Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-03-08
Congressional and State Adafrs.

WASHINGTON March 5, 1884.
To the MINING JOURNAL.
Although there will be great exer-
tons made to shorten this session of
Congress and force an adjournment
before either of the National Conven-
tions of the two great parties meet,
from the backward condition of bust
ness at this date there is nothing to
warrant the hope that such result
can be secured.
The democratic congressional COM
mittee organized last night and select
ed Senator German as chairman to
succeed Gen. Rosencran This was q
most sensible movement. Mr.. German
has no superior in the United States
if we may Judge from his career in
Maryland-in political sagacity and
astute party management
Governor McLane is experiencing
some of the penalties of power and
place. AS matter of course his APP
pointments will displease more Office
seekers than they will please, but as
far as the general public are concern
ed if his selections are respectable and
competent men, and as far as the
masses of his party are concerned, if
his appointees are honest and loyal
democrats, it matters little who they
are. His appointments have been
made indiscriminately, without regard
to faction or past affiliations. In fact,
he recognizes no faction in the party
al who vote the ticket arc alike to
him and equally entitled to a share in
the feast when offices are to be dis
tributed. He proved that his pledges
on the stump were not intended as
mere buncombe or bats for the votes
of latoring men he p,oves that he
meant what he said and that his high
est ambition is to do something tangi-
bic and real in behalf of the laboring
man. In the words of the resolutions
adopted at recent convention of the
Federation of Labor, in this city, his
message on the subject was lone of
the grandest and most magnificent
surprises" the Cause of Labor had
ever received in this country, and
although his recommendation have
not been carried out the Legislature to
their full extent, the good seed has
been sown, the agitation has received
the highest sanction in the State. and
the result must be good. People crit
icized his views who did not know
what they were, and men discussed
his message who never read it, or
heard it read. The agricultural inter
ests of the State took the alarm and
through their representatives, partly
defeated his measures, although they
were specially exempted in the propos-
ed legislation, and could have been in
no wise affected thereby. The people
of Maryland have at last the satisfac-
ton of beholding as their chief Execu-
tive, one who is Governor in fact as
well as in name, and whatever he does
will be done on his own responsibility
and with wise and statesmanlike en-
deavor.
The question Of the sale or lease of
the Chesapeake and Ohio canal is one
of transcendent Importance to the peo-
pie of Allegany. The Governor ad-
vises its sale in the people of the en-
tire State and for the purpose of add
ing to the public revenues. This is
all very proper, but no sale or lease Of
this great work should be tolerated
that would not provide for its use as an
independent highway and free at all
times from any connection or control.
directly or indirectly, by the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad company. If it is
to be sold this condition should go
along with it. Ii the B. & O. should
get control of it~then farewell to the
canal and a long adieu to the prosper
ity of Western Maryland, and es-
pecially of Allegany county. Let the
people watch this matter with jealous
eyes, and see that in whatever may he
done their rights and interests shall
not be invaded and destroyed.
OCCASIONAL.
- % S.