Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-09
G;1sniaf!S1 ESsniae Yesterday sxSsS 1850
LAW IS REASON.
Republican Fight in Delaw are.

Republican Fight in Delaware.
Notwithstanding the apparent har-
mony that was diffused by the banquet to
Republican National Chairman Hays
in this city, a week ago Saturday night,
there are visible evidences of Republican
dissension in Delaware, especially In
Sussex county. While the trend of the
banquet proceedings was highly favorable
TO CoIeman du Pont and his old Organiza-
tion, and while there was not the slightest
intimation of dissatisfaction with this
trend, the feeling in Kent and Sussex
counties is altogether different. The cur
rent issues of some Republican papers con-
trolled by Alfred j. du Pont opened their
batteries on Governor Townsend in o
manner that strongly suggested action
under orders from the highest authority.
Especially bitter was the attack upon
Governor Townsend by the Laurel Leader,
based upon the governors candidacy for
delegate from Sussex county to the
Republican National Convention. Re-
ferring to the meeting of the Republican
County Committee at Georgetown, on
Tuesday last, it said that while Congress
man Caleb r. Layton was received with
great cordiality, 'the governor no doubt
found that his greeting was slightly
chilled. There can be no denial of the fact
that a majority of the committeeman
present were practically unanimous in
their stand of disfavor toward the gov
nor. Their reasons were based on various
legislation he fostered and fathered during
the session of the General Assembly, and
they did not hesitate in laying bare their
views regarding his work and interests as
they have found them by actual observa-
tion."
Coming directly to the crux OF the
situation, Governor Townsend's desire to
he one OF the delegates to the
Republican National Convention, the
Laurel Leader said: There Is no doubt
but what Governor Townsend would like
to be one of the delegates TO the national
convention. and perhaps in the natural
course of things he might be entitled to
this place of honor; but Judging from the
plain talk of the committeeman, IT would
be very unwise for him to seek the place
in the face of the bitterness that is being
expressed towards him. Governor Town.
send has not established himself IN Ia
vorable light during the past year. Sussex
county. his county, has kept close tabs
on the working of the gubernatorial Office,
and as Sussex ALWAYS talks straight from
the shoulder, the general sentiment ex-
pressed is anything but gratifying to the
governor and his friends" Here is open
hostility to the governor, expressed by
newspaper representing faction Of the
Republican party, and it is a very pointed
Indication that the factional fight is TO
prove a factor in the national convention
primaries soon 10 be held throughout
the State.
The Union Republican of Georgetown,
another newspaper representative of the
Alfred /. du Pont faction, also takes a
vicious crack at Governor Townsend, not |
editorially, but in the form Of a commu- |
nication signed Republican" The writer
says he has learned that another fac
tional fight has been started by the |
governor, so that another ambition, and /
this very small one, may be gratifed. |
1t seems to make no difference to him /
whether the great mass of the Republi-
cans of Sussex county want hip for their
representative or not. Itmakes no differ
enoa TO him whether a factional fight
which will last to November will be COM
menced. 1t seems that his pride has been
offended by the criticism be has received,
and now he is going TO show the people
of Delaware that he controls Sussex
county -
This writer accuses Governor Town
send Of organizing clubs in his interest,
especially among the Negro voters, and
protests bitterly against such a proceed
ing. There is no need" he writes, "for
the governor TO attempt TO plunge the
of Sussex in another bitter
contest, just TO crafty his pride. If the
governor is true Republican he will say,
at once, that the matter of delegates is
question for the Republicans to decide in
u peaceful and orderly way" And fur
ther, ''he ought TO betoo big, to have too
much appreciation of the dignity of his
Office TO parade around Sussex county in
the company of Jim Robinson. The
latter is q political worker presumed TO