Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-12-28
The Special Election.

The SpcetaI EseeuoH.
On ThursdAy next specanl election VIII
b held in ths Seventh Representative
District cf Sussex county-Baltimore
hundred-for . member Of the House OF
Reprcsentatives Of the General Assembly.
This special contest wns rsndercd neces-
sary By a very unusual oocurrsnce-a tie
vote for this Office At the general election
IA Novsmber between Elmer Turner,
Democrat, and W. c. Hickman. Republ-
can. according 70 the ofhoiahcount. And
by reason Of this failure to elect, the next
House Of Representatives stands IL
Dsmocr.n and IL Republicans. 80 that
political control OF the body will be de-
ssrmined by tho result OF the special cleo
ton TO be held next Thursday. Never
before, vs believe, did such political
situation prevail in our State, and 1t is
only natural there should be an intense
interest in the result among politicians
and Others.
The failure Of the Republican candidate
st the general election was great sur
pnse a. Baltimore hundred has long been
. faithful supporter of the Republican
rarty by majorities at times rising above
three hundred The majority in the dis
tric, for Presidential Electors st the No
vember election-or for two Of the three
was 59I; but the majority for the third
candidate for Eleotor, Governor Town
send, was only 307 Thi. difference shows
the bitterness Of the Republican fight
against the governor in that district, as
more than 8 hundred voters Of that party
risked losing = candidate for Presidential
klector, and possibly the Presidency itself
had the voting been close in State and
eounuy-in order 70 express their hatred.
Ths comparison a significant in explana-
Non Of the tie vote for Representative IN
thi. heavily Republican district, as Hick-
mar, the Republican nominee, was 8
candidate Of the Townsend faction, and
vss opposed as such, and also because he
was supporter Of the School law. 70 which
many voters of the district are hostile.
In view of this factional feeling, Hick-
man was induced 70 resign rs the Re-
publican candidate for Representative at
the special election. and the county COM
mittee nominated George Mitchell in his
place. But Mitchell also is said TO be with
the Townsend faction, and the cir ls full
of rumors that Republican voters Of the
Layton faction will cut him as vigorously
On Thursday as they did al the regular
election. For this reason, the result IS re-
garded as very uncertain, notwithstand-
ing the heavy Republican majority Of the
district under normal conditions. Many
Democrats express confidence that Turner
the Democratic candidate. viii be elected
which would make the next House at
Dover Democratic by a majority Of one
vote
On account Of the political Importance
Of this special election, Republican party
organs IN Sussex county are urging all the
Republican voters Of the Seventh Repre-
sentative district TO support the Republl
can nominee for Representative at the
t-4rtbltiL OD L04 1 Az AA-s1nN t-A~-4
appeals on the ground of duty 70 the party
regardless of all other considerations, sC
that both branches of the Legislature ma !
be placed under Republican control
Democrats are urging united party effort tc
elect the Democratic candidate, IN ordel
that Democratic House may operate as {
check upon partisan legislation Throughout
the next session.
While both sides are claiming victory, il
seems reasonable to look for the election
OF the Republican candidate, backed as he
10 by substantial Republican majority
and unusual reasons for maintaining
party supremacy at this time A Democrat
ic House would be of very little rea
value TO the Democratic party, so that al
MANY Democrats as Republicans may b.
lukewarn In voting
Probably the best course for the voteIl
of the district will be to pay no attention
20 partisan appeals from either side, hu
determine their attituoe and their votes by
their clear view of the interests Of tn
State and their district, and support tn,
candidate who, in their opinion, will bes
serve both II they do thus they viii hav'
done their duty, no matter what the par
tisan feature Of the verdict may be.
There have been rumors in Democratic
circles that the Republicans viii have {
large campaign fund for use in this dis
uict on Thursday, which, if true, coulc
mean but one thing-the wholesale pur
chases Of votes For the honor of the Stat
we hope there is no foundation for sucl
rumore. II ever an election should be de
terminsd by the untramelled voice Of IN
community, unaffected by partisan con
siderations and uncorrupted by the illega
expenditure Of single dollar, this on
should.
I