The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-07-17

cratic Editors Association
The Republican League of Business Men,
recently formed in Baltimore City, with a
view TO maintaining the fortunes of their party
in the coming campaign, commence their
declaration of principles" as follows
''ln 1895 the Republican party of this State
in its platform made three distinct promises
TO the people. 1t has fulfilled all three.
"First-That it would enact an election law
by which the people should be guaranteed fair
elections.
''Second-That it would enact an equitable
assessment law; and
''Third-That it would submit civil SER
vice act to the people at the polls.
''For the accomplishment of these reforms
the people of this city and State Witnessed
for fifteen or twenty years one of the most
bitter struggles waged in any State in the
Union How well the party kept the pledges
of its platform is well known.
Then, apparently taking alarm at the pain
iul truth conveyed by the last sentence, they
abruptly leave the question of their steward
ship of the trust conided to them in State
matters and dwell at much length and with
amusing yigor upon the extent to which the
financial question was a factor III the last cam
paign, State and national, and affirm that
there must be no step backward in the com
ing campaign" They declare that sin 1896
men of all parties came together for the pro-
lection of the nations credit and the sound
money candidate for the Presidency was elect
ed, and conclude: at is idle therefore,
to say that only local issues are involved in
the present campaign.
This same spirit of fleeing from defense
Of their record in State affairs and taking
refuge behind the financial question as ma
tional issue is manifested by the Republican
press and politicians throughout the State.
who have shown a disposition to run to thei:
bomb-proofs all along the line upon the first
shots fired by the Democratic press into their
sham reforms in State matters.
The previous articles of the Democratic
Editors Association have been devoted to
showing in some detail and particularly how
''well' the Republican party has kent that
''pledge of its platform; first above enumer
ated, as to ''fair election law" and they
here promise, in future articles during the
pendency of the campaign, to demonstrate in
an equally circumstantial and conclusive man
ner how completely false to its trust il has
proved in respect TO the two other enumer-
ated reforms-'an equitable assessment law
and ''the civil service act.
The purpose of this article is to show upon
the public records the absolute bad faith of
the Maryland Republicans in their effort to
again deceive the people by injecting the fnan
cia question into the State campaign.
1t is quite true, as stated in the above quoted
declaration of principles, that many Demo
Gratis contributed their votes in 1896 10 the
election of Major Mckinley. They did so, as
is well known, under the mistaken belief that
his party could be depended upon to support
the gold standard of monetary value as enun
ciated in the indianapolis platloral. aud that,
in Difference to the influence N3,.>h thus Sc
cured his election, the Republican admins
tration would adopt a conservative course on
the tariff question, and give primary consld-
Grafton to the principle of ''sound money,
as thus interpreted To this mistaken belief
on the part of Democrats the astute managers
of the Republican campaign openly contrl :
uted. and. aside from the frank admonitlon
of Mr.. Harrison in his New York speech, 1t
may be said that the whole Republican cam
paign in the Eastern States was run with the
''sound money idea, eXpounded at INDIAN
apolis for the paramount principle. kspe
cially was this the case in Maryland, where
the Republican press and campaigners with
one voice loudly proclaimed that the election
of Mckinley meant the permanent establish,
men. of the gold standard. Deceived and
deluded by these false promises, several thou
sand low tariff Democrats in Baltimore CITY
and elsewhere cast their votes for William