Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-14
THE ORACLE OF $40 KING ST.
OR
.EpHRAIM FEEpETH ON WIND"

THE ORACLE Or cio hiNu SAS
OR
.EPHRAIM FEEpETH on WIND
some days ago certain doughty gentry
gathered at Republican headquarters.
$40 King street, and after much pump
ing of wind, adopted blood-eurdiing
resolution which stated that certain
persons who were guilty of exercising
their American prerogatives of induig-
ing in politics. We're going to be
.erushetl, fearlessly and relentlessly.'
The popuiace of dld wilmington has
awaited with bated breath to ascertain
who would be crushed, fearlessly and
rclentlcssiy," first. Some good citizens.
remembering thatin French Revolution
days members of the gang in power
would put chalk marks on their houses
u prevent the public executioner seiz-
ing them between breakfast and the
,oodshed. placed this cabalistic phrase
on the front door of their homes:
..BEsT CITIZEN or wILMINGToN.' =
one citizen who did not chalk those
words beneath the knocker-Charles
Irorwood--has been made victim. Mr..
Iorwood was candidate for the Re-
publican mayoralty nomination. But
Mr.. Forwood could never qualify as
IBest Citizen of the sto King street
type. So he was crushed, fearlessly
and relentlessly.'
The crushing process, II is understood
was private affair. Whether the major-
donlo of the Grand Old Party of I'M
moral Ideas" informed Mr.. Forwood
that he would have to resign because
he would not be supported: whether
he was ruthIessly told TO get the Dick
ems out of here" or whether he realized
that he was not reactionary enough,
and therefore withdrew from the race
just as the crusher was beginning to
crush him, has not been divulged. But
this much is known. Mr.. Forwood
wrote a gentlemanIy letter, withdraw
ing his name from the lists. OF this
communication Leroy Harvey. the re-
naming candidate, made appropriate
remarks commencing Mr.. Forwood for
getting out from under the crushing
machine just before it was going to
crush the burning daylights out of him.
This left the field to Mr.. Harvey.
great national statesman and authority
on politics and political machines which
are guaranteed to crush, fcarlessly and
relentlcssly.''
what docs Mr.. Harvey, statesman ex-
t~aordinary and politician plenipoten-
airy to the city of Wilmington do
tsen?
Why, Mr.. Harvey makes speech.
Il was perfectly nice, genteel speech,
too-one of the vintage of the good
cid Mark Hanna days.
This speech was addressed to a group
Of Republican women, who had gath
cred to hear the oracle of Delphi-beg
pardon. of $40 King street-air his
knowledge of municipal affairs and civic
institutions.
What does the oracle say to them?
Does he discuss specific evils which
he would remedy if put in Officer Does
he present a constructive platform?
Does he announce that national politics
have nothing TO do with running city
in a business way?
The oracle does not.
We mentioned above that this speech
was of the vintage of the good old
Mark Hanna days. when voters were
told to cast their ballots on faith, being
assured that their Republican masters
could be depended upon to run the gov-
ernment in some sort of fashion. So
MIR. Harvey plead for faith-faith in
himself. faith in the Stars and Stripes.
and faith in the Grand Old Party. IT
was a scrumptious speech which he
made.
Now let us discuss the points which
MIR. Harvey made on that momentous
night.
In order that no mistake viii be
made. we will quote direct from that
buttress OF reactionaxyisin. the Morn
ing News:
Mr.. Harvey said he believed the
Republican party had been on the
right side Of all big public ques-
tons. ever since the organization
of the party. During the war. he
said. the Republican party had
shown its patriotism ty standing
back of a Democratic resident
when the Democrats were them
selves endangering the administra->
ton by dissension.
The Republican party is now un-
dertaking a very difficult period OF
adjustment, he asserted, adding that
he believed the party would fully
hve up TO its responsibility. He