The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-05-07

has been bought In our judgment the
! allegation is totally without foundation; and
we think there are facts that will demonstrate
/ it. Gov. Hamilton could claim with equal
! Justice that he has bought the men whom ne
! has Amounted to Office by the salaries that
are paid them for services performed. Does
/ Mr.. Briscoe's pay as Secretary OF state SUB
! sidze him? Did the governor buy, or the par
| ty buy, or the State buy Peter HawkihS py
/ making him tobacco inspector? Is AdJutant
! General Watkins's salary a subsidy? OF
course such suggestions are. preposterous'
/ and if we do not show that it Is Just as pre-
( posterous to charge that the newspapers have
/ been subsidized. we are ready to abandon
the case.
/ Is it the charge that these papers are Demo,
cratic because they are paid tins money
From 1861 to 1868 the Democratic press III
MARYLAND had no States patronage. 1t cost
something in those days to be Democratic
editor; they were days that tired the sincerity
/ of a mans convictions, and tested his cour-
age. They were days when Democratic
newspaper Offices were destroyed, and Dem
ocratic editors were put in prisons or sent oe
yOnd the lines Ii was infinitely less peril.
Gus to practice law or till the fields away on
among the secluded hills of western Mary
land than it was as a Democratic editor, to
upholdthe freedom fthe press for conseIenees
sake. Tried, they were found true. Tested
they were found iHcorruptlbe NeigheI'
they were not found wanting. Gov. hamll-
ten, if YOU charge that the Democratic press
of MARYLAND is purchasable, youcharge what
the enemy never did.
/ Is it the charge that the Democratic news
! papers of the State have sold their support TO
what the Mail calls 1.-The Ring, the censld-
/ Grafton being the price paid for publishing
the laws Let rs examine this proposlt'oh;
and begin Just prior to the last gubernatorial
nomination. Early in 1879 it was said that
Z the managers had selected as their candl.
date for this nomination Gov. Thomas, OF
/ Talbot. provided his consent could be oo-
I tanned. That gentleman had been member
! OF the preceding legislature, and the fact that
/ he was on friendly terms with the managers
( and had generally acted with them As chair
/ man of the House WAYS and Means commit
/ tee in those matters that required cousulla'
I ton among the Democratic members was
perfectly well known to the subsidized
I democratic newspapers. -Four years before
Wm. T. Hamilton had been beaten for the
nomination bv The Ring which supported
/ John Lee Carroll. Il became perfectly well
: known by the spring sf 1879, that Mr.. Ham
I ilion was not the choice of The Ring Tor
I this nomination. We were then receiving al
| the Democratic newspapers Of the State, ana
We clipped everything that was said about the
gubernaiorial nomination. What course did
3 these subsidized newspapers taket Ot
course they supported the alleged candidate
( OF The Ring that subsidized them Being
/ bought, they Of course gave tkeir support 10
I their purchasers. To make oat the case, ihls
I must be proved, and just here the proof VIII
utterly iail, because, long before it vas ume
for the primaries 20 be held four hilhs OF the
/ democratic newspapers Of toe State had Dc
clarel uncauivOcally Ter Wm. T. Hamiiioa
as the democratic standard bearer. They
did this. so far AZ their 6les disclose, because
lbey believed Mr.. Hamilton TO De pure, true
man who hai only barely failed TO gel abe
nomination ioar wears before and was thus
T. entitled 70 e Ia 1879, an1 not because 81 any
I lack Of confidence ia GOV Thomas, Mr.. Ar
cher. or other mea Who had hccH named.
/. The result Was that by the time the conven-
ton met. ring and anu ring alike we're sap.
porting Nr. Hamilton and he vas n1HIuaicd
Z by reclamation
I This inneachmrui 81 the press Of State
is q VERY grave matter tag mure Serious
matter than the proposition that The money
paid for Publishing the lass IS vssied- We
have thought that she Subsidy charge against
the newspapers was inadvertently made 20 the
+. Governors message. and i may he that q
was ~ inasmach as !, does uoi seem 70 be re
pcAicd IN MS recent letter, IN whlch there %
50 much that IS Uisc and comnegdsble, s. ue
have recenily pointed oaS Bat the taes thAi
our able contemporary, the Hagerstown HaiE
; has reeen;iT reaewesi the charge, ard coaiia
ues 90 repeat Il, renders i proper 70 make the
E rcfl,aiioa We think Ne have successfully doac
Z Ic, the Nal coatrovert the facts a. nc have
Z st4scd then,
{ Oar position. rcslaied, is thai ihe hus
I should BE- pabiished asd paid for By the State,
( in the interest Fl the people, A. 80 have a
+ reading and ihinkiug people Stop paa'lsh
ing them. and Il . The people lhaJ wla saaer
rather than the Newspapers. iithc SUMS paid
are exhorbjtani. reduce them bar % uat sat
I Of from the people the privilege Of kagH5ag
What laws are made.