Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-05-08
DEMOCRATIC REFORM CLUE.

Mr.. Philip ID. Laird, President of the
recently organized Maryland Democratic
Reform Club, in the course of converse.
tion with reporter of the Baltimore Sun
concerning the club, said: ayes, there has
been some comment in the press OF the State
upon the formation Of the club, and think,
upon the whole, it is favorable. A few ex
treme papers have spoken harshly and un
justly of 1t, but it is manifest from the tone
of their articles that they wholly miscon
ceive the purposes of the organization, espe-
cially when they assert most positively that
the covert design of the club is TO defeat Mr..
German. l wish it to be most distinctly
understood that we have no covert designs
upon any subject. The gentlemen compos-
ing the club are not afraid to express them
selves, and if one o: its purposes was to op-
pose Mr.. Germans re election they would
[ndV. the courage and candor to say so.
That Mr.. German will be returned to the
Senate is conceded on every hand, and l
have not heard the suggestion ejcn of an
attempt to defeat him. Some warm friends
Of Mr.. German, and some who have sub
scribed TO the testimonial, are members oi
the club. These statements, it seems to me
ought to satisfy every one upon the senate.
rial question.
"rbe especial, definite aim of the asso.
citation is TO awaken popular interest in
the very important matters which will comt
before the Legislature at its next session
We could think of no better way of accom-
plishing this than by disqualification of care
fully prepared reports upon these subjects
setting forth the actual condition of things
and suggesting remedies where defects are
found in existing laws and practices. No
possible harm can come to the party from
such proceeding, because the clubs work
will not be binding upon any one, and if it
fails to stand the test of the criticism to
which it will be subjected the people will
reject it, of course. We do not claim 10
possess all the wisdom in the State, as one
paper peevishly suggests, but we do claim
the right to strive for those better laws
which all but the blind concede TO be neces.
sary and proper, and if by painstaking and
conscientious work we can throw any light
upon these questions, some of which will
present themselves in entirely new aspects
it would seem that ii ought to be received
it does not emanate from particular source
"There is Il good deal of discomfort among
the people in regard to many things Their
Democracy is unquestioned and their 10y
atty as sturdy as at any time in the State s
history, but they justly think that they are
entitled TO little more consideration than
they usually get at the hands of their pub
lie servants. We propose to circulate the
result Of our investigations among the peo-
pie and get the benefit of their judgment
upon it, and the information thus obtained
will be great help to the General Assem-
bly, if ii goes about its work in the right
spirit.
ave are much encouraged upon the sub
ject OF membership of the club, and am
very confident that it will have a career OF
usefulness. The various committees will be
appointed in short time and the active
work will begin. We iully realize that we
must prove that the club means TO live up to
It's declarations, and we are not at all afraid
OF the responsibility which our position i'm
poses upon us. We are us earnestly devoted
to the success OF the Democratic party as
any class OF the people, and understand that
in Maryland at least, all reforms must be
accomplished by its sinstrumentality. Know
ing this, we are anxious that the utmost
harmony shall prevail. An era of discord
is never productive of good legislation"