :
convention or d boss-governed c0nyen-
tion?" They said MIR Hastings had
pledges of support from 100 delegates
half of the New Castle county delega-
ton. all of Kent and large percentage of
Sussex independents were indignant
because Mr.. du Pont had gwen MIR Hast
ings a short, swift kick, and the old
Organization was deeply grieved Ne
groes also were greatly displeased. j
frank Alice addressing the Kent County
Republican Club last Saturday night
told why Mr. du Pont eliminated Mr..
Hastings, but the explanation increased
resentmen According to a rumor cur
rent Yesterday afternoon, Alden r. Ben
son. Republican State chairman, angered
blythe elimination Of Mr Hastings, had
back somersaulted" from the indie
pendents TO the old Organization and
refused to become q member Of the new
Republican State Central Committee
Representatives of both factions declared
Mr.. du Pont, instead Of desiring har-
lnonv, was trying to split the Republican
party wide open
REGARD HIM WITH SUSPICION
Like 'Banquos ghost" there would
not down suspicion that Alfred
du Pont prefers the denomination and
reelection OF United States Senator
Willard SALISBURY Democrat, to Re
publican success. Republicans who
thought such a ghost haunts Delaware
cited as proof thereof recent political
articles favorable 10 Mr. Salisbury,
supposed to have been inspired by MIR
au Pont. and quoted the Republican
leader rs saving last week that if a Dem
or1at we're elected Senator from Del
aware next fall he hoped that Democrat,
Il not Mr. Salisbury, would DE as strong
- he
Other Republicans said Alfred ]. du
Pont docs moi want MIR Salisbury to
continue IN the Senate, but they expressed