Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-11-04

Before another issue Of the INDEPEN-
DENT greets its readers the election Of
members to the Fifty-sixth Congress of
the United States will have taken place.
Who they shall be is an important mat
ter to the country. The personnel Of
the candidates is not to be considered.
The political is. ues involved in the cam
paign are momentous; outride all other
considerations and as we de 'ide. so will
the policies Of the government be shaped
fer tae next two years. Think we'll
then, and act prudently When the
harm is done, it will be too late We
may cry over "spilt milk" but there is
no remedy after the evil is done
The war issues. that is to say whether
or not General Alger properly fed and
cared for the Federal soldiers in the war
with Spain, or whether it is the policy
Of the present administration to assume
control Of the Philippine Islands are side
issues as compared with the great ques-
ton as to whether or not We shall retain
our standing with the commercial world
IS favoring a sound currency. On this
issue the political battle of 1896 was
fought, but it was not fight to 6nish.
The silver kings of the West and their
selfish coharts still hope to resurrect the
dangerous policy and the election to
Congress of Democrats means encour-
agemeot to the insane theory Of free sill
yer. II encouraged By the election Of a
Democratic House Of Representatives
that financial heresy will dob up again"
with more audacity thaa ever in the
next presidential election So then kill
it now; vanish every hope of revival
of the wanton policy now and forever.
The game being played in many sections
Of the country is sly and deceptive, but
we cannot believe the public will be de-
ceivsd- The conduct of the war, is the
most pointed ruse sought to be used,
and here and there is added to this farci-
cal plea the cry of some local trouble,
hoping to divert public sentiment from
the real issue, but we feel assured the
scheme will be a failure. One more
Congress favoring sound currency and
that question like the tariff will be set
tied for years to come.
In this State and in this Con-
grossioaal District. the Democratic
candidates all claim to be sound
money men, but if elected, act and
vote as they please, unless they stray
entirely away from party usages they
must Of necessity in some way lend aid
to the free silver cause. If Democrat
ie House should be elected, msjority
will favor free silver A free silver ad-
voeste will be elected Speaker, and the
latter appoints all the committees, thus
regulating the entire machinery of the
Legislative body through which all the
work of Congress is done. They cannot
be trusted to stay out of caucus, and by
participating therein they give to the
cause Of free silver the strongest en-
dorsenent possible. So it is plain that
there is much danger in their election
while there can be none in the election
Of the Republicans, The Republican
psrty stands firmly upon the platform of
the gold standard, and all the nominees
Of that party in this State can and will
without personal or political sacrifices
act and vote in harmony with the party.
There can be no temptation to do other
wiso.
That Cummings, the Democratic
nominee for this Congressional District
cauDot be trusted, is made plain by bis
speech here on Tuesday He lodged
the real issue altogether. Although
protesting to be in favor Of the gold
standard he never for once alluded to the
question; although the people were anx-
ious to know. how, if elected as gold
Democrat he could help assisting his
silver political friends. His whole dis
course was upon Republican nisman-
agsment of the State. He may have
conceived the idea that the voters of the
rural sections of his District are such
asses as to believe that in voting for him
as candidate for Congress they are
helping to bring about a reformation in
our State government, and hence treat.
ed the subject Of most importance with
contempt. But il such was his idea,
be has deceived himself Our people |
are not fools. We tell them now as W,
have Ioid them before that the question |