Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1898-09-01

Maryland, Mr.. Mudd easily heads the
list. 1t was said of him by some OF those
who were opposed to his candidacy that
when a man controlled by Mudd was
named to call the convention TO order
that settled it, because he was certain of
the delegation from his own county, and
he would get up contests in all the other
counties and by seating the contestants
make his nomination unanimous. No
body who knows Mr.. Mudd can doubt
the accuracy of this forecast of what
would have happened if another candi-
date had offered himself in the Fifth dis
trict. But the discouraging part of it
is that the Fifth district allows such a
condition to exist and that the opposing
party does not rouse itself to take ad-
vantage of such an opportunity
The history of Mudd's career does not
make pleasant reading for the reformer.
With all his unscrupulousness and in
spite of his known character as trick
ster and a mercenary, he has made him
self factor of no mean importance in
Republican politics. In both Senatorial
elections his influence was almost decis-
i've, especially in that of 1896, when Sen
ator Wellington was chosen. Heplayed
a very conspicuous part in the Ocean
City convention, which set aside the ac-
ton of Senator Wellington and Chair
man Stone in Baltimore city and result
cd in the nomination of Mayor Master.
In the subsequent campaign he was
leading figure, and at the Legislative
session of 1893 he b0bbed up serenely at
Annapolis to shape legislation and to
make deals necessary to insure him an
other Congressional nomination. The
fact that he would be the nominee of his
party has been practically certain for
over year without calling forth serious
opposition to him or in any way shock
ing the moral senses of the district
which he represented in Congress. In
deed, in the campaign of 1897 he was
discussed in connection with the Chair
manship of the State Committee to take
charge of the whole business, and his
pretensions to that position as step
ping-stone to the United States Senate
might have been successful but for the
certainty that the independent press
would enter protest so forcible and
emphatic as to imperil the success Of the
party.
The remark attributed to Speaker
Reed that maryland was represented in
Congress by five blank fools and one
blank rascal" was doubtless more cpl
grammatic than true as to the other
gentlemen, but no one had the slightest
difficulty in identifying the representa-
tive who was placed in a class to him
self. There have been great many I'M
scrupulous men in our politics, and the
success of Senator German has undoubt'
cdly done much to destroy high ideals
and to incline young men entering poll
tics to leave behind them the sound
principles considered essential in bust
ness and professional life. The News
has no desire to single Mr.. Mudd out
from among the large number less able
II equally willing, to reduce political
unscrupulousness to an exact science
except to draw the attention of thought
full people to condition which, ~Tsur
vived all the struggles SF0ieanse GU
politics. UnavailipS-~s'Ihe protest MAJ
be, we cannot STOW the unanimous re
nominssssn Of Mr.. Mudd.to pass with
o,s6rfreeing our mind, and we ask thu
luestion of Republicans, Democrats anC
4 Independents, What are you going to dc
about it ?-BdltimorG Epening Nctcs,