The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-10-26
Tns4 tirandmothers' Fund" Gang.

uOiO vi tooS t0du TAX lev
len upon legislation at Annapolis, tc
feather the nests of the Democratic
party managers and to aid in perpet.
uatlngtheir power In the State.
Wedo not pretend to be sufficient.
~ vefsed in the history of corrupt
politics to say when this fund had it's
beginning. or by whom 1t was origi-
nsted. OF course, it sprang from the
brain OF q thief. There are number
OF distinguished persons belle nging to
the 6randmothers' Association who
are Democrats for revenue only.
buthoweverit NAV be constituted,
there can be no doubt that there ex-
lists IN Maryland to-day. and has ex.
is'ed Tor many years. secret associ.
alton Of men who systematically
make important legislation a matter
oil dollars and cents. We DO moi
mean b say for an instant that these
men hsve formed a regular organiza-
ticn wsose avowed object is plundrr.
or thatthey have met together and
ad0pfet a. constitution and bylaws
10 fave of grand larceny. and bind
Ing eadsDf its members to pick a
- Pat every opportunity. nor Is
u " SesuppOsed that the association
lsa large or extensive one. Such
comblnatjNs Of politicians are form
edon the sane principle upon which
trusts and oter similar combinations
ofcapitai Observation-Disclosures you
come to look vor them. they are in
tangible and Invisible, and would, if
they could. pehuade you that they
are creatures q your imagination
only. But. nevertheless, 1t is a real
and powerful influence and is repre-.
sented by its agnts as regularly in
the halls of legislation as the people
by their chosen delegates. When
we are disposed to congratulate our.
selves upon the purity of Democratic
politics, let Us remember how legisla.
ton has been bought and sold at An.
nspolis, and how unbIushingly the
Lobby has worked for its principals at
the State capital and elsewhere ses-
sion after session.
As an instance of the practical ap.
plicatiOn of the principal on which
the l"GrantlmOthers' Fund" Is based,
it Is related that several years ago a
cetain corporation desired to secure
important legislation and was refer.
red to Grandmother No. l, who de.
msnded and received S27, 900 for aid
in scuring the act desired. But sew
era weeks passed and nothing was
dore and the agents of the corpora
tiot were told that Grandmother No.
l wDnld not "divyy" with the 9TH
ers md that the bill could not pass
unlas $4,000 more were paid. The
c6FDrSti0n relunctantly paid the ad
ditbnal assessment and secured the
legislation it wanted. In another
cases gentleman from the west. it is
stated, came to Maryland with the
intention of establishing a large man
ufacturing enterprise, and it became
necessary to apply to the Legislature
for sgraut of some privilege or fran
chise. He was met at the threshold
of the Legislature by an agent of the
Graudmothers' Fund who informed
him that it required cash to secure
legislation in this State. The Western
capitalist declined to invest in these
well.knOwn Maryland securities. and
established his factory in another par I
of the country.
These particular anecdotes may be
true and they may not. but they
illustrate the methods that are actual.
~ employed by INSCRIPTIONS pOliti'
cal leaders in this State to enrich
themselves at the public expense
They go TO Annapolis with the dis.
tiuct purpose and intention of max
ing all thu money they can out Of
their position. and as rule. they are
entirely Indifferent as to how they
make it. These men are the petty
and pitlful tools of the greater ras'
Gals who stand behind them and who
In fact, select ana send them to the
Legislature. They are for sale them
selves at any time or place and tC
any man or party. and their work az
representatives of the unincorporated
assoefasfon of political robbers Is con
,sapwi aud delightful TO them.
NThis Ss'Grandmothers' Fund" Is 6
burning shame and disgrace to Mary
land. The influence which the mer
wh0 benefit by II WELD at AnnapOli:
and in the politics of the State is far
and dangerous in the high
est degree.
The time is now approaching fol
the selection of candidates for thu
Legislature, and the people can no
be too emphatically warned Of thu
of scrutinizing every mar
who presents himself for Office. Tit