The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-22

pulling together. : : The republicans
and German emOcratS al the
senator's letter a political trick to ad-
vance his boom for reelection"
Intelligent readers OF The Messenger
know that Mr.. German has not been
its model of a statesman, and has CEN
sured his course particularly as to the
tariff. That he is a very decidedly able
man even The Sun could hardly have
the efrontery to deny. That he is a
party manager of the first rank is true.
He Is a man of great resource Is a
machine manipulation and ingenious
beyond almost any politician in the
democratic ranks. His proposition to
Abel is a fine instance and example
OF skill and tact as well as positive in
genuity.
The whole gist Of the correspondence
turns on the fact that The Sun has
fought German with great personal
dislike and bitterness of spirit. It has
been out of gear with the democratic
party since 1888, as all know who have
studied it's ways and d~eliverances. 1t
has been a very servile follower and
organ of ~ex-President Cleveland, and
refused to sustain German because of
Osition Of German to his angry and
fierce enemy is for The Sun to support
he democratic party and for him to
retire from active leadership. He had
already given 1t out that he would not
be a candidate for reelection to the
senate.
Mr.. German seeks to unite his party
again in Maryland and get the state
from under baleful republican rule.
Abelrs paper carried Maryland for the
republicans. That German means we'll
In his startling proposition Of amfty no
one who is fair will probably deny.
We notice that Chairman Vandiver, of
the state democratic committee, says
Senator Germans letter lis recognized
by every fair-minded man as a sim
cere and honest de claration. He is re-
ported as saying Vt both the Sun and
The News, each claiming to be demo-
cratic, that they will find it difficult to
pull the wool over the eyes Of the peo-
pie by r%idiculing and belittling the SEN
atOr's motives. He has made a fair,
square proposition to the Abells, and
thei bitterness toward him personally
Is made clearly apparent in their abu-
sive answer. Their attempt to cast rid
icule upon a serious subject will de-
ceive no one except themselves"
1t is we'll known to all Baltimoreans
that but for the Sun the city of Balti-
more with it's 500, 900 inhabitants, would
be today democratic. The Augusta
(Ga) Chronicle, ex-senator Walsh's
paper, says hal The Sun more than
any other agency, is responsible, as
Senator German says, for the present
republican domination Of Maryland.
The explanation given Of this paradox
is that though Mr.. Abel and his fami-
ly own The Sun, backed by many mil
lions of dollars, he has virtually, if
not actually, surrendered it's political
control to a very intellectual lawyer
named Thomas w. Hail." 1t is even re-
ported that AbeH voted last year the
democratic ticket while his paper an
tagonized. Curious that, if true. If Mr..
plan could be honestly and
fairly carried out it would result in
the complete overthrow of the republic
cans, and they know it.. The able or
a of the Indiana democrats, the old
Indianapolis Sentinel, discussing Cor
mans proposition to Abel to defeat the
enemy of the people of Maryland, SAYS
this:
The Sun is a very able paper, and
has great influence in Maryland, out it
is entirely out of line with the demo-
cratic party and has denounced Bry-
anism in the strongest terms. All the
same time it processes equal dislike for
Mck1nleyism and a desire for demo-
cratic control of Maryland. Mr.. Cor
man is probably guilty Of all that has
been charged against him in the way
of bossism, n lack of faith in demo-
cratic principles as to coinage, tariff
and other issues, but he has always
stood by the party and endeavored to
secure the vote Of Maryland for Bryan
last year, when The Sun did all it
could to prevent it. Now Mr.. German
offers to eliminate his personality from
the campaign if Mr.. Abel will take
Gormanism.' and give Mr.. Abel every
opportunity to fight Organism IN
Maryland. The party platform offers
no hindrance to Abell's acceptance but
does he dare accept it?"
This is in accord with the facts as
we understand them. There is no
doubt. as we have said, OF the inge-
nuity of the German proposal, and we
do not think there is really any good
reason for doubling his sincerity. He
can bring back Maryland into the DEM
ocratic column if The Sun will allow
the plan suggested to work. The Biz
mingham, Ala, Age-Herald is one of