New-York tribune., 1896-10-04

States Senator and appropriating that political
prize himself Thcnceforward his mastery IN the
State unquestioned Hamilton was defeated
for denomination In lS>';. and each successive
candidate for the Govcrnorshp since then has
been little more than Mr. Gormans pohtical
agent. Under his direction the Democratic ma
chine in the State consolidated and perfected
In lSSJ when the Federal patronage Of Maryland
was turned over To Mr. German as a reward Tor
services in Mr.. Cleyeand's first Presidential cam
paign. some hint OF the condition of local poIlt''S
was conveyed 10 the public in the scandals which
followed the appointment Of Gene hlsghS'
Free" Rasin and others 10 Federal posts. o''d-
siona rcvolts against the iron rule Of tn" machine
were attempted. but one failed as regularly ana
ignominiOusly as another
GORMANs POWER BEGINS TO WANE.
In 1891. after twenty years Of effort. Mr.. Cor
man seemed to have reached the height OF his
power His fight in the United states senate
against the Federal Elections bill had carried
him T. the front ranks In National leadership IL
had received the formal thanks Of the united
commercial interests Of Baltimore: he had even
conciliatcd in part the social and professional
element which 10. years had refused to bend
to his political authority. Yet In the three years
following the whole structure of his power
had crumblcd IIe cquivocal attitude in The
Senate during the struggle for the repeal "f
the silvcr-p purchasing clauses Of the so-call"d
Sherman act and the even more startling rol"
he PLAYED I'm the long contest over the wilson
German tariff legislation OF 1891. unlooscn"d
with new fury all the pent-up opposition when
had lain dormant for dozen years. tn" lead
ing Democratic newspaper of the state The
Baltimore sun opened fire Of criticism upon
him in 1S.c, which has been ever since main
taIned with unrelenting bitterness and con
stantly increased effect. War made upon ms p"-
litical methods at home has hhd far NOV"
damaging effect than any assaults upon his
record as a National leader. and unrest within
the party at the domination Of the machine hAd
reached that stage IF acut"ncss by lN'' mat Mr
German was forced either To yield discreety
his power as local dictator or to "'l! HlS
enemies in an open night
He chose the latter alternative. In the con
vention called last year 10 nominate Demo
cratic candidate for Governor hc rejected with
out hesitation all the aspirans who had come
forward and selected as its party nominee
Drominent merchant Of this city John T.. Hurst
This challenge ito the disaffcctcd element In
the local Democracy was promptly accepted
in the spirit in which ii was offered. Lloyd
Iowndcs a Marylander Of high character and
eminent fitness. had been put in nomination
bv the Republican state ConVcntlon ana the
anti -Gorman Democrats hocked enthusiastic
cally to his support. Public unrest AT thc clec-
lion methods so long tolerated In Baltimore
CITY had reached that pitch where the practice
of fraud had ceased to be rcsp"ctablc and had
become even dangerous. Extraordinary EFFORTS
were made by tho reform organizations OF the
CITY to secure for once "A moderately fair and
honest election. and the vigilance and courage
Of the watchers wto manned the polllhs places
were signally rewsrdcd.
Marylanl awoke the morning after the cleo
tion Of 1895 actually startled at the complete
ness of the aIti-Gormar victory. a rooted hos
tiIltv to the machine had shown Itself in every
voting district in the state. on by far the
largest poll In the history Of the commonwealth
Jowndes had been chosen Governor over Hurst
hv a nIurality Of Is. .16I. Western Maryland.
Southern Maryland Central Maryland and Bal
timorc city had all given him piurallties while
his opnonen. had been able to hold the Eastern
shore counties by the bare margin Of Twenty-Five
votes The Legislature which two years before
1, III
had had on joint ballot n,nocratc maior'ty
~ and a seat in the United States Senate. to
which Representative George l.. wellington
tho chairman Of the Republican state Com
mit,oo was subsequently elected. was added
70 tho list OF Republican prizes in this extraor-
dinary campaign
LINES OF BATTLE FOR THIS YEAR.
Emerging from this disaster-the most serious
In tic history-the Democratic organization
soomed for a time this spring to be bent on re-
nairnp its losses and equippng itself to meet the
inevitable strain Of an uphih fresideh'al can
vass But the work OF reorganization maze h''ie
1,,a, and was Soon abandoned. Mr.. Cor
man foreseeing the triumph of the free-colnage
,,.,no ~ the party declared early in May that he
youId not accept his usual place at the head or
the MARYLAND delegation to the Democratic Ma
.., Convention Being himself committed un-
conditionally to the cause OF honest money ana
cot realizing the necessity of yieding 10 'he
-, y viii regularly declared by a majority or
pa - y~a,,nnaI delegates his chief anxiety was
,,raIIv .m. 70 avoid needlessly arrayng hmset
ua, a;,ber the sound money sentiment OF his
"rn state or the free-coina8e heresies soon 10 pe
Owl 1 go @ nartv doctrine by the National party.
as rsual he resorted to a compromise. whicn has
a. tor satisfied no one and left its author In as
hopeless political predcament, as me, ever a 1une une
=" -. .,act delegates to the Chicago Convention !
~ ao this declaration of policy. which. because
,,nrepeaIed. remains to-day party law IN 'he
State . - ,.o r.onle rc- !
1a ,hai the earnings OF agriculture anu uau.
qus ga res of labor should be paid In money tna
anu & s,cally worth in all the markets OF the Woiu
hat Il purports TO be worth we demanu ar aIne as and
thnr tena thai the Government shall Keep an its op
mtinns au at ali times redeemable ana payao'c ."