The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-11-16
EXPLAINING DEFEAT.


as before the election he was lovingly
employed in telling the people why it
should not be defeated.
It's dsagreeable occupation at any
time, even with the best equipped Demo
cratic editor or leader, to frame plausible
excuses for party defeat, and in the present
case, the task is very much the harder, for
the reason that so many states have done
Just what Maryland did,-expressed their
lack OF confidence in the Democratic party
by showing it under at the polls.
Now hopefulness is an admirable quality
of the human heart, and in the bosom OF
many a Democrat in Maryland as elsewhere,
it is even now springing eternal.
Senator Gibson of this State, who per-
haps feeds on richer ambrosial diet of home
grown terrapins oysters and asparagus
than the average of his Eastern Shore
brethren, is painfully (?) hopeful about this
time.
The antediluvian scoffer, who sneered at
Noah's ark, and thought at first the flood
only passing shower may have been a
brave man.
But the sequel showed, that he like the
bull which bravely defled the locomotive,
was sadly lacking in discretion.
So Senator Gibson regards the present
Democratic deluge as only "a passing
shower"
Gin year." he thinks, ''the skies will
be blue, and the people will rally to the
support of the Democratic nominee for the
Presidency
Now it is only natural to ask, on what
foundation the sanguine senator builds the
structure of his faith.
He rests it, strange to say, upon the
merits and benefits of the Gorman-Brice
tariff bill.
In other words, the senator would have
the people of Maryland believe, that they
are ut this time ilourishing, prosperous and
happy, under Mr.. Germans modified tariff
law, that they owe their present business
prosperity (?) and happiness to that law and
inferentially we are to believe also, that
Mr.. German i, wiser statesman than Mr..
Cleveland, who was so opposed to the
German law, that he refused to sign it, and
allowed it to become law without his
signature.
But unfortunately for Senator Gibson,
telling people that they are well off and
prosperous does not make them so.
Mr. l.. Irving Handy tried that expert
ment recently in this county, when he told
his hearers at Fair Hill, that mll-mens
wages were higher now than they We're
under President Harrison $ administration.
There wasn't an employc in Col. Sin
gerly's mills at Providence, some of whom
composed Mr. Handy's audience, who bC-
lieved what he told them, for they knew,
that the cut in wages now in force at those
mills is greater than ever before in lis
history.
In a word, Senator Gibson's explains
ton of the Democratic defeat, as "a passing
shower means, that it is not the result OF
popular disappointment at Democratic
policy and management at Washington,
but only temporary dissatisfaction with
State Democratic leaders, which time will
speedily cure.
But Senator Crothers of Cecil county
holds quite another view of the Democratic
situation, and thinks that the revolution
was bound to come sooner or later, ~ that
''the Republicans would have been victor-
Gus without the aid of Democratic boilers, "
and THAT our the Democratic party is
greatly weakened throughout the country
and in this State, and requires more than
the swapping of leaders"
Of course, the Cecil senator's post cleo
ton" opinions, are quite another thing
from his ''ante election prophecics.'
When he told the people how deep the
Republicans were to be buried this fall, he
was only INDUCING oratorical wind.
lie Was iol buhN'Iiht'
Now, we are happy to say, returning
reason points another path, and the senator
admits, that Gormanism was not the sole
issue that has cost sore defeat at the polls
As Senator Crothers takes the public into
his confidence in the letter recently written
to the Baltimore NcuS, it is only an act of
justice to him, that we should quote the
letter in full.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE News:
sincerely hope for reunited Democ-
racy in this State but question the wisdom
of attempting to bring to the front so soon
those who bolted at the recent election
The masses of the party will not accept
these as leaders and the breach will bt
widened instead of being closed. ! think
the true policy would be to submit the
whole matter to the curative Of time, and
in the meantime devote ourselves to the
task of retaining those who have aban-
doned the party. The newspapers could
be well employed in teaching Democratic
principles, and demonstrating as far as
they can that the commercial depression
from which we are emerging was not due
to Democratic laundering. ! suggest this
because am convinced that the Repubi-
cans would have been victorious without
the aid of Democratic boilers. Our party
is greatly weakened throughout the coun-
try, and in this State, and requires more
than the swapping of leaders.
The Republican party in this State Is