The Republican., 1899-11-02
The Good Government Question.


to consider seriously the various can
didates and tickets that will be found
upon the official ballot, their good
points and their bad, their present
and past political records, what they
have done for or against good govern
ment, and what each will do towards
the same grand cause if he be elected;
for in nearly every instance a mans
future can be judged by his past. We
will take the two candidates for Gov
ernor first and try and judge their
record in brief manner, forgetting
for the time being all party lines
judging them simply as man for man.
In private life and business their
two characters are spotless. Politi-
calIy, they have both been before the
public long enough to be pretty
thoroughly known to nearly every
voter in the State
Col. John Walter Smith, the Demo-
cratic nominee has been closely affil-
lated with his party for a good many
years and has always been the strong
est kind of a partisan, using his every
effort to keep his party in power,
even when he knew that the foulest
kind of crooked work was being done
by the old ring that has had his par
ty so completely under its thumb and
who for years bought and sold legis-
lation to the highest bidder and who
named the representatives on every
ticket that was nominated by the
party for nearly a quarter of a cen
tury. During the past dozen or so of
years Col. Smiths name has been
continually on the ticket, in one
capacity or another, and as was often
said the General Assembly at Anna
polls was not complete if he were alb
sent. If his actions at Annapolis had
not have been in accordance with his
leaders, Messrs. German and Rasin,
it is safe to say he would not have
gone back year after year as he did.
His record there is anything but en-
viable, for if we follow him we shall
find that he fought to the bitter end
nearly every bill that was introduced
in the cause of good government or
that was liable in any way to weaken
the absolute control which German
and Rasin exercised over the State
His attitude on nearly every bill that
was introduced by labor organizations
for their better protection was not
only hostile but in some instances he
took the floor and spoke against the
bill. He fought the new election law
to the bitter end in the Senate when
Mr. VIM. Cabell Bruce was president
of that body, fought it openly and
secretely until he saw all hope was
gone, and finally voted for it with
other Democrats. To-day he is claim
ing to have championed this bill that
has given Maryland fair elections
when in reality his position was one
of absolute hostility until, for the ap-
pearence of things, he was compelled
to vote for it. With a political record
like this is it any wonder that Cor
man and Rasin have nominated this
gentleman with the hope of getting
back some of their lost power? Is it
the duty of a voter who believes in
good government to vote for such
man? Answer it for yourself and if
you answer it honestly Gov. Lowndes
will be reelected by the largest ma
jority ever known in the history of
State.
We will now pass from Col. Smith
and his record to that of Gov.
Lowndes and the work of the Repub-
lican party. Four years ago this gen
tleman was elected on a platform
promising reform and good govern
ment, pledging itself to in every way
to redeem the State from bossism and
corruption. No one will ever know
by what majority he was elected for
the Democrats had the election ma
chinery and the new election laws
had not been passed, but he was cleo
ted and in the past four years he has
redeemed his every promise and
comes before you to-day with a clear
record asking your support that he
may continue the good work which
he has begun. Looking over these
brief summaries of the deeds of these
two gentlemen we only ask you to
vote for the one you conscientiously
believe will do the most for the State.
AS Col Roosevelt said: 1--WE, Gov
ernor Lowndes and the Republican
party, ask you to put us back, prom
Using to do as we have done. The
Democrats ask you to put them back,
promising not to do as they have
done. Which will you help? The
men who have lived up to their every
promise or the men who have not?
The question lies with you, my friends. !