Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-18
POLITICAL DELAWARE IN
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
Closing Chapter, With Some Personal Mention Of Public
Men, The Wide Acquaintance That Attends an Ac-
tiUe Newspaper Career Of Half Century Some
Recollections of Thomas F. Bayard During His
Eminent Public Career
By MerrIs Taylor.

by a brief references to the most dis.
tingiitshed of cur public men of his
/ day, 10 that most honored and honor.
able son of Delaware Thomas T.
Bayard Not 10 attempt to pic.
tura his splendid public career
/ but to give some inprsssiof
OF the manner of nfsn he was in his
intercourse with his fellow-eitizens
especially In the times when he was
| temporarily relieved of the, demands
of public service and felt free to ad-
| init bis friends 10 the pleasurHble pre-
cincts of his delightful personal and
social charm. which made him SO de.
sefvedly popular and 80 ardently low
ed
Pioneer In Municipal Reform.
II was my good fortune, through my
political connections and newspaper
activities, to enjoy an intercourse
with Mr.. Bayard that at tines was
Intimate and revealing. | have heard
him descant upon matters personal.
as well as political; upon questions
of individual betterment as well ns
those of governmental policy II was
from him that / first heard the sug-
gestion that municipal administrations
should be selsctcd and conducted on
purely business principles. instead OF
ON partisan lines. This was back iu
1874. when. as presiding officer OF 4
meeting OF the City Democratic Asso-
citation, called for the purpose Of npan-
Ing the city election campaign then
pending. he incidentally gave expres-
sion to the above opinion IN his opefs-
ing remarks, and to the wish that
such a procedure were possible. But
political parties are essential t. free
government. he concluded. and the
political movement starts from the
people nf the district to the town and
city, from the city 90 the county, the
county TO the state. and the State TO
the nation"
OF course MIR. Bayard was not an
active political worker, but ne was
always Interested In the details of
campaigns. with desire that the
course of the party should be direct
cd towards the goal of results for the
people In good government. That was
his opinion Of the best recommends
ton for political orraniza-
tion. and all his advice WAS 10 that
end. He voiced this opinlon first Of
all. Hhet. on ths morning after what
W ~ Delaware believed was the nlps4
tt-Ti Of Samuel ]. Tildth to he tllice of
President Of the United gtptos he
said tn an enthusiastic ASS lnblage Of
Democrats who had called him out
ia the early hours from his home 1T
Delamore Place to share if. their
jubiiation. that in their reioicings
they should not lose sight Of the re-
knt arE It
Democratic party by this vote OF con
ndence given by the people. and Of
the grave duty OF meeting IL in the
most desirable manner, by sound
legislation and a businesslike admin
istration OF governmental affairs.
His Interest In Heme Doings.
During Mr.. Bayards four years al
as Secretary OF State
under President Cleveland. from 1885
10 1888 he was too closely confined
by the press OF public duties To spare
much time for visiting his home in
Delaware. But never during all that
time did he lose any OF his interest
m Delaware affairs and Delaware
people. | had occasion several times
Turing his incumbency Of this Office
20 call upon him ON business matters.
and upon each occasion. although my
business occupied only n few minutes.
ny call lasted ri least two hours. MIR. +
3ayard invariably questioned me
loosely as TO details Of affairs in Della |
vara, especially in the field OF poll f
les, displaying not only interest, but /
los &C Iaaintalce with the various +
situations = the.. arose. and iupart- /
ng sound advic. as TO the best meth I
.ds of 'neetin, then.
In October. 1855. Mr.. Bayard took T
brief vacation to make few +
peeches in support of the reelection
I President Cleveland. and l had the
are fortune to- D. present at a meet
ng he addressed in the court house
I Georgetown one afternoon. The
announcement that he would speak
ttraeted leading Democrats from all
arts of the county. and the recep-
ion that was accorded him. warmed
IS heart. Many ole Democrats came
xpressly TO sreet him. some of whom
Till affectionately called him Tom"
5 they had known him Familiarity i'm
ne days of his young manhood and
hey We're a decade or more his sen
lrs. L