Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-21
E,i Evening ,ienlae'l. Yesterday l44U4
Reactionaries in Control.

The action of the Republican State
Convention at Dover, yesterday, VIII
,pdoubtedlv meet the hearty approval
of United States Senator Boies Penrose
.f Pennsylvania who is heading the
movement for return of the Republican
partv of the country TO the reactIonary
tendencies and machine management
from which it was rudcly removed by
the great Progressive revolt, headed by
MIR. Roosevelt. of eight years ago In
the carving out of his plans at the
Republican National Convention. at
Chicago in June he will be ably assisted
bv the six delegates from Delaware who
were chosen by the State convention
yesterday.
The outcome Of this convention showed
that the old Organization, so effective
IL built UP by Coleman du Pont and so
rudelv overthrown by Alfred |. du Pont
four and two years ago, is again IN inc
saddle. IL controlled three of the district
csucuses and missed in one-that of
Sussex county-evidently because IT did
not care to 20 to extremes Tor the pur-
p-s, uf saving the political prestige OF
Governor Townsend But for the respect
bong cntcrtaincd for the integrity OF
county caucus decision, the Organization
would have carried everything before IT,
Governor Townsend who aspred TO he
one nf the National Convention delegates,
lost in Sussex county through the treach-
or, Of some delegates whom he had reason
10 believe would support him, but even
with this handicap the majority against
him was very small 4 change of three
votes would have saved him. His defeat,
however was not an Organization defeat,
hut a personal defeat for the governor.
lie was viciously opposed IN hrs home
county on account Of his friendship tor
the new School Code and for Women 5
Suffrage. Also, the governor is nearing
the end Of his official term, fact which
naturally impairs the political influence OF
the governor of a State. Had he been at
the start, instead of near the finish, his
Sussex enemies would not have been able
TO defeat him, and also the Organization
would have stood BY him to the last
But the Organization won Coleman
du Pont not only made sure of continuing
rs a member of the Republican National
Committee, but had himself selected as
ono of the national convention delegates,
thus rubbing the noses of the small
Alfred J. du Pont contingent IN the dust
of defeat His victory, in fact, was COM
plete, even though he would have pre-
ferred the success of Governor Townsend.
Thus. the first Republican primary
contest in Delaware results in favor OF
the old Organization. The victory, while
If carried considerable prestige, is not,
however, conclusive The decisive con-
test will come at the primaries for the
second State convention, when candi-
dates for governor and other State
officers will be named, and when nomi-
nations for the Legislature and county
places will be at stake. This fight will
incite the strongest efforts of both fac
tons, and the result may be In doubt
until the end. But the Organization, en-
couraged by its almost complete victory
at Dover, yesterday, holds the position
of advantage, and will enter upon the
decisive contest inspired by the success
it won in the preliminary skirmish.