Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1891-05-07
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ADDRESS ADOPTED
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ia. DEHeCRAfIC EDITORS ASSOCIATION,

upon which we shall soon enter calls
for greater vigilance and activity on
our part than any for years past.
This is not state campaign merely.
1t has national importance, and the
outcome will be closely watched
throughout the country. In addition
TO the election Of general state and
local officers, legislature il TO be
chosen that will be charged with the
unsual duty of electing two United
States Senators. These prizes will
be holly contested for by the Repub.
lican party, and the national commit.
tee Of that party will doubtless lend q
strong hand 10 the local organization.
The waning power of that party in the
Senate will prompt ii to seize every
opportunity to strengthen itself
The Democracy Of the Union will
await with deep concern the result Of
the contest, for it hopes to gain con-
troll Of the Senate in 1893, in order
that the Legislative branch Of the
government as we'll as the Executive
shall be in Democratic hands. SO that
there shall be no barriers TO the work
Of reforming the public service, sbol.
ishing useless Offices, lessening ap.
preparations, keeping taxation within
constitutional limits. and restoring
the government to that simplicity
designed by its founders and Uniform
ly practised before the rise of the Re.
publican party.
The Democrats Of Maryland cannot
afford, BY apathy, faetional defer.
ences, or dissensions. TO lose the cleo.
ton. The loss of the Legislature
means more that the loss of two Uni.
ted States Senators. It means, in
addition, the election Of a Republican
State Treasurer and a Republican
Police Commissioner for Baltimore
city. It means still more. It would
give the Republicans opportunity to
prolong party ascendancy through
registration and election laws and
make its dislodgment difficult.
Republican success this year would
be far reaching in its influence. It
would make the upper house of Con-
gress safely Republican for a decade
more, if not longer: Defeat is de-
moralizing and disorganizing, and if
We lose the next election, which 10
preliminary to the great quadrennial
contest of 1892. our party would be
at a great disadvantage. and the
moral effect CT Democratic defeat in
this heretofore reliably Democratic
state would be deeply depressing up.
on the party everywhere. Itwould be
heralded by the Republican press as
an endorsement of the high handed
acts of the late Congress, of its pro-
fligacy and wastefulness, ofits subsidy
shipping bill and other raids upon the
treasury, and as rsbuke to Mary.
land Senator for his mastery and
matchless leadership against tina Force
bill.
The Importance of the contest can.
not be too highly regarded by the
party. The Republican party has a
solid vote of forty thousand unwa sr.
ing negroes to cast against ms, and it
will be literally supplied with means
and captivating orators should there
appear any chance of success. Mary.
land is Democratic, but in order to
preserve ascendancy the party must
have closed ranks and poll its full
vote.
The chief matters of state concern
are a primary election law. a new
assessment law, the perfection and ex.
tension of the new ballot law, the
preservation of the oyster interests and
the proposed constitutional amend
ments. A new assessment law is
needed. for great inequalities have
grown up since the last general
valuation. Farming lands have de.
preciated in earning capacity and
and selling value, and not only is a
new assessment needed. but new
sources Of revenue should be discover.
ed and true valuation OF personal
property of all kinds be made. In
this connection we should not fall
into the error of supp Osing that agri-
culture can be wholly relieved by
state legislation. 1t is not state and
local taxation that has reduced
agriculture to the verge of bank
ruptcy, but the Republican poll.
cy OF Protection, enforced by the Fed.
ersl Government. That policy not
only restricts the markets for the
products Of agriculture. but it places
the agriculturist at the mercy Of
monopolies and trusts, which are
daily eating out his substance.