The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-08-21
THE CITIZENS PARTY.
ITS PLATFORM OF PRINCIPLES.

Under the above caption the american
gives the following sketch of the rise and
object and also summary of the platform
of the new party which has gained consid-
cradle notoriety in this State, and has been
facetiously termed the potato bug party.
The american says:
Partial, and in some cases erroneous,
statements of the doipgs, purposes and
principles of the Independent party move
ment having been published, prominent
members have furnished facts of interest
that may be relied on as correct. In No
vember of last year a few individuals met
in private parlor in the Sixth ward to
organize an effort for municipal reform.
When their numbers grew larger, they
rented hall at the corner of Bond and
Baltimore streets and held regular weekly
meetings. Some influential residents of
the Eighteenth ward went down and were
initiated, and then started a council in
their own ward. From these two centres
the reform movement has gone into all the
wards. In every ward there is ward
council, and over the whole a supreme
council, composed of one hundred and five
persons. There are five delegates from
each ward and five delegates at large ap-
pointed as compliment to the provisional
Sixth ward council. In some of the wards,
it is claimed, there are over eight hundred
members of the ward council. In all the
wards, except the Fourth, Eighth and
Ninth, the councils are strong. In several
of the wards, as the First and Sixth, the
Democratic element is largely in the ma
jority. The strongest ward councils are
the First, Sixth, Nineteenth, Eighteenth,
Seventeenth, Sixteenth, Seventh and Tween
tieth. The original form of working in
the Sixth ward was modified in the Eigh-
teenth ward, and as this led to some irreg-
ularity there was convention held, and it
settled the mode of working that has ever
since been adopted. 1t is claimed that
there are over twelve Thousand enrolled
members, and that if there are no frauds
at the polling places the enrolled members
of tho new party can carry a number of
the wards without outside help, but that
many persons who do not belong to the
Citizens party will support its nominees.
Three OR four weeks ago the Supreme
Council appointed committee of seven
persons to prepare platform declaratory
of the principles and purposes of the Citi.
zens' party. This committee reported, and
their report was adopted by the Supreme
Council on Wednesday of last week.
This report or platform of principles
opens with truthful and pointed arraign-
ment of the corrupt practices of the party
in power i'll the State and city, its vicious
legislation and its nomination of unfit men
for public office. The resolutions are seven
in. number. The first commits the move
ment to the purity of the ballot box and
the support only of candidates who are
honest in politics. The second condemns
the present rate of taxation and the extrav-
agance Of the city government. The third
is against any prescription ON account of
religious belief or practice, and opposes
the influence of sectarianism in public
affairs. The fourth upholds the existing
public school system. The fifth declares
for equal taxation and against the e1emp-
ton of any property save churches devoted
sixth represents the opposition to appropri-
atoms of public money to sectarian insti-
buttons or those not controlled directly by
the State. The seventh and last sets the
party against the system of convict labor
in the penitentiary in competition with
workmen who are citizens and pay taxes.
This is the platform summarized, although
it is brief in itself and invites attention
and study. There will be no denial that it
contains many excellent features. It goes
directly to the source of the worst of the
abuses of the Ring domination we are fiv-
ing under, and presents them SO clearly
that no man can fail to perceive the points
made. If it properly represents the indie
pendent or Citizens party, we have reason
to concede that the membership of it rec
ognizes the evils which the Rings have
are to be corrected.