The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-04-05
The Democratic Party Ruined by
Free Traders.

Iue correspondent vi tIlS Mofft"ty
Herald gives a report of Senator
Groome's lament over the present sit
uation and future prospects ofhis par
~. The remarks were made at a re-
ception given by Gov. McLane, which
was largely attended by prominent
members of the party:
ANNAPOLIS Md. March 22.-"The
party is going to the demnition bow
vows" lightly remarked Senator
Groome in reply to an observation of
his colleague, Mr.. German. The
alarming extent of the widening
breach upon the tariff was the topic;
last evening was the time, and the
place was the Governors reception,
where the political luminaries were
gathered. AS the
senior Senator made the above able
observation he was standing in the
center of the group with his legs out
stretched like an abridged edition of
llIG SOlOOouos 1llC ldCb llldl llS WOuIu
soon be relegated to the obscurity
from which he sprung had no per-
ceptible effect upon him. AS he stood
there, or rather rocked alternately OH
his heels and toes, his great, round
frame swaying in rhythm with the
musical squeak as his shoes, he looked
well, healthier and happier than ever
before. 81 tell you gentlemen" said
he, removing his hand from under
the tails of his coat and striking an
eloquent attitude, 1.-THE party is 60
ing to the dogs. 1t has been taken
out of the hands of its present leaders
and the reins are in the grasp of par
Gel of mOntebanks who know as much
about drying as the fellow who was
chucked from the chariot of the sun.
1t is my opinion that the freetraders
would have shown more wisdom by
holding off a little. 1t is not the time
to commit the party to their dognlas.
Had they held off a while and per-
mitted the leaders-Bayard, Beck,
VOORHEES, and others equally we'll
known-to map out policy of re-
form, we would have succeeded in
our coming campaign, but now / am
afraid all is lost. This is my opinion
will be borne out by all who have ob-
served the progress Of events isn't it
so, Arthur 2" concluded the Senator
familiarity, as he laid his hand upon
his colleagues shoulder. The score
of eyes now turned their concentrated
gaze from the speaker to the face of
Senator German and awaited the re-
ply. None came. What Senator Cor
man would have said would have
been of interest;in fact, official because
of his intimate relationship with
Bayard, who is known to have no
pronounced conviction upon any sub
ject except that of Tildenism, which
he shrinks from as he would any 9TH
er mummied Renaissance, There
was no embarrassment, however, for
the Governor adroitly turned the at
tention of the auditors, and the con-
versation drifted smoothly along.
There were but few present whose ten
denotes were for free trade, and there
fore that extreme wing of the party
had no sympathizers. What was said
then was but a repetition Of what has
already been so freely talked over
during the recess of the session. The
sentiment of the Democratic party |
(for its leaders are all here) is that a
grave mistake is being made. The |
bunder is so irretrievable that no
can now be applied to avert |
the defeat that is in store for the man
who is nominated in the convention
at Chicago. For this the Democracy
of Maryland, through it's leaders, lay
the responsibility at the feet of the
rabid protection element now
in the ascendency in Congress. By
this blunder all hope is wrecked, and
the chances of success in the admin
istration of the affairs of the govern
ment are as far removed now as they
were just prior to the days of recon-
structfon. This at least is the conyic-
ton at present. 1t is safe to say that /
It is, not lasting. AS soon as it be-
comes known that Bayard has come
out fiat-footed in favor of forward
all along the line, and
that he has committed himself to the
Morrison bill, there will probably
be decided change from the opin-
ions expressed and discussed last
evening. German knew that Bayard
had so committed himself, and hence
MS silence. Groome did not know
It, and hence his Yerbosity."