The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-02-03
Maryland Democratic Editors.

At meeting of the Maryland Demo-
cratic Editors Association at Annapolis
last week a paper was submitted for the
consideration of the Association dealing
with certain matters now agitating the
public mind. The author and several other
editors believed that more unity of action
should prevail among the Democratic press,
and the paper was presented for discussion
and for such alteration and amendment as
the Association should suggest-a mere
groundwork for a basis to form a closer
union among the press and to secure more
united action for the good of the party.
The Legislature had been in session for
nearly month, with two proposed assess
ment bills, hesitating to act upon either
and with some indecision upon other mat
tiers. Deep concern among the people upon
the matter of an assessment was manifest
everywhere. Neither bill was acceptable
to the people, and the fear of decreased
basis and an increased tax rate was causing
serious thought among Democrats who
have the interest of the party at heart.
Interest in party supremacy, respect for
party pledges, regard for the organic law,
concern for the welfare Of the people,
prompted the preparation of the paper. If
its declarations were extreme, so are the
provisions of the Constitution and the
promises Of the Democratic party, for the
words of the latter were the words of the
former, and they were recited. If state
appropriations to institutions under secta-
rian control is not violation of the Consti-
tuition in letter, it is in spirit, and is re-
pugnant to our system of government.
And to aid private enterprises by donations
from the public treasury is to put in prac-
tice the principle of Protection, "a principle
that has been uniformly condemned by the
Democratic party and unauthorized by our
organic law. The paper was not adopted;
it was discussed to some extent, but the
proceedings were private, and cannot be
mentioned here The Annapolis cores
pendent of the Baltimore Sun, the organ
of the Tax-Dodgers in the state, however,
heard something of the matter, which he
falsely alleged "leaked out" distorted what
he heard, published some facts and manu-
featured others, and in high glee claimed
that the non-adoption of the paper was an
evidence of the touchdown state of public
feeling on the assessment question On
this particular point the events of the past
few days show that the public feeling
has toned up. and some of the editors.
like some of the Democrats in Congress,
"free traders in all districts except their
own, will find that the paper submitted to
them was not so very extreme and could
have easily been amended to form COM
mon platform where all could have stood
and acted together, and been little in adj
vance on events that now look likely to
transpire.
That paper was very close to represent
ing public sentiment. That sentiment is
still toning up, and Tax-Dodgers and the
Dodgers organ will realize it in the
end, if they are too blinded by their own
selfish interests to observe it now. Those
again waiting for donations from the public
treasury to aid private institutions will find
their hopes unrealized if not altogether
blasted