The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-06-22
MR.. GORMAN'S CAMPAIGN.


plexion the Democratic campaign in Mary
land would wear this year, that doubt has
long since been set at rest by the evident
determination of the party leaders and
managers to make "GOrmanism" the chief
issue of it, and to force the Democratic
party in Maryland to accept his rule and
that of his machine" associates for -four
years more.
In reality. "the campaign within the
party involves but one question: the en-
dorsement or rejection OF ''Gormanism,
and all that term implies-as the ruling
principle, or more properly speaking, policy
of the Democratic party as now organized
in Maryland.
In every county of the State where the
square issue has been raised by the ele-
ments of the party opposed to the lone
man power" every appliance of the
machine has been brought to bear to crush
out independence of sentiment in the
Democratic ranks, and to make the party
organization subservient to the uses and
designs of Mr.. German and his machine y
TO secure his continued ascendancy, his
personal followers have magnitied the
indispensibility of his leadership, and have
left nothing undone to impress upon the
rank and file the idea that he is the only
man in the Democratic party in Maryland
who can lead it to victory.
And this has been so far successfully
accomplished, in the face of the fact that
"Gormansm' has brought the Democratic
party to the verge of disaster, and that the
loss of the State last fall was directly trace
able largely if not solely to this cause.
Commenting on the fatality of the poit-
ical blindness which seems to affect so
many Democrats in Maryland, the Balti-
more Sun in its issue of Tuesday forcibly
says:
"When more than six weeks ago the
State Central Committee met at the Car
rolton Hotel in this city, and Mr.. German
came over from Washington to receive the
respectful homage of the committee and of
the otiiceholders and of the tficeseekers
there assembled, there was just cause given
for grave apprehension as to the prospects
of the party in the coming campaign. The
party had sustained a startling and humil-
iating defeat in the preceding November,
but six months before. The divisions in
the party dissatisfaction in this city with
local administration, widespread, open
mouthed and vigorously expressed dissatis-
faction throughout the State with our two
Senators in Congress, indicated that the
occasion was one for wise and temperate
counsel and deliheration. 1t was time
for taking into consideration the causes of
last years defeat, of so much apathy and
discomfort among Democrats, and for
weighing carefully the policy to be pur-
sued and the measures to be taken If the
party was to be once more united, har-
monious and victorious.
Every thoughtful Democrat recalls the
disappointment which was felt at the out
come of the committees meeting which
according to contemporaneous report, lasted
hardly fifteen minutes. There was no DIS
CUSTOM no deliberations a few cut-and-
dried resolutions were submitted to Mr..
German, possibly, not for the first time,
and being approved by him, were adopted,
providing among other things, for the novel
feature of special council of ten with the
chairman of the committee added who
We're to ''reorganize the party" adjust all
disputes decide all appeals and settle mat
tiers generally, so as to relieve the State
convention, when it should meet, on the
3lst of July, of all possible trouble. All
consideration of the actual condition and
needs of the party was apparently lost sight
of in the universal JOY felt at Mr.. German S
presence and the confidence inspired by his
open resumption of the Teins of power
which he had already so long held.
From that time Mr.. German committee,
through the sub-agency of the county COM
mttees, has regulated the course of 1.-THE
campaign within the party" 1t has been
very largely Mr.. Germans campaign; in
some counties of the Eastern Shore Mr..
Gibson's also The official press, or that
edited by the holders of offices who owe
their places to Mr.. Germans favor, have
united in the joyful acclaim that Senator
German is in the saddle again, and hail
the result of each successive primary cleo
ton as proof of his ''consummate leader
ship" If the Democrats who are opposed
to Mr.. Germans leadership and to Mr..
1 Gibson's re election to the United States
Senate stay away from the polls las they
did last November, or cast a minority
vote sufficient to turn the scale next No
vember, it is all the same to these jubilant
and light-hearted organ-grindeTs, who,
/ with their occupation, seem to have Dor
rowed the sunny temperament of their
Italian prototypes. If, as happened in
Talbot county the other day, all the anti
German Democrats in district or pre-
cinct refrain from voting because under nc
circumstances would they commit them
selves to support a ticket next November
/ favorable to German or Gibson their action