The Cecil Whig., 1879-06-14
SECRETARY SHERMAN'S CANDI.
DACY IN MARYLAND.

There being no doubt about the fact of
Mr. Sherman $ Presidential candidacy, it
becomes matter of public interest to
know how far the influence of the Adj
miniStration is to be exerted in his be-
half. and to what extent Mr.. Sherman is
to receive the benefit of the active per-
sonal services of Government employees.
In other words, the people will want to
know whether, in the face of past utter
ances. the party ''machine = is to be run
in his behalf Now Republicans i'll Mary
land can hardly have forgotten that at
the beginning of his Administration, Mr..
Hayes issued an order prohibiting, in the
most explicit language, the participation
in political management by Government
officials. How that order has been ell
forced. is evident in the ease of John l..
Thomas. Collector of the Port Of Balt-
more. There has not been an hour since
Thomas inStallment III office that he has
ceased to be a busy PIPE layer. His
active agency in hehalf of r. Stockctt
Mathews affords the most recent evidence
of his personal activity in party politics.
and shows that the order of prohibition
referred to is sham, and is So regarded
by Government officials. The question
then is pertinent. when the serious work
Sherman interpret against his own inter
est as candidate, any such dead let
ter as the order in question. or will he
not rather avail himself of every agency
at hand to achieve success. In other
words. will the statesman totally over
shadow the politician. and will he ignore
the "machine for which the Admins
tration and its friends have all along pre-
tended to cherish such unmitigated con-
tempt? He will do just precisely what
every other man with similar aspirations
and ambitions would do under the cir
cumstances. He will accept in the full
est sense the support of the Administra-
ton and its servants. The great army
of Government of1icc-holders, 81 far as
their individual service can be command
ed will be organized in his int rest. tits
true that there is a considerable percent
age of them that cannot be 40 controlled.
but the direct obligation of place will he
used as 4 lever to move every man to
personal activity in his behalf Indeed
the report has already gained general
circulation that Messrs. Thomas and Full
ton have pledged Mr.. Sherman tho Mary
land delegation in the National Conyen-
ton. But whatever be the fact as to tie
formality of the pledge, certain it is that
the Gorernment influence amt tie rustom
House marhjnery wiU BE- Hscd in .Haryland
to rontrol, if possible, tie party organizu-
tim. and to secure for Wr. Sherman the
rate If tie !State in tie nomtnoting ronren-
tim. But of one thing Mr.. Sherman
may rest assured. that if his candidacy
in Maryland means the perpstuation in
Office of the Fulton Thomas clique, he
might as well abandon the field in this
State. for his cause is in advance doomed
to defeat, if entrusted to such hands.
Proficient as Thomas and his cOnfeder-
ates of Custom House noturiety may DO
in all the tricks and trades of Baltimore
politics. they are powerless to-day, even
in that city, against the voice IF the bet
ter element Of the party. Mr. Thomas
may. as he doubtless will, send his po-
litical pilgrims into the counties of
the State, to make sentiment for hla
chief; but we mistake the character Of
Maryland Republicans, if they can be
by any such means. The Re-
,ublieens Of Maryland are amply ab,e 70