Evening star., 1898-10-12
MARYLAND POLITICS
Situation as It Now Appears in the
Congressional Districts.
DEMOCRATS ARE MORE HOPEFUL
Result Depends More on the Men
Than on the Platforms.
r. EVIEW BY DISTRICTS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

BALTIMORE, OCTOBER IL, 1875.
Now that all the congressional nomna-
tions have been made in this state, an op-
portunity is afforded of comparing the
merits of the opposing candidates on the
basis of their personal vote-attracting val
ues 1t is generally believed that the per-
sonality of the nominee is going to prove
a very important factor in this campaign,
and that it will, to a certain extent, throw
the question of platforms in the shade.
This is particularly the case among the
democrats. who propose, as far as they
may be able, to dodge any reference to ma
tional issues, and confine themselves to a
consideration of state affairs, with a5un-
dant illusions, of course, to the conduct of
the late war
In fact, in the fourth district they are
relying entirely on the personality of Maj.
James w. Denny, the nominee, and have
given him no platform whatsoever.
While the first district IS the only ore
in which the democrats feel absolutely as
sured of victory, they have strong hopes
of carrying the second and third. The con-
Gitions in the former, especially, they find
encoura giDg.
Congressman Baker, who has been a sec
ond time renOminated by the republicans.
they say. has done absolutely nothing dur
ing his two terms in the House, and does
not arouse any enthusiasm among many
of the members of his party. In Baltimore
county, especially, the apathy manifested
by republicans is most noticeable. and the
fact that the bulk of the democratic tick
cts were elected in Carroll. Cecil and Har-
ford countess a year ago, and that lOca!
sentiment therein does not appear to have
undergone any change, does not augur well
for the success of the republican ticket
next month.
Democrats Make n Wise Move.
.l,,t 1,r Il
a wise move by nominating Mr.. Richard b.
Tippett of Baltimore city. in the place of
Mr. Nicholas W. Steele, who was named a
few days ago, and later withdrew. The
candidate is a young man, of excellent
character and reputation, consistent
party man, and yet one whose political
affiliations have not been over intimate
with any leader or faction. A strong fight
in this district is assured, as Mr.. TipDctt is
aggressive. and has announced his inten-
tion of going into the contest for al he IS
vcrth. He has plenty Of money
1t is universally admitted that by nOmi-
mating Col. John Walter Smith in the first
district the democrats there havC more
than risen 10 the occasion. Col. Smith Is
the unquestioned leader of his party on ths,
caste shore. and will poll the full party
vote of the district. The silver democrats
have a candidate in the district in the pe-
son of MIR William Willis. but it is rot be.
lieVed that he will poll 100 votes. and his
value. therefore. as an anti-Smith factor
amounts to very little. In fact. the free
silver demCnsu uation on the shore is sup
posed W many to be supplied with repub-
lican funds, and the transportation ex-
rerses Of one of the leaders from Talbot
county to the recent Convention in Balt-
more are said by some detractors to have
been provided by the republican candidate.
The only hope the republicans have of
carrying the district lies In the ple' 'horic
tIPlya -,nl- of nj nplE
their nominee. 1t was because of his
wealth that he was nominated as their
candidate for the state senate from Dor
chester county a year ago. and the agree
able generosity with which he scattered
funds in that contest inspires the hope that
he may repeat it this year. The demo-
Gratis remember. however. that he wes de-
fCated year ago, and the fact that he Is
a republican of very recent conversion does
not enhance mis- value as nominee.
Not an Eastern ShOreman.
Furthermore Col. Jackson is not an east
ern shoreman in the full meaning of the
term as understood by the residents of that
section of the state, and has only in COM
paratively recent times acquired a voting
residence there. Col Smith, on the other
hand. was not only born on 1.-The shore
but has been identified with its interests
and its people throughout his life, and this
in a voting population so strongly imbued
with local pride and sentiment is a strong
ly favorable factor.
In the third district which comprises
East Baltimore. and includes among its
voters large foreign element, the oppos-
ing candidates are Mr.. Frank c. Wachter,
republican, and DIR. John B. Schwatka,
democrat Here again, the question of
personality the odds are in favor of the
democrat, DIR. SChwatka being in every par
ticular the superior of Mr.. Wachter whose
nomination is by no means satisfactory to
the conservative republicans of the district.
Just what the outcome here will be it iS
difficult to say. In the popular judgment
the republicans will carry the city districts,
though it is also generally believed that DR..
Schwatka, at least. will make a good run.
Mr. Wachter's strength lies solely in the
reorganization" of his party, and it remains
to be seen whether or not it can carry him
through
While the democrats have an admirable
candidate IN the fourth district in the per-
son of Major James w. Denny, the per-
sonal popularity of Representative W. w.
McIntire. who has been renominated by
the republicans, is so great that there is
little prospect of their success Mr.. Ne
Intire's great majority of two years ago
was largely due to the heavy democratic
vote he received, and while democrats will
not feel compelled to desert their party be-
cause of the silver issue this year, many
of those who voted for the representa- tive
two years ago will do so this year.
In MIR. Mudd's District.
Despite the heavy handicaps in favor of
the election of Representative Sydney E.
Mudd in the fifth district. the democrats
enter the campaign full of encouragement
and will make a game fight. Their candi-
date Mr.. John s. Cummings has the repu-
tation of being a quiet unobtrusive sort
of a man. of considerable energy and large
means, and that Mr.. Mudd is alarmed is
evident from the energy with which he is
already pushing his campaign.
In the sixth district the democrats have
at last succeeded in securing a candidate
to lead their forlorn hope, and while the
nominee is said to be a young man of ex-
ceIlent reputation. he is entirely unknown
outside his own county. That he will be
able to defeat Col. Pearre, the republican
candidate his most enthusiastic support
ers do not for one moment claim at the
present time.
Senator Wellington has been in town all
week literally working with his coat off
to get things in shape for the campaign.
He is very much encouraged by the regis
tration up to the present time, and he told
The Star correspondent today that while
he anticipate no such majorities as his
party has received in the past three cleo
| tons he had reasonable confidence of sue
I