Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1888-08-24
OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.

IL. X Y ID ID U u u Ii A ),
OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
OUR CONGRESSIONAL NOMINEE
The present contest in the Sixth District
bids fair to be the fiercest and most interest
ing since the election of Mr.. Walsh. The
Democrats should feel encouraged over their
outlook, for the people are thinking over and
studying well the questions involved. 1t
will be futile for the Republicans to appeal
to partisan prejudices in this campaign
against the calm, dIspassionate and incon-
trovertble arguments the Democrats are
using with such constant and telling effect
Our standard bearer, Col. Douglas, in this
fight cannot be assailed personally SO well
is he known and so greatly is he admired by
men of all parties. Honored for his frank,
manly and courageous bearing since his
boyhood, when with growing enthusiasm
and energy he threw the weight of his
sword in the balance to which his convic-
tons hastened him. Accepting the decision
at arms, like so many others, he showed the
material he was made of by graphing at
once the problems of life, and at the bar is
distinguished as an able, graceful and elo-
quent lawyer. On the rostrum his polished
and progressing bearing, clear reasoning
and great command of language have never
failed to command the admiration and APP
plause of his audience. The cold critics of
Boston equally as well as of the more emo
tional audiences of the South have hung with
delight upon his splendid imagery and fin
ished style.
In public life Col. Douglass voice has
ever been raised against corruption in pub
lie office and always on the side oil the peo-
Pile against powerful combinations of cor
porate monopoly. He is for the protection
OF the people and not of class; for re-
duction of taxation to the needs of the gov
eminent, not an increase to satisfy the inor-
dinate greed of the manufacturers He is for
free raw material, whereby the laborer shall
be enabled to be kept more continuously at
work; he is for fair trade by which we shall
be enabled to have free intercourse with all
nations and thus gain market for our sur
plus both in manufactured goods and agri-
cultural production. He is for an immedi-
ate liberation of our large agricultural class
from the excessive tribute which has so i'm
poverished and paralyzed our farmers and
the laborers depending on their welfare.
Col Douglas in his letter of acceptance
gives evidence that he is equal to the great
emergency OF the hour, that he recognizes
the fact against which his opponent tries to
close his eyes that in this country and in
this district there are thousands of laborers
on whom the tariff presses with cruel weight
to where there is one that can possibly de-
rive any benefit thereby. He appeals for
support not alone to Democrats but TO all
conservative fair minded and reasonable
men. He raises no loud outcry to bewil
der, but simply states his position and says
to men of all parties, think, weigh the great
questions before you carefully and do not
decide hastily in supporting and following
the lead of men who clamor and do not
reason, who mislead by false statements and
with their hands on the purse of monopoly,
cry Support us you, We who toll, for we are
your friends and need you lest we be shorn
OF our power"
OF so patriotic a mould is Col. Douglas,
that against his inclinations and at the
sacrifice of many personal interests, when
called by his fellow Democrats to lead them
against great odds he willingly obeyed their
voice and is now bending every energy of
mind and body in the direction of the over
throw of that party which has surrendered
itself wholly to the monopolists of the coun-
try.
Col. Douglas stands before the people of
this county and district on the broad grounds
OF the constitution which prohibits exces-
sive taxation. He claims and expects the
support of all who believe in the greatest
good to the greatest number. Against him
is Mr.. McComas, who is before the people
an avowed champion of the Chicago plat
form, which explicitly declares that it will
not relieve the people from the war taxa
ton and there shall be no reduction of the
surplus unless it be made by giving to the
distiller the revenue the government now
gets from whiskey.
These questions are open to all who will
inquire and the man who votes blindly with
out thorough knowledge of these matters
will be most culpable. 1t will not do to
ignore the real situation. If there are hun
CRY men in land of plenty there is wrong
beneath the hunger. If toll looks from
its desolate cottage upon the dust-covered
wheels Of silent factories there is an injus-
tice Of law or of individual power The
labor agitations in the republic to-day prove
beyond peradventure that there is some
thing wrong. Political economists with
personal ends to serve may construct the
most artistic theories to the contrary, but
the downright practical illustrations of hun
dreds of thousands of men out of employ
ment with hundreds Of thousands more
laboring at wages scarcely sufficient to link
life and toll overthrow their logical houses
of cards. With force and truth it has been
asserted that the legislation which has al
lowed us to drift in this, industrial slough
of despond must contain serious and radi-
cal error, and it is the part of wisdom 70
study where the error lies and correct it.
To onriellow Democrats, and especially /
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