Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-08-08
SENATOR GORMAN AND PARTY
LEADERSHIP.

A lew weeks ago conVentlon of Demo-
cratic editors promulgated an address to the
people OF Maryland, the chief burden of
which was, that in the pending campaign
local matters should be ignored and only
questions of Federal policy should be con-
sidered by the voters. 1t was not difficult
to guess the source of its inspiration or to
read between the lines, and great many
persons understood it to be what it has main
ly turned out to be, the beginning Of Wig
orous campaign having for its object the
control of Democratic nominations in this
State in 1891. One Of the editors who par
ticipated in the convention went home and
wrote an editorial in which he named can
didates for Governor and Clerk OF the Court |
of Appeals on the next Democratic ticket, |
and most of the others have since been en-
gagged in an effort to prove that Senator |
German is the great exponent of Democrat
ic doctrine and born leader, whose right
of dictatorship it were treason to dispute.
Every one knows that the next Legislature
will elect Senator Germans successor and
that Senator German is candidate for re-
election; and those who are at all conver
SAINT with political affairs in Maryland know
that there is already unusual activity among
his followers and much proclamation of
unity in the party, with view to securing
his success without unnecessary friction and
with apparent unanimity. Whether the
plan will work or not, depends upon the
intelligence and alertness of the people OF
the State. The invitation to ignore their
local affairs because the Federal questions
presented are Of unusual importance, is now
seen to be only a scheme to lure them into
apathy, and give to those who have so long
and SO shamelessly ruled the party the op
portunitY to perfect the plans by which they
hope TO secure a longer lease of power.
And, consequently, we are not surprised
to find in the newspapers of the State which
side with Senator German, much laudation
of his recent speech in the Senate upon the
pending tariff bill Judging from the news
paper report of the speech, we fail to see
that it possesses any special merit or breadth
of view. or that its tardy recognition of the
principles of his party-which has served
him so long and so well-enttles its author
to any special praise. Coming when it did
and as it did, it seems to US to be rather an
effort to get in line with the growing senti-
ment which bids fair to sweep the country,
and with which he must be in apparent
sympathy if he would succeed, than the
expression of deep.seated and abiding
~ r.: q 81
abandonment Of protection as principle,
nor do we see that the modification" of his
views is so marked or SO important as to
call forth those exultant peans with which
the political atmosphere is vibrating.
1t is now admitted on all hands that the
Democratic party owes its present hold on
the respect and confidence of the country
to Mr.. Cleveland, or rather to the fact that
he forced it to abandon its attitude of vacil.
lation and assume the championship of the
peoples and the taxpayers cause. 1t is
known also, that the great message Of 1887
would have been sent to Congress year
or swo earlier, but for he advice and i'm
portunity of men Ike Mr.. German, who
care great deal more for the temporary
advantages of successful campaign than
for the establishment of enduring principles
under which, "unvexed by iniquitous laws"
the country could settle down to steady
work with reasonable hope of calm and
continuous progress. Had the e5unsels of
these men prevailed with Mr. Cleveland fl
naly, his party would have been still with
out a battle-cry, and the battle of 1888 would
have been just as surely lost, because the
Republican party would under any condi-
tions then possible have been able to COM
mand all the influences that then came to
Its aid. But the disaster would have been
ten-fold greater, because there would have
been no rallying-point for the defeated party.
AS tits, the Democracy came out of that
contest more compact, more determined,
more enthusiastic than at any moment since
Lincoln's election. All this shows that
genuine leader was at the head of the party.
1t was not such leadership as Senator Cor
mans would have been. He could no more
have written the tariff message of 81 than
he could have written the Epistle to the
Romans; and thus TO lag into camp alter
the vantage-ground has been gained by the
courage and toll Of others, and claim the
privileges of headquarters, if not the hom.
age due to the commander.n. chief, is only
another evidence Of the length to which
politicians will go TO secure the prize and
pelf of office.
But in his zeal to gain recognition and
command the good will of his people, Sena-
tor German made a fatal admission when
he said that he was for the Democratic party
right or wrong. 1t is not pleasant to hear
man occupying highly responsible posi-
ton, upon the proper discharge of the du-
ties Of which the interests of thousands dc.
pend, man who is claiming and striving
for leadership, say that he would do wrong
thing or defend wrong principle. We
have been taught to believe that the real
leader of party, the truly loyal partisan,
would never knowingly lead his party as
tray, but would seek to establish it upon
great principles which might encounter op.
position, but not contempt, and would strive
by bringing about benefcent results to en-.
trench it in the affections and respect of the
people. We were not surprised to know
that Senator German entertained this view
of party fealty $50 consonant with Senator
ingalls, remark that the idea of conducting
politics upon moral principles is an rides
cent dream,) but we were somewhat dazed
TO find him giving such candid expression
to it, since it wholly units him for the
leadership which he SO much covets, and
which the people of Maryland are expected
to confer upon him as matter of course.
His slothful and half recognition of
the wisdom of a policy which other men
saw and urged long ago, shows that he does
not possess that far-sighted vision SO neces-
sary to the leader of great cause, while his