Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-11-16
AS SEEN BY A WEST vlR0lNIAN.
The Great Contest in Maryland Sem
ator FauIkner's Position.
BALTIMORE. Nov. "a. 1908.

atOr FaufkueTS Position.
BALTIMORE. Nov. IS, 1895.
TO the Editor of the Herald.
Maryland, our Maryland. /"
quote from last weeks Herald.
After awhile it will be our Dixie, too
"a free gift of the regenerated South.
was in Baltimore during the recent
election and in a position to judge
concerning the vast importance of the
reform movement. Now that the
battle has been fought and won. we
have time to look around and calcu-
late the future results of victory.
That these results will be of incalcula-
Bile benefit to the State. and of vast
influence upon the coming general
election cannot be doubted. No one
can fail to see in the spirit of the
changes made promise of popular
combination and common action
which must eventually sweep the
misrule of corrupt political rings and
banded bossism from our land All
praise be to the honest patriotism of
men who, in spite of party allegiance,
joined with the Republicans in effect
ing this much-needed change in pub
lie affairs Too long, indeed, has
corruption in high places held unjust
and despotic power Now its tyran-
mic authority is snatched away as we
may hope never to be restored.
The rejoicing over the change
seems to be general among the people
outside the ring and its more interest
ed adherents. True, there are those
who would belittle the victory--some
would say it was merely a pitched
battle between German and Cleveland,
and that the President carried the day
against the contumacious Senator.
1t has been asserted, too, in public
print that the great unknown. the
sly, secret, silent working A. P. A.
was behind the movement quietly
manipulating the wires. Not so.
Doubtless all alike did their duty,
where all alike are entitled to the
victory. Strictly speaking, it was
not party movement, but genuine
and general uprising of the people
against band Of inscriptions spoils.
men; a spontaneous and well-nigh
unanimous consent of upright. level
headed business men to set the ma
chinery of Government running on
true and just principles. 1t was
Americanism acting according to
American methods as Americanism
invariably acts when there is call and
occasion
1t is to be regretted, Mr.. Editor,
that the eloquence of Senator Faulk-
ner was enlisted this time against the
cause of the people; that for once. at
least, heopened his mouth to put his
foot in it as the Irish saying is.
Every wise man has his reason, and
doubtless the Senator has his, albeit
it is not reason altogether obvious
70 the ordinary mind Was it anti
quated Southern chivalric sentiment
alism, pure and simple, that Induced
him to rush to the rescue of his friend
German, driven to bay by overwhelm-
ing odds? Or was it the CALLING
ing cross-fre, under which he now
finds himself placed, that drove him
to this indefinite course of action
We know not Fortunately the ques-
ton is an unimpo1tant one, and we
may content ourselves by surmising
that like any other gentleman in like
situation, the wide awake West Vir-
ginia Senator finding himself victim
lied by the force of circumstances act
ing on hange, took a middle course
which, under all sorts of circumstances
is, according to ancient wisdom, the
safest Of courses. To modernize the
metaphor, when a locomotive is di-
rectly upon man his best way is to
fall flat before the cow-catcher and
hug the track between the rails.
Respectfully, HERMEs.