The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-16
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

4th of March next, there is no more COM
manding man in that bod y today than
Arthur p German, of Maryland.
Whether considered as a party leader and
adviser. or as one familiar with the meth
dds and details of legislation and govern
ment, or as a statesman able to profoundly
discuss broad propositions that do not rest
on party foundations, he commands the
highest respect. Whether the Senate is
Democratic or Republican, he is inf1uen
tial in obtaining results. He is a politi
clan and statesman. 1t is now candidly
admitted on all hands that the State of
MARYLAND did herself more harm than she
did to Mr.. German when she permitted
his senatorial career to be interrupted.
1T Is a yINDICATION
That comes at the right time for this gen
tleman to be now taking so prominent
part in affairs; for him to be at the high
est point of his activity in legislation, and
one of those counsellors who has been not
less important that Il Cabinet officer in
matters pertaining to the war. His Co
operation was solicited at the earliest
stages of the embodiment and he has
borne himself so wisely and with so thor
oughly an American spirit that there is
not a candid man of any party, who Is
familiar with the circumstances, that does
not in his heart regret that his retirement
from the Senate is so close at hand.
1t seems Opportune to write of Mr.
German as in the ripeness Of his career
rather than as a passing Senator. He Is
now in the fullness of his honors. He is
understood and appreciated as he never
was before He has the reward Of pa
thence and the wisdom and the self pos
session which look through the years for
vindication AS a politician he has al
ways been willing to wait. His plans
have not been brief and evanescent He has
been satisfied to accomplish things with
out immediate exploitation Of himself.
HE HAS ACHIEVED
And been content to allow others to have
the credit for the time He has worked
necessarily for others, and for his party.
and there has in the sum of it all been no
more conspicuous victim of ingratitude; but
in striking the final balance he is on the right
side of the books in the public estimation.
In his personally Mr.. German is Il
charming man. He belongs to the class
commonly called ''clean cut. His face
is handsome, and in repose seems as if it
might be fresh from the idealizatiOn Of
tho scul ptor 1t lights up with slightly
relaxing smile. In conversation his voice
is low and gentle, but he fixes the atten-
tian of his listener without seeming to
make an effort. He is hospitable and ge-
NAL, and his dignity is of the sort that
yields gracefully to the festivities of a So
at home, and it is a current prOverb in
Washington social circles that a call at tie
German house nearly always stretches it
self out to Il visit Nowhere does the
Senator stand higher as an ''all-round' :
able and 'human' man than among those
close critics Of public character-those
pessimiSts who are reluctant to admit that
there is any great man or superlative
achievement in public lite-the Washing
ton correspondents. 1t is no mark of
studied accomplishment that he has them
for his friends He has captured them
simply by being
\ NATURAL GENTLEMAN.
So completely devoid of affectation that they
are obliged to resort to partisanship purely
when they want to say anything against
him. OF course, this does not include Il
few chronic ISLANDERS of the press in the
home Offices, who never having met the
Senator from Maryland have fallen into
the rut of abusing him. The surprise of
some of their pupils when they actually
meet Mr.. German is something beautiful
to behold.
Fidelity is the word which has ever
been emblazoned on the German banner
in the brightest letters His party has
usually been the proudes in his perform
ance when his advice has been taken
when he has been at the elbow and ear of
the helmsman-but he has never been
found sulking. He has always found the
abiding place of his party associates pleas
anter than the camp of the enemy He has
been loyal to his party and loyal to his
friends. His promise has been an act,
and his friendship an enduring obligation.
The country needs broad, able, expert
enced and faithful men like Arthur P.
German, and Maryland's mistake, now so
generally recognized and admitted, cannot
more than make short hiatus in his pub
lie life, though he can well afford to re-
tire at moment when he is in the high
est enjoyment of the confidence of his
countrymen. Whatever may be his flu
ture, there is now no one who is more ac-
lively in public harness than he, setting
Il pace which his successor, though an ex-
cellent gentleman, cannot hope to main
tain.
Modesty is quality for which the
newspaper man should perhaps have no
use, for if he has spark of it he will hes
itate to ask SO preoccupied man as Sena-
tor German, in the closing days of a SEES
sion of Congress, for
AN INTERVIEW ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
He ought to know himself the burden
there is in having an assortment of fresh
views on tap constantly, but added to this
is the danger, in the case of the politi-
clan, of premature expressions which COM
port with the present, but often turn out
to be embarrassing misfts for the future
In this case, however, the senatorial ami
ability soon overcame whatever degree of
journalistic difidence there may have been,
and with one swoop of the interrogation
point the statesman from Maryland was
plunged into the whole scope Of war, ter
ritorial acquisition and worldwide devel-
opment.
'FWhat did you think of questioning
me about?' asked the Senator, as he in
vited the interviewer to seat, concealing
his martyrdom with the grace and fnesse
of which he is complete master
G!Wnll Mr. German of courSa tho