The Democratic advocate., 1888-10-13
WESTERN MARYLAND DEMOCRACY.
GREAT MEETING AT SYKES
WILLIE.
ABLE SPEECHES BY DISTIN-
GUISHED ORATORS.
An Immense ThrOng-Musie, Dancing
and n General Good Time
[Reported for the pemOcratic Advocate.l

l
Tuesday, October 8, 1888, will go into
political history as the date of the great Dem.
ocratic picnic at Sykesville, at which gather.
| ed the Democracy of Western Maryland in
large numbers. Not only from Western
| Maryland, but there were many from Bati.
more city and county and some from Penn.
| sylvania, and the vast concourse was estimat-
ed at four or FIVE thousand. Many ladies
| graced the occasion, and there were gray
haired sires, the middle aged, the young men
aud the boys, all come, first to hear Democ-
racy and learn wisdom from the lips of sages,
and second to enjoy day in the autumn
tinted grove, and to participate in the many
| pleasures which the program of the day
promised. Great orators were present to ad-
dress the multitude, and never was an assem-
blage favored with more able and talented
| speakers, nor were speakers ever more favor
ed with attentive and intelligent audiences.
| Five brass bands added their choice music to
the pleasures of the occasion, and campaign
songs admirably rendered was pleasing part
of the days proceedings. Old Freedom S
| hospitality surpassed itself on the occasion,
and the inner man was more than satisfied.
During part of the afternoon merry party
of dancers tripped the fantastic on an i'm
mense platform, and at night there was a
stereoptiean exhibition of an amusing and in
teresting character.
The meeting was under the auspices of the
Cleveland, Thurman and Stump Club of
| Freedom district. Hon. Frank Brown is a
member and active worker of this club, and
took leading and prominent part in arrang-
ing the preliminares. Not wishing to work
for our people alone, the meeting was made
Joint affair, so as to embrace Howard county
| in the Fifth Congressional district That il
was success all that were present can readily
| testify. The morning was cold and crisp, and
the chestnut burs were bursting, but brave
men and pretty women left their country
homes at early dawn that they might be in
time to welcome the distinguished visitors
who were announced to be present. Sykes
ville,-that is Democratic Sykesville-was in
in gay attire. Jno. Mcdonald & Co. had a
large United States flag suspended between
their two stores; Warfield Il Donovan had one
in front of theirs, with bandana display in
their big window fronts; DIR. D. B. Sprecher
painted his house red with bandanas; Agent
Norwood had his cottage handsomely deco
rated, while Squire Favour, in quiet way,
hung his colors on the outer walls.
The Warfeldsburg Cornet Band was the
| first to arrive. The sun was scarcely up when
they reached the Hotel De Berry. The men,
bers were trembling with cold, and had to
have several horns before they could blow a
began to pour into the village from Howard
and Carroll counties. Many wended their
way TO the grove where the picnic was to be
held, while others tarried to await the visitors
| and speakers, who would come by rail. The
| Warfeldsburg Band, which, by the way, is
becoming quite popular here, took position at
the station and played lively air as each
| train arrived.
The regular morning trains east and west
came heavily laden with Democrats. The
eastern trains brought them from Baltimore
city and Howard county, while the western
brought them from Frederick and Carroll.
The Ellicott City delegation brought their
band with them. Mt. Airy didn't bring any
music, but lots of muscle. By 10 O'Clock
fully 1000 people had congregated at the
station to await the arrival of the special train
from Washington, which was to bring the
speakers and invited guests. This party was
in charge of Mr.. Brown, who had gone to
| Washington the evening before TO accompany
| them here. The train arrived at Ills, and
as the party disembarked they were greeted
with rousing country cheer that made the
welkin ring. A coach with six gray horses,
| gaily decked with bandanas, conveyed them
| to the ground. In the procession, which was
marshaled by Mr.. John E. Beasman, were
the WarGelsburg. Union Bridge, Pleasant
| Valley, Ellicott City and Taylorsvlle Bands,
Mrs Frank Brown was at the station and
rode with the guests, wearing the Democratic
| insignia on her left arm.
| Wade Warfeld's carriage was in the pro-
cession, with bandanas on every available
space. Bandanas were never in such great
| demand. The stores soon sold their large
supply, and anything that approached the Old
| Romans colors was eagerly sought after.
Arriving at the grove, bright and beautiful
scene burst on the strangers view. On one
side was the great chestnut grove, and the
white cottages with the speakers tent and
large dancing pavilion; on the other was
'Springfeld'' farm, with its green fields and
great meadows, its barns and barracks, and
| the twenty neat cottages of Its tenants, while
! in the background stood boldly out the old
/ homestead. On the hills were the cattle
groves-trees of maple, chestnut, oak, and
hickory, whose varied hues and bright colors
the early October frosts had so happily blended
as to make them look like great flower beds.
The field in front of the cottages was filled
with carriages. Between four and FIVE thous
/ and people were present. Many brought
baskets with bountiful supply of good things,
| but those that were not thus provided were
taken care of by the Club. The ladies of the
district, too, took an active part. and gave an
elegant dinner to many of the visitors.
| Among those who partool of their hospitality
were Senator and Mrs. German. The ladies
who had charge of this part of the program
deserve special mention, as their bill of fare
was most favorably commended. They were
Mrs j. B. Berret, Mrs. Trusten Polk, Mrs
C. A. War6eld, Mrs. Stephen Brown, Mrs.
| James George, Mrs. W. II. Anderson, Mrs
| W. H. Forsythe, Mrs. Voorhees,, Mrs. Joshua
D. Warfeld, Mrs. Col. Polk, Mrs. Moorehead
and Mrs. McGill.
THE MEETING.
At II. so Mr.. B. F. Grouse, chairman of the
Carroll County Democratic Central Commit
tee, called the meeting to order. The officers
selected were as follows: Congressman Frank
I. Shaw, of Carroll county, president; vice
presidents, Capt. J. W. Bennett, Col. J. B.
Boyle, of Carroll; Thomas Ii. Hunt, David
Clark and John H. Owings, of Howard; Sec
retaries, Daniel Murray and B. Frank Grouse.
DIR. Shaw, upon taking the chair, said {:
''In selecting me to preside over this vast as
semblage of freemen you do me honor which
gladly acknowledge. You are here from
the counting room, the field, the factory and
the workshop, each having a like interest in
the grave questions that now agitate the public
mind and divide the two great political parties
of the country. Upon the proper settlement
of these questions depends the financial and
industrial prosperity of our country. Itis for
you to determine by your ballots whether the
hand of unequal and unjust taxation shall go
unrestrained; whether the existing ill-adjust-
ed methods of imposing taxes that burden the
people beyond the necessities of the govern
ment, or even the needs of the treasury
shall be continued under any specous pretext
whatever"
col. HERMAN STUMP INTRODUCED
Col. Hermun Stump, the Second District
Congressional nomineee, was introduced
and made neat speech, and made most
favorable impression upon the assemblage.
He said he would have difficulty in address
ing so many ladies when he had never sue
ceeded in addressing one. The ladies, he
knew, were opposed to unjust taxation, be-
cause, if there was one thing they could not
stand, it was the custom house man who ex-
amined their trunks. He then hurriedy dis
cpssed the questions of the canvass, showing
himself well equipped for their discussion.
He said he did not intend making any ex-
tended remarks, as there were reliable Dem
ocratic majorities in each of the counties of
his district, and he only wished that all the
congressional candidates in the State were as
fortunately situated. In closing he spoke in
complimentary terms of Senator German,
Congressman Shaw, Hon. Chas. B. Roberts,