The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1877-08-11
"WHAT DOES 1T MEANp"

The Herald of last week, in an article under the
above caption, denounces unqualifedly, the "ring'
management which cropped out at the late meet
ing of the Democratic Executive Committee of Bal
timore county. Coming from a Democratic source
the structures will be better appreciated by the peo
pie than If originating elsewhere because it con-
clusively proves that Notwithstanding the boosted
unity" of the party there is "yawning abyss"
which separates Democrats in Baltimore county
which never can be bridged, at least so longas af-
fairs continue under the management of the pres
ent 'leaders." We copy the Heroids editorial en-
tire, follows, the italics, &C., being our own:
"The Executive Committee, representing the
Democracy of this county, committed either so
grave that its constituents will hold it as
incompetent to perform intelligently the business
of the party, rrOng against the integrity Of the
party that should and ,oW finally bring upon 1t the
condemnation Of erery upright and honest thinking
Democrat. We mean this, that the members of
that committee voted upon some mOmentous and
important questions in utter ignorance of the prop
ositons and the evils which they were intended to
remedy, that large majority Of them are an the
tolls Of combination Of the same character that
has heretofore time and again, brought the organ
izatiOm into i'll repute and at last well nigh made
prior to the meeting on last Thursday, there have
been complaints, warning and protest from the
people and the press, against the manner in which
nominations were made, and a strong demand
made that something should be done to mitigate the
disgusting eriis that hare been prdcticed. The old
system and the Crawford County System were
alike Objectionable, because under both, fraud and
corruption nominated the candidates and the honest
masses Of the people nere defeated at the primaries
reluctdntiy and with stern resolutions for the flu
ture submitted at the election. The efforts of a
distinguished few in the meeting met with the
same reception that has been accorded to individ-
ual correspondence and to the arguments and arti-
cles of the press. A number of propositions look
ing to a remedy for the objections Of the systems
that have been tried and found wanting, were of
ferred all of which were promptly and systemati-
cally voted down. The committed was reminded
with much force of the disastrous results of the
bdrtering and WirepUtiing that hare Arrays been
features in the old contention system. To remedy
this it proposed to hold two or three conven-
tons to be held at the time and at different
places which it twas deemed would separate private
interest and by much prerent the trades and sales
that hare disgroced the party. Whether not
that remedy would have worked a cure we are not
prepared to say but that it a step towards the
publication of bad system, is beyond doubt or
dispute 1t met the fate of like propositions, how
ever, and from the singular PromptnesS NTH Which
a majority of the Executive Committee roted dorm
erery proposition looking to party reform, IRE are
constrained to beliere and to cypress the opinion
that the organization is an the hands Of ,eeH dis
cipIined combination WHOSE PRINCIPLES
ARE THE SP0ILS OF OFFICE"
The last sentence of the aboveis crusher. The
Herald evidently knows what it is talking about,
and it speaks out boldly, for which it deserves
credit. Most political papers in these times are
rather disposed to cover up the corruption, wire
pulling and low trickery which obtains in their
own organizations. Particularly has this been
the case with reference to Democratic papers in
this county, but now there is one of them bold
enough to "speak right out in meeting" and lay
bare the corrupt practices of its own organization
Let the people read and ponder well the above,
and let them remember-those who are Democrats
that the organization of that party sis in the
hands of nell disciplined combination rhOse
principles are the spoHs Of office"