The San Francisco call., 1895-08-02
GORMAN'S VICTORY.

senator German has won victory over
the administration Democrats in Mary
land that gives him complete control oi
the party organization in the State and
attests that his leadership has been in no
wise weakened by the attacks of the ad-
ministration upon him. The event is one
of more than local note, but it is doubtful
if at this time the real significance OF it in
the field of politics can be rightly estl-
mated.
The fight was one that involved good
many issues. The friends of the admins
tration were aided by the free-traders, who
objected to Germans refusal to support
the Wilson tariff bill as it was first drawn
and by large number of the better ele-
ment of the party, who have been disguised
by the boss rule which the German ma
chine has so long upheld in Baltimore.
The German triumph, therefore, is defeat
for the administration, defeat for free
trade and triumph for the machine, and
the question now comes concerning the
effect 1t will have upon the party IN the
approaching elections.
That German regards the election with
some dread is evident from the platform
which he made his convention adopt, and
which is peculiar both in what it says and
in what it left unsaid. 1t indorsed Cleve-
land by referring to his inspiring leader
ship" and commencing his administration
for vigor and success III overcoming many
and great difficulties"; but it also COM
mended the German tariff which Cleve-
land refused to sign and which he declared
to have been the result of "party perfdy
and dlshonor." 1t left unsaid anything
about either German or Gibson, thus pre-
senting the curious spectacle of a trium-
phant faction indorsing the leaders OF the
losing faction and leaving its own leaders
unpraised, unnoted and unnamed.
1t was certainly not for nothing that
German induced his convention to adopt
such self-stultifying platform. That as
tute leader knows in the coming election
he will need every vote he can get. This
looks very much like Republican year in
Maryland, and certainly the contest will
be too close for Democracy to afford to lose
a vote. German must hold not only his
own faction, but the cuckoos, the free
traders and the anti-boss Democrats as
well. To propitiate the first two he in
OO1SCS SI6NOlduQ allO IuS ltIlIly anu W IllOl-
llfy the third he hides his head and lies
low in the background.
1t seems to be a case of the Kentucky
dodge over again. The Democrats of the
Bourbon State Endorsed the administration
and the gold standard, and then nomi-
mated at the head of the ticket free-silver
man, who, on more than one occasion, had
bitterly denounced both Cleveland and
Carlisle. In each case there is an evident
attempt to reconcile the warning factions
OF the party and bring them to the polls
together once more. 1t remains to be seen
what success will attend the dodge. Both
Maryland and Kentucky have for long
time been hidebound Democratic States,
and political tricks may succeed there that
would surely fail elsewhere. This year,
however, there is reason to hope for better
things. German and the trusts have beat
en- the cuckoos and free trade, and now we
may expect the people to beat the trusts,
the Gormanltes and the Baltimore ma
chine,