The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-16
G0RMAN'S SAY TO ABEL.
OFFERS TO RELINQUIsH HIS LEAD
ERsHIP IN HIS FAVOR.


He owes His People Too Much to-
Consider Personal Interests--NiII
Sacrifice Even His Senatorial Ans
billions, and Asks the Editor II He
Is Ready 10 Direct MaryIand's De-
mocracY-NEr. AbeII Reticent and
Declines to Discuss the Letter.
Baltimore, Md, oct. 15.-Unted States
Senator German to-day issued an open LETT
ter to Edwin F. Abel. publisher of the
Baltimore Sun, in which he offers to re-
linqulsh the leadership of the democracy
in Maryland, provided Mr.. Abel win ao-
cept 1t, and support the democratic ticket
in the coming state and legislative cam
paign. He also intimates that he Will fore-
go his ambition to succeed himself in tha
United States Senate. if it can be shown
that such a step issnecessary to democratic
success.
The letter, which Is a very long one,
reviews the course of the Sun in it's oppo-
siton to Mr.. German because of his views
upon civil service, tariff and ballot reform
measures.
To all the charges made against him
upon 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 ls
free to think as he pleases regarding
them He defends his course in regard
to all these questions and concludes with
the following proposition;
"And now, Mr.. Abel, let us pass to a
question touching which there can be no
misunderstanding. These statements and
counter-statements, arguments and re-
torts-all this petty clash of protest stations
and observation-disclosures 20 very little
at the best. You have declared your un-
dying devotion to the democratic party,
and have said that my leadership, my
| personal ambitions my selfish purposes.
| and these only, prevent you from restor-
ing your newspaper to the service of the
loyal people who originally made 1t rich
and powerful by their patronage. their
confidence and their support You have
| given Maryland 10 understand that but for
me and the 'bossism" you are pleased
| to attribute to me, you would bring back
| the Baltimore Sun to its old moorings and
! devote it to the exposition of democratic
| principles and the confusion and over
| throw republican rule In this state. You
| have stated in effect-certainly with the
! intent of being so understood-that you
| still love the democratic party, and still
wish to see 1t predominant IN Maryland.
and you thereby involve yourself in a
| pledge to cast off your republican afflia-
| tons repudiate your republican alliances,
| ana labor heart and soul for the success
! of the democratic party as IL win remain
| after being purged of me.
"If you be sincere in this the solution
| of the difficulty Is simple enough. If my
| aspirations, my leadership, my influence,
| constitute the only obstacles to your re-
! turn to the people who made your news
| paper and founded your fortunes and gave
| reality TO your position and your power,
| I stand ready to remove them. Office Is
| less to me than you suppose. Political
| leadership Is not so necessary to my hap
piness as you, IN your ignorance of my
| character and motives, are pleased to say
| Strange as 1t may seem to you, l am will
ing to surrender every prospect of per-
sonal promotion II by so doing can re-
| unite the democratic party, restore 10 its
| ranks all their pristine strength and har-
mony, allay the dissensions and animosi-
| ties that now exist, and efface the hu-
| initiating spectacle presented by yourself
and men of your way of thlnHng-the
spectacle of the democratic party betrayed
| into the hands of the enemy by those
4 whom democrats have In the past exalted
| and enriched. / do not undertake to say
how much you or any other man may
| love the democratic party, but know how
| much love It, and know that 1 have no
| personal ambitions 1 will not sacrifice for
| its honor and welfare. ] know, too, that
| have no affiliations, no engagements no
| plans of any kind, that could by any pos
| sibility embarrass me in making the pro-
| posed arrangemnt.
"You may understand this as an over
! ture Of surrender on my part-as an adj
| mission that the democratic organizations
cannot hope for further life without your
aid and countenance. / am prepared for
that.
Il have been misunderstood by you so
| long and so unreasonably that little
| more or less win count for nothing. As
| a matter of fact, / am satisfied that the
| people of Maryland have become disgust-
| ed with the two years of republican mall
| administration which you did so much to
make possible, and that they are in tha
| humor to make an end of the experiment.
| IL is not only what has been done; IL iS
| also the extravaganza and the corruption
| which they see awaiting them in the
| event Of a perpetuation of republican rule.
| They feel that every substantial interest
| in the state is jeopardized and they arc
determined, 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. Az
| But they want, also, a restoration of the
| former harmony of the party They want
to see the old lines restored and the old
| operations rehabilitated. And l owe them
so much as TO feel not only willing but
anxious to consummate any wish of theirs
no matter at what cost to me.
| "Are you ready and willing and free to
meet me on this ground in good faith, in
all loyalty, without provisos or reserva-
| tions, on the honor of a gentleman? Are
you at liberty to take charge personally? :?
| Personally, and through your agents. of
the democratic campaign for the mayor
atty Of Baltimore, for the legislature, and
for the state success to that seat in the
Senate concerning which / have but one
desire-that of seeing il filled by a demo-
crat, whose loyalty to the party is unques-
toned and proved and who will advocate
and uphold the principles to which YOU
profess unselfish and sincere devotion? IL
you are, l am ready to meet you more than
half way Let me hear from you, and let
our fellow citizens judge between us py
the measure of our personal good faith and