Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-27
WORDS OF PRAISE
FOR R. G. HOUSTON
Writer, Reviewing His History
Compliments Him for
Being Consistent.

The following letter, which speaks for
itself, was made public today: -,
Robert c.. Houston, Esq, Editor OF Inc
Sussex Republican,, Georgetown, Del.
Dear Mr.. Houston: As one who has
fought many political battles with you,
and sometimes disagreed on minor ques-
tions. | wish to voice my admiration be-
cause Won have not swerved from the
path Of decencv and independence which
YOU have 50 long tried to follow. l know
that since YOU refuse TO give the present
political machine your unquailiied m
dorsement YOU are denounced rs a sore
head and it will be said that you are
dispr,ntled, but at least you can preserve
YOUR self-reSpect, ana IN TINS you VIII oe
one of the few exceptions.
The effect of blood and traditions lasts
from generation TO generation; and when
| see YOU from campaign to campaign
standing. erect and independent, scorniug
to favor for favor, | think of Your uncle,
Judge Houston, who dared look any man
in the face and express his opinion. SO In
YOUR present attitude. YOU may be lone
some, but you are playing that part more
OF us must play If Delaware is to be
honorcd and respected. politically rs we'll
as induStrIally.
You came actively into Delaware
politics about the time John Edward
Addicks decided to brlbc the State 10
send him to lc Senate. ou threw your
self into 1T with all the zeal ot your young
manhood. You knew tic people, and II
soon became manifest that YOU possessed
great political a~tutcncSs As the wears
passed know al efforts to buy Your pen
and vour inference You have had I'M
portant Offices danglcd before your eyes
to be made "A Congressman, a Judge and
perhaps |. :. Senator.
But YOU repudlated AddIcks from the
beginning. and allied yourself with the
Regular forces, headed by Col. Henry \.
d, Poilt, and for wears helped to put up
one of the greatest lights IN our political
history. You fought this battle through
10 victory to dislllusionment- No
man was closer politically to Henry \.
du Pont during these years \ lour time
and Your ability were at his command,
without reward or the expectation OF
reward You stuck to your guns, suffered
the ill-will Of lifetime associates, gave
Your efforts to the cause without COM
pensation, while all around you the
petty leaders were building homes and
buying farms out Of the Addlcks cam
paign chest.
Anu IItf1 ttilit q NiitH Npht i'SNtA'
had been crowned with victory and your
high purpose justified Addicks was per
manently out OF IT and Henry A du Pont
was in it. Then where did YOU stand?
You were given Job that meant nothing
to YOU financially, collector of the port
of Wilmington. 1t was limited TO YOU that
thus any obligation to YOU was disposed
of Your advice from that time forward
was not sought You were not consulted,
but told what to do.
L. Coleman du Pont was put in charge
of the destinies of the party He drew to
his side as leaders those men you had
iayed for proven venality. The old
du Pont organization took over the
Addicks machinery and asked the Regu
lars to play seconday rule, TO hight under
the leadership of those they had desplsed.
Ii was then that YOU, with many Others,
were disillusioned. Your idol had feet
OF CLAW. You had been 2 useful tool:
but now you were 10 be replaced with
other tools That YOU found was the attl-
tude of the man you had served for
wears with all your zeal and enthusiasm
You had lived to see Addicks leaders
become the enthusiastic supporters OF
Henry A. du Pont; and their reward
came swiftly. One of them was made
Congressman and another governor: and
al down the line they filled the State. and
county offices You were "Sore-hcad
then. too; you hadn't been adept al
bargaining You held your head too
high: YOU would not submit it TO the
yoke
Then came the campaign OF 1912.
Henry s. du Pont told you and other
Republicans " hat YOU were to do in the
matter OF nominating delegates, and the
candidates they were TO support were
specified.
1t was al this time that q new factor
came into Republican politics IN Della
uare-another du Pont. This time II
was Alfred l. His advent was welcomed
by the rank and file throughout the state
The indifferent element hoped that 1t
might result in better leadership; the
grafters already suspected II would simply
offer another source for their grating.
Anyway, Alfred /. du Pont went TO the
convention and supported Mr.. Roosevelt
for the Presidential nomination. -
In the campaign which ensued YOU,
lir Houston, allied yourself with the |
Progressives. But IN this campaign
Alfred l. du Pont took no part: but i
Coleman du Pout did As Republican
National Committeeman he tried 10 safe
guard the interests OF the party IN Della (
ware by sacri .cing the electoral vote TO
that end He was the principal factor IN
organizing and keeping alive the National