Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-07
NOT TALKING SILVER.
In st. Mary's County. Md, 1t Ii IL
Straight Fight.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
LEONARDTOWN, ST. Mary's Co., Md,
September :, 1896.
The money question is not the issue in
southern Maryland. So far as ST. Mary's
county is concerned, a. least, the financial
planks of the two great parties will hardly
count the snap of a finger in the campaign
The people here are interested in the arGu-
ments on both sides, but in general have
only haZy views on the subject, and will
stick to their parties anyhow, regardless of
their own opinions. In this vicinity it will
not be contest of silver against gold pro-
lection against free trade, nor indeed, a
contest of principle at all. 1t will be party
against party. strife between the now
much-confuseds and ill-delned conceptions
represented by democracy and republican,
ism
1t will be straight contest between
democrats and republicans" said F.. "
King. a democrat, and one of the proprie-
tors of the St.Marys Beacon in speaking
OF the campaign. Not ten people in this
county will change their vote on the money
question. Mr.. King said further that
nine-tenths of the white popua ton of The
county were democrats, but the colored
people usually gave the republicans a ma
Jorlty OF about 800 votes 1t would be
hight between the two races, in the main
he thought. I'VE swallow our platforms
like our religion he continued: but this
is an agricultural community, and | think
naturally in favor of free silver" Mr.. King
SAID ne did not think that the large Catho-
lie population of southern Maryland would
aid any in the election of Sydney T., Mudd
the republican congressional nominee in the
NTH district when questioned on that
point. 1t Is very hard to say what the re-
suit IN the district will be-. he concluded.
Republicans Gain Slowly.
Enoch B. Abel. leading republican.
cot J.,
be on party lines. 1 don't know of a bolter
in the county. Our people haven't studied
the money question much here and only a
few of them know much about it." He
thought that the colored people had not
been affected at all by the silver argu-
ments. unless, possibly, by the talk of the
favored classes and that would in no.
wise effect their vote.
Il don't know of a silver republican in
the county, said D. c. Hammett of Leon
ardtown. I'VE don't usually begin the
campaign here until October. Mudd ought
on the democrats. 1t also depends on them
whether the state goes republican or not
in the national election. The republicans
are gaining slowly, but are not strong
enough to carry the state alone We got
IN last time through the aid of the dissat-
1sfied democrats. and it will depend on how
many of them are with US this time
whether we win or not. The colored vote
W
anything about the money question. and
there is no danger of their being drawn off.
They sometimes split in local politics Int
come out strongly republican in national
elections"
Money Not In 1t.
Talks with the people about here disclose
IN the first place, that they know and care
very little about the coinage problem, and
expect 10 SUCK TO the party wherever it
goes. Ihls Is more readily understood
"hen one considers that the republicans
consist chiefly OF colored people, who are
"edded to republicanism because it gave
mem shelr freedom. and few white per-
sons. formerly democrats, who have Joined
tne party, II Is claimed, mainly to get the
offices, and are not, therefore. likely to
leave the ranks. No other explanation is
needed to show why none of them have
taken up the cudgels in defense of free sill
yer. AS to. the democrats, some of them
mint that the party has gone little hit
astray in their opinion, and there is Some
t err S1aa OF the Supreme Court clause in
posed to kick over the traces, at all
events. II wouldn't set NV onin,on an
against Germans and the rest of the
p pa anyway. said one of them, IF I
did believe liz gold Standard Fnrther-
more. there is feeling of discomfort whi,,b
makes them ready for anything new AZ
one man put 1t, "The people down here
want change. They don't know what
they want, but are willing to trW re- nii
err ~ AAee OIL
No republicans are to be found bere.
abouts who favor the free coinage of silver
Among the democrats Robert r. m,hs
mas been believer in the gold standard,
between the two causes, and In anv ayant
expects to vote the Chicago ticket W
Loker of Leonardtown is in favor ~ +ha
present gold standard. but will cast his bal