Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-02-08
THE COVER WORSHIP.

The effect OF the long sway OF machine
politics in some States OF the Union has
been detrimental in all respects, and espe
cially so in creating factionsl contests based
upon the claims OF individuals to prefer
meat. Genuine party spirit has been almost
destroyed, and men Of sterling merit have
been thrust 10 the background because they
scorned TO employ the means necessary to
success in an era Of bossism. Party names
have been proclaimed as the first objects OF
the citizens worship, and loyalty to party
so long as il was under the control of 1.-THE
managers"-has been made the test of patri-
otism and political consistency. Maryland
long ago passed under the dominion OF the
bosses, and they have reaped abundant har'
vests from her people
1t is emily repetition of history that these
men should come to grief and perplexity,
and the sober sense and honesty of the PEG.
pie assert themselves and demand the resto.
ration Of fair dealing and justice. The
awakening has been slow, it is true, but ii
has been accompanied by full realization
of the responsibilities of citizenship, and
wherever the battle has been joined these
responsibilities have been met as noby and
rs glorioHsly as they were at Marston Moor
and Yorktown. The recent elections in the
country, which have stricken down both
parties in turn, have injected into the polIt.
ical situation an element which managers"
cannot calculate, and they are consequently
at sea without compass, while the waves
of popular indignation are rolling high, and
have also revealed to the people their own
supremacy when they choose to put forth
their strength.
The opportunity of the Maryland Dem
ocracy is at hand. The approaching cam,
paign must be fought upon principle. The
Republican party Of this State has never
been so compactly and intelligently organ
lied as at present, nor so hopeful oil success.
Every declaration Of the Democratic plat
form must be a clear-cut enunciation OF
Democratic doctrine, and every candidate of
the party must bear the credentials of char
acter-maniness, self reliance, independ
ence Of sinister influences, answering loyal
ty to party principles. The campaign must be
an aggressive one, and this cannot be with
out leaders whom the people trust.
There are many candidates for the Demo-
cratic nomination for Governor of the State,
but it is doubtful if the man is yet in sight
who can unite the party, as 1t should be
united, and promise the results the people
expect as the fruits of Democratic victory.
The times in which we live, the conditions
which surround us, demand something more
than professional politician as the stand
ard bearer--nay they demand the elinina
tion of the professional politician from the
situation.
But, desirable as this result is, and greatly
AS the people long for it, they will delude
themselves il they think it will accomplish
itself without effort on their part The pol
lticians will not yield except under pres
sure which threatens to sweep them away,
and the people themselves hold the only rod
vi which the politicians are afraid
1t is of the first importance to the people
that party principles should be preserved,
and that the party itself should act in har
mony. There are grave questions which
affect Maryland alone, and which will re
qure the best efforts of the best men in the
community Tor their satisfactory solution,
but il is also true that the attitude of the
State upon Federal questions will be, in part
at least, determined by the result OF the
next election. There is no doubt as to the
real sentiment OF the State in this regard,
and the effort now being made in some
quarters TO veil their importance, because
this is a purely local contest" cannot be too
closely watched OF too earnestly thwarted
1t is an old, old dodge ol the politicians to
beiog the present situation, while they keep
their eyes upon distant goal which has no
interest for the people.
All these things considered, il becomes
plain that the leader of the Maryland De
mocracy at this time must be man of
sterling worth and large ability, whose life
is the best guarantee of iailhiulness and de
voton to the great trust repused in him No
other kind of man can be elected, in our
judgment, because the people will not longer
brook the dctation OF the bosses Aud there
fore it is time when the people themselves
should come forward with stern demand
which the "managers" will not dare to dsre
gard, and which alone, we believe, can save
the party from defeat