Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1890-10-31
What Has He Done 7"

gives the following glowing account OF Dem
ocratic prospects in that locality:
"What has he done?" This is question
which the voters, not only of Allegany
county, but of every county in this Con
gressional district, are putting to Mr.. Nc
Comas In this lively campaign, and he and
| his friends are trying hard to answer il to
the satisfaction of their audiences. The OBJ
| ject of the question Is not so much to learn
the details OF Mr.. McComas' record, for they
are pretty well known, but to put his cam
paign on the defensive, and if Democratic
leaders are to be believed they have sue
ceeded well in their purpose. Mr. McComas
has gone through this county on a cam
paign tour. If reports are to be relied upon
he has met with chilling receptions. Only
corporals guard, it is said, has attended
his meetings, and the bulk of this has been
colored. From other sections of the district
come the same reports.
| Much more rosy-tinted are the reports in
reference to the campaign of Gen. McKaig,
the Democratic nominee. Everywhere he
has been land he has gone over the district
thoroughly he has met with enthusiastic
receptions, has been feted and has been over
whelmed with flowers from the ladies who
have attended his meetings in large num-
bers. At Williamsport, the birth place of
Mr.. McComas, for instance, three times as
many persons turned out to hear McKaig
as could crowd themselves into the biggest
hall in the town. 1t is stated that McComas
spoke to many empty seats. He was in
Cumberland one day last week and had he
been stranger, it is said, he could not have
been greeted by less people.
Other plans are resorted to to place Mr.
McComas campaign on the defensive be-
| sides asking such leading question as
"What has he done?" 1t is stated that in
some of the agricultural sections of the dis
trict he has been asked directly this query:
"Mr McComas, why did you vote for the
tariff on binding Irvine, which all wheat
| growers use?"
He would probably consume half an hour
answering that question and Others which
bore upon it, when this one would be put
to him:
"Why did you vote for increasing the tar
| if on tin? ?"
More time would be lost in explaining his
vote, and probably by the time he launched
forth with his prepared speech he would be
asked another question, and he would have
but little time in which to explain to farm
ers how the silver bill had been the cause of
the advance in the price OF cereals
| This is the Democrats view of the cam
paign. The Republicans will tell you of
enthusiasm, but Sun reporter has yet to
find single Republican who will say that
Mr.. McComas' meetings have been well at
tended and that there is any extraordinary
| amount of interest in his campaign. Mr..
McComas has been constantly on the go
since he opened his campaign, in August,
when he accepted the nomination at Oak.
land, and if reports are To be believed, his
health is not standing the strain His face
| is said to be as white as chalk, and a resi-
| dent of Hagerstown told Sun reporter
here last night that Mr. McComas had be-
come detected, and that he did not display
that overconfdent spirit which has charac-
terized him in previous campaigns. He has
been aided in his campaign by State Sena-
tor George A. Pearre, U. 5. Sub Treasurer
George l.. Wellington, Naval Officer Milton
G. Urncr, and States Attorney David W.
Sloan, of Allegany county, They have all
| lauded Mr. McComas' career, have discussed
the Republican view of the tariff, and have
arraigned the Democratic party in this State.
Senator Pearre has discussed the supervis.
| ors' feature of the new election law, and
has claimed that it has robbed the elections
| of their local control lar more than the force
| bill would
Mr.. McComas, in his speeches to the min
ers, has pictured how he appeared before
| the Senate finance committee which in re-
Spouse to the demands of New England
|
tells how he appealed TO Senator Aldrch,
to Senator Hlscock and others composing
the committee, and how he implored them
to save the industries of Western Mary
land. He depicts how, as a last resort, he
threatened the committee TO lead all the
Southern Republicans in fight against the
adoption of the amended bill by the House.
He tells the farmers how Republican legis
lation has advanced The price of corn, These
are Mr.. McComas' answers to the question
"What has he done?"
| Democrats point to several facts in favor
of their success. In 1887 General Mckaig
carried Allegany county by over 700 ma
jority. He ran over 1900 ahead of the State
ticket. The question arises, has he suffered
any loss Of strength since 1887? lie has done
nothing to cause any loss. He has done
much TO aid him In the Maryland Senate
| in 1888 he framed the mine ventilation bill
and urged its passage pcrsistently All the
miners are interested in this measure, and
they are reported 10 be deeply grateful to
him for his efforts in their behalf. Six
months ago he was elected Mayor Of itepub-
ican Cumberland by 207 majority. In his
distribution of offices he is said to have made
some enemies, but they can be counted on
| the fingers OF the two hands.
| But above General McKaig's individual
strength there hangs towering the most pro.
nounced Repu blican disaffection ever known
in this county. Outspoken rs this oppos-
| ton 10 Mr.. McComas is, it yet cannot be
seen in all its details, for there will be a vest
| pocket vote, the extent Of which cannot be
estimated, but the effect of which will be
seriously felt by Mr.. McComas. An ex Re.
publican worker showed sun reporter
list Of 1903 active Republican husters Of
| Cumberland who would vote for General
McKaig. He said that the number was over
two hundred, and that fully rs many Re
publicans who take no active part in poll.
| tics would not vote at all, and among these
gentlemen, whose names and occupation
were told the reporter, were some OF the
most prominent Republicans in the city.
The dsaffection, IL is said, extends all over
the county.
The cause of this disaffection was inquir-
ed into by your correspondent. Democrats
and Republicans alike, familiar with the
situation, say that Mr. McComas deserted his
former friends here and trained with what is
called "'rhe Court House Circle" of which
Sub Treasurer Wellington Is said To be the
head. Mr.. Wellington Tor years fought Mr..
McComas in the county, and was a candl-
date for Congress against him at the con
yeniion in 1888. In the following year Mr.
Wellington was nominated for State Comp
troler through Mr.. McComas' aid. A few
months ago he was appointed, through Mr..
McComas' suggestion, sub treasurer at Bal
timore, at salary of $4,000 per annum. In
one of his speeches in this campaign he is
reported to have said that the Republican
convention did right in 1888 when it nomi'
mated Mr. McComas instead of himself Mr..
Urner's position in the last Senate against
the maintenance of the canal is said To have
made him unpopular in this county. Mr.
McComas, the Republicans say, turned
down Capt w. + Griffith, editor of the
Daily Netos, who had been his best friend in
former contests, ard who wanted to be post
master of Cumberland Mayor Shuck was
appointed Capt. Grflth's paper would not
saw word in favor Of Mr.. McComas, and
the latter's friends bought the paper from
him.
The soldier vote is said to be arrayed
against Mr.. McCamas because Capt Grlf-