The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-07-13
THE DEMOCRATIC STATE CAM
PAIGN.

The Democratic State Convention, which
will nominate candidates for the offices of
Governor, Encouragement and comptroller
OF the treasury, will assemble in Baltimore
on the last day OF this month. 1t will be
composed of III members, which is the
number OF the General Assembly. Under
the rules OF the party it requires SO votes
to make nomination. Up to the present
time delegates have been selected in only
few counties, and in these Senator Cor
man, who, it has been announced, is in
the saddle, has sigpally failed to hold his
own. In Talbot county alone has the
Senator been approved. No other county
convention has ventured to do so, while in
one or two he has been directly condemned
and in others indirectly condemned by
resolutions approving the national admin
istration. 1t is noticeable that the usually
bold policy of the managers has been,
in some respects, abandoned. 1t would lie
in accord with what is generally regarded
as good practical politics for Mr.. German
to start out with his own county and set
the pace so to speak, for the rest of the
State Instead of this the convention Of
Howard county has been deferred until lie
latest possible day-the day before tie
State convention This action has given
rise to the belief that the Senator does not
feel assured of success EVEN at home, and
desires more time in which to prepare for
the contest, which to him is of supreme
Importance. The city of Baltimore, which
contains half the Democrats of the State, is
also held back, and instead of taking the
lead, as its size and importance would
enable it to do, the party in the city is
muzzled until the counties have perhaps
settled the business. The reason for this
is hard to explain unless, as has been sug
gt sted, the managers desire to know in
advance of the primaries who is going to
win, so as to be in a more favorable posi-
ton for deal. Not since the reorganiza.
ton of the party in 1866 has it been in
such hopeless condition of chaos as it is
now. There is no settled policy and no
plan of campaign. The bosses themselves,
it is believed, are all at sea as to whom
they will favor for the State offices and
seem to be bent solely upon capturing the
nominations for the Legislature and espec-
tally for the Senate, and in doing that they
are taking the surest way to wreck the
party and give the Legislature and
federal Senator to the Republicans.
As to the governorship, the situation
seems absolutely unchanged since the
withdrawal of Mr.. Rayner The convent
ions of Allegany and Hartford counties de-
manded the nomination of an anti German
man, or, in other words, man in sympathy
with the national democracy, for Governor.
Those resolutions voice the aspirations of
nine out of every ten Democrats in the
State, and it is not considered likely that
in the State convention the ring will
venture to oppose that sentiment. Indeed
it has been suggested that they will try to
utilize it by asserting to an anti-Gorman
nomination for Governor and attorney
general, hoping that those candidates will
pull Objectionable legislative candidates
through. But this would be like depend
ing on broken reed, which, if a man lean
upon it, will pierce his hand. In the mean
time the counti's one after another are
holding their primaries, and in each case
there is a contest. The parties to this
contest are, upon one side the mass of the
party, undisciplined and without leaders
or organization, and with the party
machinery in almost every case used ruth
lessly against them On the other side is
the compact, disciplined organization of
the bosses, in politics for what they can
make out of it, reinforced by Office holders
and well supplied with money. 1t is a
contest for freedom from political bondage,
for better methods for manhood and for
clean, honest democracy and for the time
honored principles of the party. 1t is
battle between militiamen and regulars
The regulars may win, but it will be a
victory far worse than def baltimore
Sun.