Evening star., 1897-03-15
MARYLAND POLITICS
Both Parties Are Torn by Internal
Dissenslons.
FIGHT FOR BALTIMORE'S MAYOR
Governor Lowndes' Candidacy for
the Senatorship.
THE FED ERAL FFICES
Of The Evening Star.

Correspondence Of The Evening Star
BALTIMORE. March II. 1897
Since the Inauguration of President Nc
kinley and the fact that. for the first time
in its history. Maryland is represented by a
solid republican delegation in the House of
Representatives. and by republican in
the upper house. political matters. especial
ly among republicans, are becoming warm
much earlier in the season than usual Poll
ticians of all classes are discussing canGi-
dates for office. and men of all classes are
announcing their candidacy for nomina-
tions for places. from that of mayor down
to members of the legislature and city coun-
cil Heretofore the republican party has
always had difficulty In persuading men to
run for office and lead what was considered
forlorn hope. This year. however, eight
months before the election, candidates for
every position are numerous that the
politicians do not know what to make of
it. and at least dozen men are openly in
the field for every Office to be filled and in
some cases double that number are aspir-
ing to the nomination.
In addition to controlling the state offices
and the delegation to Congress- the repub-
licans also control the city government in
all its branches, and in that respect it oc-
cupies a position which it never held be-
fore in its history. Heretofore it has gone
into every fight as the aggressor; the dem
ocrats were on the defensive but this year
the republicans will occupy that position,
and, instead of having the right to attack
their opponents for their administration of
public affairs. they will have to defend
their own party associates for their acts of
omission and commission in carrying on
the state and city government for the past
two years. 1t will thus be seen that, con-
trary to all former precedents, the repub-
lcans will have to wage an entirely differ
ent sort of a campaign from any they have
he naG OF hirtV
years.
fractional Differences.
Another difficulty with which the republi-
cans have to contend this year. which has
not heretofore troubled them to any great
extent. is the result of the serious fac
tional quarrels. which are causing the lead
ers a great deal of anxiety. These quar-
rels had their beginning to a certain ex-
tent in the contests for the nominations for
governor and mayor two years ago and the
breaches, so far from showing any signs
of healing, have not only widened. but other
factional quarrels have since then arisen,
and. instead of being split into two fac
tions. the two years ago, there
are several additional well-defined factions
playing at cross purposes with each other.
and at the present writing there are no
visible signs of harmony of action union
between them. With all these difficulties to
confront them. the republicans prepar
Ing to enter the campaign for the year 1897
full of hope. and without any apparent fear
of the result. They feel so confident of vic
tory, and so thoroughly convinced that they
are intrenched in power in the city and
state that the thought of defeat never en-
ters their minds.
Their only discussions confined to
who of their own party shall fill the Offices.
They never even consider that they may
be in any danger of defeat or that the dem
ocrats may win the state and city back
again. Such a possibility is never even
mentioned. They look at their majority of
10000 in 1880 which was increased to b.
900 in 1895, as settling the question IS TO
Marylands political status beyond all
doubt and proof positive that they can
carry the city and state by safe majorties.
matter whom they may nominate. or
what factiOnal differences may arise in the
course Of making the nominations.
Democrats Watching Events.
The democrats are interested spectators
Of the situation. and are closely and care
fully watching events, ready to take ad-
vantage of any mistakes which the party
in power may make. They are filled with
hope that events may so shape themselves
as to enable them to redeem the state and
city, rather through the weakness, folly
and dissensions of their opponents than
through any inherent strength of their
own. for the republican party is not the
only party torn by factional quarrels and
dissensions. The democrats have their
troubles and their factional strifes, and, |
"Hle perhaps ullllcultltS III iIe way Ol
democratic harmony and union are not so
great as those which threaten the republic |
can ranks, they are not slight, and will
give Senator German and the other leaders |
much trouble before the warning elements |
can be brought together The situation in
both Parties is full of complications. and
with the large element of non-partisan and
independent voters who do not allow party
ties to trouble them in casting their bal |
lots, 1t is difficult to what will be the |
outcome at the polls next November.
Mr.. G1rmnn's Successor.
The principal subject of discussion among |
the politicians of both parties is the sue
cession to Senator German In the United |
States Senate. which will be t..e predom-
inant issue, so far as the election of MEM |
bers of the general assembly is concerned. |
That Senator German s the choice of a |
very large majority of the democrats of the |
state not even his bittereSt enemies will |
derry. and in all probability his friends
will make the fight for kim that line, !
and will control the nominations of the |
democratic candidates for the legislature. |
A considerable element of the party will |
oppose this plan but while these gentle |
men are prominent and influential and may |
have considerable effect in determining the |
result at the polls. they will cut but small
figures at the primaries, where the nolni- |
nations are made. The question then will
be whether these people will continue their
hostility UP to the election. On this. to a
great tAttIll VIII uGptilu lHe result
To Force Mayor Hooper Again.
Few phase has been placed on the situ-
alton within the past few days by the in
auGCration of a movement, backed by the
Sun and News to force the denomination
of Mayor Hooper. The people who are at
the head of this movement. which they
call the independent municipal move
ment, desire to force either the republi-
cans or the democrats to take up Mayor
Hooper and re-elect him. Their first plan
is to force the republican organization to
do this. Ia case they fail there they will
hold an independent convention nominate
Mayor Hooper. and ask the democrats to
indorse him and make him their candi-
date Ihey claim that there are enough
voters in sympathy with their views and
who approve of Mayor Hooper's course to
give them the balance of power. The reg
ular republicans, with very few excep-
tiops repudiate this plan, and assert that
1t will never succeed. They insist that
should Mayor Hooper DE renominated by
their party he could not possibly be elect
ed, for the rank and file of the voters
could not be induced to support him. but
would prefer to see a democrat elected to
the office. They look upon Mayor Hooper
as disorganizer and many of the most
prominent among them go SO far as to