Preston Lea - Governor of Delaware

Governor of Delaware

While Lea was certainly an old time Republican industrialist of New Castle County, he was different in that he saw the positive side of Addicks' efforts, formed close friendships with rising young politicians from lower Delaware like John G. Townsend, Jr., and was counted among the Union Republicans. In 1904 he was the Union Republican candidate for Governor. Popular in New Castle County Republicans circles and benefiting from the well funded Addicks machine elsewhere, Lea won nearly all the growing number of Republicans voters, easily defeating both Joseph Chandler, the regular Republican Party candidate and Caleb S. Pennewill, the Democratic Party candidate.

Within a year after the election, Addicks suffered major personal and business setbacks and completely withdrew from Delaware politics. With no further reason to disagree, the two Republicans factions came together under the political leadership of T. Coleman du Pont. Thus formed the durable majority coalition of upstate industrialists and downstate small businessmen that governed Delaware for 60 years and is still the basis of the Republican Party.

Among its actions the Delaware General Assembly the state pillory was finally outlawed, although the whipping post remained. The long disputed boundary with New Jersey in the Delaware River was also resolved and the now antiquated Chesapeake and Delaware Canal was sold to the Federal Government in order to provide for major improvement. Laws were also passed requiring at least three months of school attendance by children and local option legislation allowed Kent and Sussex Counties prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages. And T. Coleman du Pont also announced his plans for a new highway, to be built the length of Delaware in 1908.