Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-10-28
\ Fall Example D. Republican ''lsIsrBs. .
A sTATEsMANwrrH AN uSsAvoRy RECORD


4 ne CHIEF plea advanced IN Deu0lI
Of retaining the Republican Party In
power this year IL that the election
Of Its candidates VIII Insure an cs-
cape from an era of corruption" and
from 1.-THE discredlfable elevation OF
political brigands and vagabonds'
that must inevitably succeed the tri-
umph Of the Democratic Party at the
polls. The avowals OF immediate ere
form" and promises OF better things
that distinguished the ante-election
utteranccs Of the Republicans two
years ago are again In use, and the
restless independent vote, without the
aid Of which Republican success In
any instance Is out OF the question, IL
again besOught to ally itself with the
aimy OF ''reform"-0r the Republican
Party of Maryland.
The blatant professions OF clean pol
itlcs and moral ideas that interlard Re
publican harangues this year show
the desperation with which the leaders
OF the party view the situation. In the
straits 10 which the yici0uf careers OF
Mudd, Malster, Tuck. Dave" Sloan,
Ben" Hiss, Ben" Andrews, and
other Republican bosses and the alb
ject lncapacity of Lowndes has
brought them, the members Of the
party. with an audacity which would
be intolerable were 1t not almost pa.
thetic attempt TO Haunt their stained
career Of power before the voters. and,
In the face of facts, to- convince them
that their malodor0us rule has been
throughout. I'm spirit and In deed. pre-
ciseiy what the most radical purisi
and good government deyotee could
desire.
This course In being rurr led with
some spirit, by reason of the assist.
ance IL receives from the bitterly
prejudiced so-called independent"
press OF Baltimore city. which has
cloaked the trickery and inciiiciency OF
the Republicans with the same salts
faction that 1t displays In maligning
and misrepresentlng me Democracy.
The Republican press and Republican
speakers have the effrontery to insist
that the past two years stand as a
monument to party integrity and NOR
al worth, and that the resumption OF
power by the Democrats means civic
suicide. It is on account of the pro-
mitigation of this species of pleasant
ry that IL Is interesting TO note Just
what some of the conspicuous results
or good government" rs administer
ed by the Republican Party. really are.
Since the recent discontinue of
Wellington. the chief figure among
those brought into prominence by the
millennium Of 1885," Is that of the up
right statesman and immaculate lead
er, Sydney Il. Mudd, Congressman,
Speaker OF the House Of Delegates.
and aspirant for the United States
Senate. Mr.. Mudd IL one OF those
who take quite as much satisfaction
In the great reform triumph OF two
years ago rs the most jealous lndepen-
dent who helped to make 1t possible.
Ii is- easy to account for the vigor
with which he has thrown himself
into the campaign g1u the JUNCTION
with which he eulogizes the principle
that inspires the demand for clean pol
itics, healthful methods, decent can
didates, and fair primaries-which, of
course, have been the dominant fea.
lures Of his party's rule. 1t has been
stated that the Devil can quote
Scripture to serve his purpose" and
the phrase inst.nctiyely s. guests II.
self at the spectacle of Mudd, a poll
tician whose corrupt and venal prac-
tices, and one whose utter indifference
and contempt for tile opinion of the
better voting element Cso long as his
purpose Is served) has rendered him a
reproach to his party and State. The
spectacle of such a man.. fairly out
Herodlng Herod In denunciation of
political trickery and debauchery Is,
without exception, the most impress
siye instance of unblushing hypocrisy
that has defaced the political. annals
Of Maryland.
III AIR. Mudd's songs OF praise TO tue
Great Spirit OF Reform" were actual.
ed by any sense of gratitude, their ex.
preston would not he so homogeneous,
but those who know the man intimate.
~ Will vouch for his entire innocence
Of such emotion. IL Is a sensation that
Is entirely foreign TO his nature.
And yet. he has reason to feel genu.
inely grateful to the impulse which
swung the Republicans into the sad.
die two years ago. That great up.
heaval changed his fortunes materi.
ally, and from aiere country rollti.
cian-in not especially good odor, even
In his own county-he was elevated
via the Speakership of the House Of
Delegates, TO Congress and his 1res.
ent emlnence Of party leadership, to
say nothing Of the honor that was his
OF having conferred the United States
Senatorship upon George L. yelling
ton.
In the campaign for the Republi.
can nomination for Congress in 1891
udd was decisively overthrown by
Mr.. Charles l.. Coffin. whose identiii.
cation with Southern Maryland Re
publicanism has Constituted one Of Its
few creditable features, and whose
Congressional career not only reflected
nonor on his Y, but his State
His discontinue a. this rebuke las
keen. and. uftil the nominations tor
the last General Assembly were made,
he underwent an enforced retirement
that affords an effective background
for his present efrulgence. When the
Charles. County Republican Legislative
ticket was nominated. Mudd succeed.
ed in being nam d for the House. and
duriry the fight worked Ike a heaver
To repair his political fortunes.
AS soon as I; 5ecam- evident that
the Republicans were To control the
House of Delegates. Mudd began q
campaign for the Speakership. The
attainment Of this end was not accom-
panied by many tiiiicultics. and it's &C
c1inplIshment was easy for a shrewd
rcseurceful. luslnuatIIy politician OF
1 ghly practical caliber. With q
legislative body composed. for the
geatc: part. OF entirely inexperl
eRcel and. In many Instances. ut
tcrly incompetent men. master
OF cai5ierY. like Mudd. witt