Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-07-28
MARYLAND Democrats.

Maryland Democrats.
BALTIMORE, July 28.-The Maryland
State democratic convention met here
to-day.
The purpose for which the conven-
ton was called was nominally to select
candidates for comptroller and clerk OF
the Court of Appeals, but these were
really of minor moment, in view Of
the fact that it actually meant the
opening of d campaign which will in
all probability decide whether or not
Mr.. German will lose his seat in the
Senate of the United States and mis-
place OF the head of the democratic
party of Maryland. 1t is plain that he
ls far and away the master mind and
the controlling spirit in the ante con,
vention deliberations. These delibera.
tons dealt mainly with the questions
to be touched upon in the platform, be
cause it was understood that upon this
platform Mr.. German is 20 make the
fight of his life. The currency plank
vas naturally the most troublesome. AS
delegate from his own county of How
ard, Mr.. German took part in the con-
veution, but it was in the scenes which
we're enacted at the Carrollton Hotel
last night and this morning that his in
huence was most potent and the nation.
al planks in the platform were shaped
by him so that harmony might best be
restored to the warning ranks of Mary
lands democrats. A surprise was
sprung upon the delegates, just prior to
the assembling of the convention by
the withdrawal of George A. Deakyne,
of Caroline county, and the substitu-
ton of State Senator Thomas A. Smith
a. the German candidate for comptroll-
er. The friends of Mr.. Deakyne gave as
a reason for his withdrawal, his strong
desire to promote harmony in the
arty. An earnest effort was then
made to induce John K. Pattison, Of
Dorchester county, the candidate of the
silver element in the convention, to
withdraw also, but he emphstcally de-
clined to do 80.
There was salvo of haudclapping
and some cheering when Mr.. German
entered the auditorium and took his
seat among the Howard county delega-
ton. Colonel Buchanan Schley was
appointed temporary chairman which
he accepted in brief address in which
he discussed the currency question, as
sorting that the republican party hsv-
lug enacted all the currency laws now
upon the statute books, are alone re-
sponsble for the present condition Of
affairs.
A committee on resolutions was then
selected, and it was unanimously de.
cided to refer to this committee with.
out debate all resolutions presented from
the floor. When Howard county pre-.
sented Mr.. Germans name for this
Committee there was more cheering.
The convention then took recess while
the committee deliberated.
The committee at the end of two
bours returned and presented plat
form largely devoted to State questions
which was read by Senator German as
chairman.
The resolutions declare that the fund
amental principles of democracy re-
main unchanged; that the democracy
of Maryland believe now, and always
have believed in "honest money, the
gold and silver money of the constitu
ton and the coinage of both metals
without discrimination against either,
into standard dollars of final payment
and redemption, and assert that the
r, cent action of President Mckinley in
asking for currency commission is the
result of the demand OF more than six
and one.half millions of democratic
voters expressed at the polls
in the last national election. The
Dingley tariff law is termed q
more odious measure than the
Mckinley act of 1890, and it is asserted
that it will be more signally condemned
than was the Mckinley act in 1892. A
demand is made that the United States
government take such action as will
ameliorate the atrocities now being
committed in Cuba and to fully protect
every American citizen there in the en-
ioyment of his life and property.