The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-11-21

heard from all except one, that Que wa
= silent. Arthur knew thing or two an
would not mass worth "a cent. lie say
no necessity for reformation, because Ii
held the fort Had things been reversed
with Pink inside and himself out, b
t might have deemed the necessity for re
a form urgent. There are many | know
who deny to the quadruped the possession
- OF mind, and are only willing to credi
I them with what they are pleased t.
{ denominate instinct, notwithstaudiu.
4 evidences of being able to reason from
cause to effect are daily presented whict
show cOnclusively, that the reasoning
faculties of man and beast, are if not
Identical at least very similar, and tina
/ the difference if any 10 more in degree
than in kind.
Which of yGu does not see striking
similarity III the efforts made by thl
+ biped and the quadruped TO accomplish
thorough reforms The former have OF
course 4 great advantage III that Their
facilities of Communication are greater
n .ture has Il MED to the one the ability
to make use of the great agencies OF
, disseminating thoughts which are at the
disposal OF the other. Man brings to his
aid that wonderful invention the print
!
cropping i'll comparative darkness. The
truth OF this was eXempl.tied IN our late
county campaign. You have but to look
back over the ii es of our local weekles
aad DE convinced. What would our people
have known of tn fitness of their can
didates, had We been without these lGmi
naries, which serve as beacon lights to
guide the ignorant voter? Without the
information furnished by them (dnd at
only two dollars per anuum), 10 one
could have exercised that inestmable
privilege guaranteed by the Constitution
to the Aneric III citjZ5n with any degree
Of intelligence but would have CROPPED
his way to the polls in an unCers in state
OF mind, and would i'll ali probability
have dep psited his little ballot imported
from Australia Tor the wrong men. Even
| with all the light tn - SAs furnished us,
it is far from certain that some mistakes
! were not mads.
Now when you come to aualyZe the
reform movements that have been
periodic ally instituted in our State and
particularly III the Metropolis, you will
find that their origin was due to the
same causes that provoked the uprising
amongst the CANNES. Cold and hunger
are alike distasteiul to man and beast,
and either when suffering from their
effects will resort to many questionable
articles to get relief. The outs 1ciU try
to get in.
1t is impossible, in the light Of recent
| history, to place much confidence i'll the
sincerity Of the modern political 70
! former. This is not true OF all who
enlist under the reform banner. There
are some who are misled (hypuotizsd as
l., l.,
! lieve that the leaders are actuated by
! purely patriotic motives, just as men
| occasionally fall a prey to the travelling
! sharpers who traverse the land in quest OF
| good farms. 1t is a noticeable fact that
the prime movers in these retormatOry
Undertakings, at least those who come
to the front, are always to be found
amongst the outs. Who ever beard of
man or a dog bowling for change when
he had what he wanted. Who ever saw
one of either kind growing about the
distribution of the loaves and fish 's
when he vas in the enjoyment of all that
he desired.
The bono is never the bone OF cDnteu
ton as long as it is i'll the uudisturbed
| possession OF any one animal 1t on!y
becomes the object OF strife and dISc3ri
when an effort is made to dispossess him.
| You may throw a number 10 4 pios Of
| hungry hounds, and 10 contest will take
| place whilst the supply is equal to the
demand. Like all the products of the
| farm, if there is an overproducuioa there
will be little demand, because OF the
want of competition, but as sOcn as the
supply diminishes the demand increases,
and the scramble begins. Politicians
don't fight while they are comfortably
| domiCiled 1t is ONLY when the offices
are not numerous enough TO go round,
| that the reform sentiment Is eugeGdered.
! You will notice that this purifying pro
! cess always originates with those who
are out of office, and that the conditions
are that it must be confined to the party
Of which they are members. The reason
of this is evident. How else could it be
| Of any benefit to them. How could they
expect t. get in out OF the cod, if the
doors we're not locked to all outside Of
| their party. 1t must not be inferred that
the writer is opposed to all efforts at
reformation. The theory of reform in
| our political affairs il correct and the
need of it uuquestiOned, and were it
taken in hand and conducted by those
who are not ION the make" there would
be a generous response, and a numerous
| following, bat when it is engineered by
persons who like old Pink were once in,
but now out suspicion will be aroused
as to the sincerity of their motives, and
but little enthusiasm will be aroused.
Look at the result of the oft repeated
attempts that have been made. What
have they amounted to? With a few
exceptions almost nothing. 1t is true
that in the city OF Baltimore, particularly
III the judiciary line. some improvement
mas been effected, but in regard to the
whole ticket. little improvement is
! visible.
One very strong reason for doubling
| the sincerity OF many of the prominent
| and vociferous advocates OF reform, is tae
fact that they do not pursue a uniform
course of action. At one time they are
! Outspoken and earnest in denouncing the
Vaccinations of the ring and at otLer
times they are quiesceut aud taciturn.
| Like some of the Influential city daiias
they find it convenient now and then TO
let up a good deal in the style aud vigor
Of their Remuneration, aud may be said
to knuckle under to the powers that
be - This style of VascillatiDn is tel 10y
that all powerful feeliug-self interest
Editors know which side of their bread
is buttered and tkey know that 1t is an
allowable andipropar thing to inveigh
against ring rule and all its attendant
evils III a general way, because by SO
doing they do not run counter tC public
opinion, or seriously interfere with the
status of the bosses, but they are very
shy about saying anything calculated to
embitter those of their own party who
are high in power. Were the "indepen-
i. L..
independent as they profess to be, their
Influence for good in the line OF reform
might be greater. Although their ability
to mould public opinion is greatly mag
uified, yet they could by a strict forward
untlinching course accomplish a great
deal more than they do. Strictly party
papers (whether protesting to be ind5.
pendent or not) may not inaptly be
classed amongst Che''ius. They are to all
intents and purposes as much identified
| with the success of the dominant party
as the ufficeholders. Without receiving
any fixed salary, yet they derive much
of their income from political sources,
ani their circulation and support are
governed in a great degree By the manner
Ia which they deal with public questions
and public men, and hence they are
guarded in their utterauces and are
careful to give as little offense to the
bosses as possible, aud at the same
time retain the name of independent.
There is another influence that retaris
the march of reform probably as much
as all others, aud that is toalty 10 party
Experience teaches us that when one
identified with either of the two great
political organic atoms of the country,
men seldom desert, unless chance of
advancement is discovered. Then they
go in a hurry We have living instances
of this in our county, but the most char