Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-10-04

political DUTY only too often from the
standpoint of their own interests. Suppose
the entire municipal administration placed
in Republican hands and the control Of
the oyster navy, the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal, the Legislature and all other sources
Of political power in the State differed and
manned by this hungry political organi-
cation, il there any sentient being in the
State who suppOses they would hesitate to
employ the forces at their command in the
peculiar ways they SO well understand, and
continue their grasp upoa political power,
and especially TO carry the State for the
Republican Presidential candidate. Every
utterance Of their speakers before the con-
vention indicated that the great object in
view was the campaign of 1888, and the
comments Of the Northern press all point
to the fact that the contest here is intended
TO discredit Mr.. Cleveland by breaking
down Mr.. German upon the issue of the
Federal appointments made in this state
Who does not know that Republican TIL
umph here will not only disarm the Dem
ocratic party and place it at the mercy Of
its Republican adversaries, but that the
blow aimed At the President will be taken
up elsewhere and pressed as a reason for
his defeat in other statess Maryland stands
at the head Of the Democratic states of the
South, which have been called in derision
the solid South We know that it has
been the unremitting effort of the Republi.
can leaders 10 break this solid front 10
pieces and thus capture part Of its electoral
vote. Are our own people prepared TO do
for them what they have not been able to
do for themselves? Hand us over now TO
Republican control, and a shout of triumph
will go up from Republican throats all over
this broad land. But how will our Demo
cratic friends feel toward us2 What an.
swer shall we make when they point TO
the common ruin in which we have involv-
ed both them and ourselves? Shall We
say: There were political abuses in our
chief city which we needed new election
law TO reform, and our party was fully
awaked to its importance, ana its most
solemn pledge was recorded that if sue
cessful at the polls il would redeem its
pledge, but we were told by a corporation
attorney who has nothing in common with
ourselves, q fellow bloated with conceit and
the impersonations of infinite Cheek and
a half score of others who never cared for
the Democratic party or rendered it the
slightest service, but who, on the contrary,
have tried time and again to defeat il, that
the only remedy FOR our ills was to turn to
the Republicans and trust them to do pre-
isely what our own party has promised to
do? What answer may we not expect to
hear? Fools, you have been betrayed by
your hidden Toes into tine hands of your
enemies. You have parted with your birth
rights without receiving even a mess of
pottage in return
"Then why call upon the Republican
party on the eve of Presidential contest
to do this work? II is no answer the lead
ers of this revolt make, that they intend to
vote for President Cleveland next year.
Suppose they do; what is their handful of
votes compared with the multitude they
propose to lead away from the Demo-
cratic party now, and who, in view of the
patronage, present and prospective, may
not choose to follow their blind guides
back again There is no escape from the
true question which conironts every DEM
ocrat who will pause to reflect. Reform
in our election laws is assured, but the per.
il which hangs over 1888 is imminent if
that reform Is to come as the price of Re-
publican victory"
Has not Mr.. Lowpdes already said, even
though the Sun carefully left ont that part
Of his speech. that if his party could carry
the State this year it would be kept in the
Republican column in 1896 If the San
was right in 1897, is it not entirely wrong
in 1895?