The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-08-29
THE ISSUE IS GoRMANIsM.
The Situation From an Independent
Standpoint.

Standpoint.
rom the Baltimore Sun.
Ever since the Democratic party
of Maryland came under the ma
lign influence of Boss German
earnest and patriotic Democrats in
the city and IN every county of the
State have struggled for reform.
"Reform within the party" has
been their cry. These men have
contended thst by attending prima-
ries and doing their full duty as
citizens proper nominations could
be made by the people themselves
independent of and against boss
diction and the ring could be
smashed. For more than twenty
years this contest has gone on.
Year after year the people have
been cheated and cozoned at the
primaries and defied at the conyen-
tions. Nominations were made IN
defiance of and against the Will of
the people and then the question
would be asked in the words of
Boss Tweed, "What are you going
to do about it?' Are you going to
turn the State over to the Republi-
cans and submit to negro domina-
ton? Or else, when the people
become more than unusually FESTIVE
there were cries for "harmony" or
pleas for the life of the Democratic
party. Men Of personal respecta-
bility and standing have nearly
always been selected as candidates,
but with a few honorable exceptions
they have worn the yoke of the
bosses and submitted to boss dicta-
ton in making appointments and
IN their general policy.
The question has now come up
for decision at this election whether
this state Of things is to continue
indefinitely. Whether the people
are to make their own nominations
and rule the State, or whether that
matter is to be left solely to a
selfish boss, who is influenced by
selfish motives and not by the de-
mands of public welfare or of party
success.
1t is now apparent to the dullest
intellect that if the Democratic
people keep on ratifying the choice
! of the managers, the managers will
keep on selecting the candidates
and dominating the State. If
Samuel j. Tilden and the Demo
Gratis who followed him had made
their fight against the Erie canal
ring and the Tweed ring within the
party, Tweed would have continued
to rule and plumber New York to
the end of his life, and his success
ors would have relgned in his stead.
With the selection of election
officials in the hands of the ring,
people have no confidence in the
results of primary, and they Will
not attend them.
Here in Baltimore city the pri-
maries are merely method of
ratifylng the choice Of delegates
which has already been made by a
boss, and 10 honest contest is ever
contemplated. And even if con-
test IN the city were possible, as in
the counties, the unorganized and
undisciplined masses of the party
cannot compete in these contests
with men who make a trade of
politics and are reinforced with
patronage and the money contrib
uted by officeholders. Delegates
not elected by the people cannot be
trusted. At the recent State con-
yention not one delegate was
elected to vote for the nominee.
Most of them were elected to vote
for other men, but at the order of
the boss they abandoned the men
to whom they were pledged and
voted to ratify the choice of their
, manager.
The possession of the party ma.
chinery counts for everything with
the boss and the possession Of the
boss's favor is essential to the man
who has any political aspirations
And so it has come to pass thai
there is no longer any room fol-
honorable political am bition. NJ
man need to aspire to serve tn,
. State unless he is prepared to bow
a the knee to Baal and bend his necl
l to the yoke. There is no room TO
{ independent manhood. No on,
who is his own man need aspir
ordinarily for office. If he is b,
chance nominated he is defeated a
: the polls by the men who set them
! selves up for "regulars," but VIII
are merely camp followers ant
bushwhackers, who live upon tn
spoils of battle won by others.
Is this to continue forever? Mus
+, the strong. intellectual, mani,
r young men of Maryland be rulet
out of public service? In short
must Mr.. German and his chum
Mr. Roisin continna to rula FL