Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-01-09
The Importance Of the Next Election
in this State.

in this State.
The interest which naturally attaches to
the proceedings of Congress at the present
time, and to the measures of national i'm
portance pending in that body, should not
have the effect of diverting public attentio
in this city and State from the important
local elections to take place this year, and
the local interests and issues which they
involve. A municipal election involving the
choice of new Mayor and both branches
of the City Council certainly ought to
awaken the deepest interest of a commu
nifty to which a reasonable tax rate clean
streets and a well-ordered municipal ad-
ministration are quite as important as any
action which the Federal government is
competent or likely to take In matters of
national concern. The general or State
election, involving the choice of Governor
and State Comptroller, as we'll as members
of the Legislature, is at least of equal i'm
portance. That the politicians of the class
who make politics business and who fol-
low it as men ordinarily pursue any other
business, for the profit and personal advan-
tage there is in it, have had their attention
turned to these elections, and have been
busy making their combinations and plans
with reference to them, has been apparent
for some time Is it not time that the peo-
pie at large-who do not expect to be can
didates or want offices, but who pay the
piper all the same-pay the salaries of those
who get the offices and pay the taxes which
Governors and Legislatures, mayors and
city councils expend-should also be CIV
ing some thought and attention to the sub
ject?
Take the Office of Governor for example,
the Importance of which has been abun-
dainty illustrated by recent events. There
can be but one Governor elected. Presum-
ably there will be but one candidate placed
in nomination by each political party. AL
ready the names of several gentlemen have
been mentioned as qualified for the posi-
tion and anxious for the honor of the
Democratic nomination. This is both natur-
al and proper, for while it is eminently de.
sirable that the nomination when made
shall command the undivided support of
the party, it is equally necessary in order to
secure that harmony and unanimlty In sup.
port of the candidate that there shall be no
attempt to fetter or restrict the choice OF
the party, or prevent or forestall the fair
and free expression of its choice. 1t will
not be sufficient to secure that unanimity-
which is so important and SO desirable-by
any successful intrigue or combination of
place holding or place seeking politicians.
He should be the free, spontaneous choice
of the great majority of the party through
out the State, of those who are sincerely de-
voted to Its principles, and honestly, unset
fishly desire its success. Especially import
ant is it that neither the choice of Governor
nor any other important State officer, nor Of
the Legislature itself, should be made or
suffered to be subordinate or subservient to
any other purpose or consideration than
that of giving to the State of Maryland u
competent, clean and efficient State govern
ment and administration.
This is a matter exclusively and solely of
State concern. While II is only reasonable
that the State government should be under
Democratic control in all its branches, leg
isative and executive, because the great
majority of the people of Maryland are
Democratic, and no other government could
or would faithfully represent their views, it
must be remembered that this is strictly a
matter of State concern. Last November
the issues involved in the elections then held
were national issues-questionS of national
politics. Next November it will be solely
a question OF State government and State
politics. Not even the fact that the next
Legislature will be called upon, as well also
the last, to elect United States Senator can
divest the coming elections Of their distinct
ly local character and paramount import
ance in local or State point of view.
this time, in part, by some valuable sugges-
tions upon the subject which recently ap-
peared in county paper-the Cecil Demo
crat. 1t is true that the remarks which we
shall quote have reference primarily to the
importance of gubernatorial nomination
which shall command the confidence and
unite the suffrages of the Democratic voters
throughout the State. But they apply with
equal force to the nomination for Comp
troler and TO the choice OF legislative can
didates in this city and in every county in
the State. Says the Democrat, in substance,
in its issue of December 20: "rhe next cleo
tion in Maryland will be an important one.
Vino shall be the leader in that contest as
our candidate for the important position of
Governor? Both the man and the method
of his nomination must be above suspicion.
His personal, and, above all, his political
surroundings and antecedents must be such
as will inspire confidence In the masses OF
the people in the Democratic administration
of State affairs, which was rudely shaken
by the Archer delalcaton. For this reason"
continues the Democrat, "we regret to see
the discussion of candidates for Governor
confined to those gentlemen orly who are
supposed to be acceptable TO two or three
men who own and contiol the machinery of
the Democratic organization In Maryland.
however respectable, cannot but have the
effect of increasing the distrust already ex-
listing in the minds of thousands of Demo
Gratis throughout the State. Such nomi-
nation will intensity the differences already
existing in the ranks OF the party"
There can be no doubt of the correctness
of the warning here conveyed, or of the
soundness of the further suggestion which
the Democrat makes that "as far as possible
the great body Of Democratic voters should
be consulted upon this important question" !"
The only security against machine made
nomination and the inevitable dissatlsfac
ton, apathy, and even possible revolt which
such nomination may give rise to is for
the people themselves to insist upon being
heard, and selecting such candidates as all
good Democrats can cheerfully unite in sup
porting-candidate who are neither tools
nor puppets, and not put forward to serve
the selfish purposes or ambition OF any sin.
gle man or set of them, but to the best OF
ability and knowledge faithfully TO serve
| the State.-DdLt0. Sun.
| The Comptroller has made the quarterly
distribution of the school fund, this county
receiyinp 20 769 80 for the white and 81 =.