Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-02
M Merris Taylor.
NOTABLE SENATORIAL CONTEST.


Thomas r. Bayard would he called
into the cabinet OF President Grover
Cleveland as Secretary of State, on
the fourth of March next ensuing
the General Assembly of Delawafe
elected in 1884, unanimously remo
cratic, was confronted with the duty "a.
choosing his successor. Mr. BaYara
sent his resignation in ample tifue,
and the Democratic Legislative caucus
- select the candida le was held At
Dover, in the hall OF the House of
/ Representatives. on the evening Of
Monday. March IL tsss.
With the vacancy in plain view
there had been an active canvass for
several weeks among the friends Of the
three contestants for the honor At
tnrney General George Gray, Repre-
sentative in Congress Charles p Lore
who had been reelected at the pre-
vfous November election, and former
| Congressman Edward L. Martin of
Geaford. Al the caucus Cor the urEani-
zation of the House OF Representa-
tives. the adherents of Mr.. GRAY had
acquired some prestige by nominating
+ a Gray supporter. W. Alexander
i Comegys Of Middletown. for Speaker
over John F. salisbury Of Dover. and
thus fcit encouraged as winners uf
/ nrpf blood In the battle roval Still
/ the friends Of Congressman Lore had
room for hopeful missionary work
and they iost no opportunity Of ad-
,ancing the cause Of their favorite
One serious anti Lore argument that
they found It hard to combat was the
| some what awkward I'd situation HE ele-
IA he - At 4
create as it would require him 10
sacate the seat IN the House, to
which he had mst been re-egeeted in
tn, most iattprng manner. and there
BY render necessary special election
70 fiii the vacancy This argument
lad merit. and there is no doubt It
was effective to some extent
Lore. Martin Combination.
| Dr Hugh Martin OF Seaford. for
nler Speaker cf the House and a
brother Of Congressman Martin,
had charge Of the latters q mpa ign.
but at the end, realizing its hope
tessness agreei 10 q combination of
the Lore and Martin forces. An ar
r,sngement 10 this effect was made At
ts conference Of the Lore and Martin
/ hotei lust before the assembling nf
/ the caucus but DT Martin expressed
a desire t. have a lea st two ballots
before de~.ision, IN order that his
! brother might 60 on record as having
heen voted for This wa satisfactory
r. The Lore men. and then a careful
canvass of the situation wac made. az
result Of which Il was calcula ted
that there would he nine votes for
Mr. Lore and Ave for Mr. Martin. and
ths1 ~ Charley Mcwhorter voted with
ns," as they fondly hoped he wouid
do. although no one apparently knew
how ne stood, they would win. He
+ hsd been elected State Senator at
I the previous election and was ress-
dent Of Wilmington
/ Some Potent Elements.
There wa. one disturbing Incident
rf that gathering. however. mat
proved 10 be OF the greatest inpor-
taace ID determining the result. II
was the absence Of Representative
Joseph r Hearne OF Laurel. Sussex
county who was detained at home by
illness some az the Lore men oh
]. cted - holding the Senatorial eau
Gus while he was ahsrnt, and in siat cd
81, having him IN Dover. even il he
had to be broughs mere on a stretcher
They rega rioS e1e situation as toe
close and to- critical to warrant tho
loss OF s--s vote. But other coun.
sels prevailed. an0 Il was decided no
10 force a postponement cf the caucus
There was another important factor
tira tended 10 bring about the result
A rha IL
Watson of Milford was elected a Ren-
+ Re- senta tiye an the General Assembly
from Kent county on the Democra nc
ticket Later ne discovered that he
was ineligible. although native
norm Della awarean. by reason OF ha wing
II sided in Philadelphia for several
Years. acquiring citizenship there. and
not having been back in Milford long
enough TO legally resume citizenship
in this State BY the day of election.
/ Therefore. he refrained from taking
his seat. and a special election was
helo 10 MI the vacancy. al which Josh
ns Bennett was elected. Watson was
associated with the Salisbury faction
os the psrty-for already The later
fatal factional division was in evi-
deEcc in Kent county--and would have
voted for Mr.. Lore. Bennett. who sue
"eeded MIN. was with the Wolcott fac
! Oh and voted for Mr. Gray
IL Went the Other Way.
i A the close OF the Capital hotel CON
ference. those in attendance repaired
10 the State Ho6se 10 participate in
the caucus We're all right if
Charley New horter is with us" was
their comment in concert. Well, Nc
Whorter was with them, but they
Were not "aii right
Twenty-nine members of the Legis-
lature were at that caucus, All except
Representative Hearne. who was living
on q bed of Illness at his home in
Laurel, little drea ming what a diff
ference his absence would make. At
torney General Gray. Congressman n
Lore and x-Congressman Martin
were placed in nomination with due
form and ceremony. and then the
balioting began.
The result was startling to the Lore
men. It showed Ia votes forsGeorge
Gray. nine for Charles Is. Lore. FIVE
for Edward l.. Martin and one blank
ballot. They gaZed at each other III
amazement and CONSERVATION. Who
had placed that blank ballot in the hat
they wondered
The second ballot was Immediately
taken. resulting in Is votes for Gray
and 3 for Mr.. Lore, and FIVE for
Colonel Martin.
Some friends of Mr.. Lore at first