The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-16
If the Publisher of the Baltimore sur
VIII Take the Leadership and
Desert RepubIicanism.
WILL EVEN QUIT THE SENATE
IF NECESSARY To RESTORE HAIR.
SIONY In THE DIVIDED PARTY.
Letter That Was Inserted as an Ad-
COMMUNICATION Reform Union.

bALIIMOttE, OCT. 1o-Unfted states
Senator German to-day issued an open let
ter to Edwin f. Abel, publisher of the
Baltimore Sun, in which he offers to re-
linquish the leadership of the Democracy in
Maryland provided Mr.. Abel will accept it
and support the Democratic ticket in the
coming state and legislative campaign. He
also intimates that he will forego his am
bition to succeed himself in the United
States Senate if it can be shown that such
a step is necessary to Democratic success.
The letter which is a very long one, re-
views the course of the Sun in it's opposition
to Mr.. German, because of his views on
civil service, tariff and ballot reform meas
ures. To all the charges made against him
on this score Mr.. German pleads guilty,
but quotes the Sun as having admitted
that such questions were largely matters
of opinion and asserts that every man is
free to think as he pleases regarding them.
He defends his course in regard to all these
questions and concludes with the following
proposition:
And now, Mr.. Abel, let us pass to a
question touching which there can be no
misunderstanding. These statements and
counter statements, arguments and retorts-
all this petty clash of protestation and i'm
peachment-amount to very little at best.
You have declared your undying devotion to
the Democratic party and have said that
my leadership, my personal ambitions my
selfish purposes, and these only, prevent
you from restoring your newspaper to the
service Of the loyal people who originally
made it rich and powerful by their patron
age. their confidence and their support
You have given Maryland to understand,
that but for me and the 'bossism you are
pleased to attribute to me, you would bring
back the Baltimore Sun to it's old mooring
and devote it to the exposition of Demo-
cratic principles and the confusion and
overthrow of Republican rule in this State.
You have stated in effect-certainly with
the intent of being so understood-that you
still love the Democratic party and still
wish to see it predominant in Maryland, and
you thereby involve yourself in a pledge
to cast off your Republican affiliations, re-
pudiate your Republican alliances, and la
Dor, heart and soul, for the success of the
Democratic party it will remain after
being purged of me.
IF you are sincere in this, the solution of
the difficulty is simple enough. If my as
pirations, my leadership, my influence, con-
stitute the only obstacles to your return to
the people who made your newspaper and
founded your fortunes and give reality to
your position and your power, / stand ready
70 remove them. once is less 10 me IMAM
you suppose. Political leadership is not SO
necessary to my happiness as you, in your
ignorance of my character and motives, are
pleased to say.
STRANGE. INDEED.
Strange as it may seem to you I am
willing to surrender every prospect of per-
sonal promotion if by so doing I can re-
unite the Democratic party, restore to its
ranks all their pristine strength and har-
mony, allay the discussions and animosi-
ties that now exist and efface the humiliat-
frcr fod caIf
of your way of thinking-the spectacle OF
the Democratic party betrayed into the
hands of the enemy by those whom Demo
Gratis have, in the past, exalted and en-
rlched. do not undertake to say how much
you or any other man may love the Demo
cratic party, but 1 know how much 1 love
IT, and know l have no personal ambi-
tons l will not sacrifice for its honor and
welfare. l know, too, that have NO affilia-
tons, no engagements no plans of any
kind that could by any possibility emb ar
rass me in making the proposed arrange
ment.
You may understand this as an overture
of surrender on my part-and as an admis-
sion that the Democratic organization can
not hope for further life without your aid
and countenance. am prepared for that.
l have been misunderstood by you so long
and so unreasonably, that a little more or
less will count for nothing. AS a matter of
Maryland have become Disguised with the
two years of Republican maladministration
DOSSlDlC,
and that they are in the humor to make
an end of the experiment 1t is not only
what has been done it is also the extrava-
gance and corruption, which they see await
ing them in the event of perpetuation of
Republican rule. They feel that every sub
stantial interest in the State is jeopardized
and they are determined, with or without
your aid, to restore to power the Demo
cratic party, which has never hitherto be-
trayed them, and in whose hands they will
feel their honor and their interests to be
secure AS to this L have not the shadow OF
a doubt. But they want, also, a restoration
of the former harmony of the party. They
want to see the old lines restored and the
old operations rehabilitated And / owe
them so much as to feel not only willing
but anxious, to cOnSummate any wish OF
theirs no matter at what cost to me.
Are you ready, and willing, and free to
meet me on this ground in good faith, in
all loyalty. without proVisos or reserYa-
lions, on the honor of a gentleman? Are
you at liberty to take charge personally
campaign for the mayoralty of Baltimore
for the Legislature, and for the success to
that place in the Senate concerning which
[ have but one desire-that of seeing ii
filled by a Democrat, whose loyalty to the
party is unquestioned and proved and who
will advocate and upohld the principles to
which you profess unseifish and sincere
devotion? If you are, / am ready to meet
you more than half way. Let me hear from
YOU and let our fellow-citiZens judge be-
tween us by the measure of our personal
good faith and party loyalty therein
"A. 2. GORMAN."
Mr.. ABB tonight declined to say what
course he would pursue in the matter or
to express any opinion concerning the let
ter, which will appear in the Sun to-mor-
row as q paid advertisement.
MORE VOTE FOR LOW