The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-16
OFFERS TO SURRENDER
THE STATE LEADERSHIP TO
MR.. ABELL OF THE SUN.
RESIGNS ALL POLITICAL AMBITION
Provided Mr.. Abell Publisher Of the Balti-
more Sun, Will Take Charge and Support
the Present State and Legislative
Democratic Ticket.

Baltimore, Md, Oct. 15.-United
States Senator German to-day issued an
open letter to Edwin f. Abel, publish
er of the Baltimore Sun, in which he
offers to relinquish the leadership of the
Democracy in Maryland, provided Mr..
Abel will accept it and support the
Democratic ticket in the coming State
and legislative campaign. He also init
| mates that he will forego his ambition to
succeed himself in the United States
| Senate if it can be shown that such
step is necessary to Democratic success.
The letter, which is a very long one,
views the course of the Sun in its oppO-
sition to Mr.. German because of his
views upon civil service, tariff and ballot
| reform measures.
| All the charges made against him up
| on this score Mr.. German pleads guilty,
| but quotes the Sun as having admitted
| that such questions were largely matters
OF opinion and asserts that every man Is
free to think as he phases regarding
them. He defends his course in regard
to all these questions and concludes with
the following proposition:
.'And now. Mr.. Abell. let us pass 10
a question touching which there can be
llu NEST
and counters tatelnents. arguments AMI
retorts--all This petty clash of protesta-
tion and isfspeach hment-samount 20 very
little at the least You have declared
your1indying devotion to the Democratic
party. and have said that my leadership
my personal ambitions, my selfish pur
poses, and these only, prevent you from
restoring your newspaper TO the servict,
of the loyal people. who originally made
it rich and powerful by their patronage,
their confidence, and their support, You
have given Maryland to understand that,
but for me and the e'sbossism' you are
pleased to attribute to me. you would
bring back the Baltimore Sun to its OLD
moorings and devote 1t to thei exposition
of Democratic principles and the conf1-
sion and overthrow Of Republican rule in
TINS State. q r....ee.
''You have stated in effect-certainly
with the intention Of being so under
stood-that you still love the Democratic
party and still wish TO see it. predom-
inant in Maryland, and you thereby in
volve yourself in a pledge to cast off
your Republican affiliations, repudiate
your Republican alliances, and labor
heart and soul for the success of the
Democratic party as it will remain af-
ter nelng purged OF me.
IF you be sincere in this the solution
of the difficulty is simply enuogh. If
my aspiration, my leadership my infu-
ence constitute the only obstacles to
your return to the people who made
your newspaper and founded your for
tunes and gave reality to your position
and your power, / stand ready to re-
move them. Office is less to me than
you suppose Political leadership is not
so necessary to my happiness as you, in
your Ignorance of my character and
motives, are pleased to say. Strange as
it may seem to you, i am willing to sur
render every prospect of personal pro-
motion if by so doing l can reunite the
Democratic party, restore to its ranks
all their pristine strength and harmony,
allay the diSsensions and animosities
that now exist and efface the humilia-
tion spectacle presented by yourself and
men of your way of thinking-the spec
tacle of the Democratic party betrayed
into the hands of the enemy by those
whom Democrats have in the past ex-
alted and enriched. l do not undertake
to say how much you or any other man
may love the Democratic party, but Il
know how much / love it, and / know
that have no personal ambitions / will
not SACRIFICE IOT lLS uOHOf anu WelIare.
/ know, too, that / have no affiliations,
no engagements, no plans of any kind
that could by any possibility embarrass
me in making the proposed arrangement.
"You may understand this as an over
ture of surrender on my part-as an ad-
mission that the Democratic organiza-
ton cannot hope for further life without
your aid and countenance. / am pre-
pared for that. Il have been
misunderstood by you so long
and so unreasonably that
little more or less will count for moth
ing. AS a matter of fact, | am salts
fed that the people of Maryland have
become disgusted with the two years
Of Republican mal-administration, which
you did so much to make possible. and
now they are in the humor to make
an end of the experiment. 1t is not
only what has been done; it is also the
extravaganza and the corruption. which
they see awaiting them in the event of
a perpetuation of Republican rule. Thcv
feel that every substantial interest in the
State is jeopardized, and they arr de-
termined, with or without your aid. TO
restore to power the Democratic party.
which has never hitherto betrayed them.
and in whose hands they will feel their
honor and their interests to be secure.
AS to this l have not the shadow Of n
doubt. But they want. also, a restora-
ton of the former harmony of the par
ty. They want TO see the old lines re-
atorad md fha ntd 0rara+ &c.. ..ol.~l.r