The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-05-27
Congressman Cummings on Mr.. Cor
man for President.


to perform them without fear and without
favor. Aplomb, industry, energy, integrity,
reflection, good Judgment, tact, Impasslveness,
patriotism. fair share of geniality, party
tealty, true Democracy and real manhood are
prerequisites. Remembering tina. the power
of the President is limited by the Constitution,
he should never overstep its bounds. Stand
ing firmly upon the rights Of the executive
| branch of the Government, he should never
trespass upon those of the legislative and ju-
dicial branches. 4 well-SeaSoned statesman
| ought To make good President. Having a
! due regard for the Constitution. he should ad-
minister the laws promptly and lmpartaly.
! He ought to warm and not chill his country
men.
All these traits are to be found in Arthur
| Pue German, of Maryland. He was 90 years
| old ON March II last Forty-seven of these
| 60 years have been passed in the public ser
vice. When Is years old he was made page
| in the Senate of the United States. 1t was
/ Stephen \. Douglas who placed him upon this
| loves, rug of the political ladder.
I Goruau was afterward postmaster OF the
I Senate. Collector Of Internal Revenue, mem
| ber Of the House Of Delegates of the Maryland
/ Legislature. Speaker of the House, State Sen
| alor. and finally. on March 4, 1881, became a
/ United States Senator. Certainly no man OF
/ his age in the United States has had equal
/ experience in legislation and in the executive
l departments of the Government Aside from
I it. however, Re has shown rare political sa-
I gacty. As true rs steel to his friends, he
/ fights his enemies right royalty. There Is a
/ maulineSS about him that has drawn the at
/ tenti1u Of the whole country. He has always
been a Democrat. aud one without n uuge OF
muA wumpery. Never has he swerved from
/ the party line. The party platform is to him
| his law and his gospel.
HI has also shown executive ability of the
| highest order. He conducte' the campaign
/ that first placed Grover Cleveland in the White
/ House To his untiriug activity, sleepless en-
/ crgy and personal magnetism was the victory
/ due He gave on. no interviews, but per
! formed his work quietly aud dec'sively, never
/ leaving the wheel for q second. Every Dem
[ pCrai knew th0t there was a master hand al
/ the helm The wiud whistied through the
I rigging and there was heavy sea- but the
! ,hju Of Democracy was held to her course
without hoarse calls through speaking trump,
cts and rumpus on deck. and finally she
sailed safely into harbor tor the hrst time IN a
quarter OF a century
Asa political u'aYageV, GorInan was slmry
superb lie dlayed all irritation, drowned
ali rumjties. pacifed all conflicting elements,
and consolidated the party as 1t had never
been consolidated before or since. IL was i
superhuman effort. made by a man OF the
times. and one lily repaid Yet the great
( Democrat from Maryland pursued the even
tenor OF his way, repre- -sius all resenlmehtS-
,aaintaiuing prudent silence. aud eudea'or
I ing 20 keep the party IN trim Tor the neNi hghI
BENJAMIN Harrison succeeded Cleveland a
. President. anG the memorable Force oiiI De
came an issue. Il was easy 10 pass It IN the
/ House. with Thomas h. Reed IN the chair
. Ii ought n have been easier 20 pass II IN the
Senate, where the Republicans had 10 ma
joriiy. ,.,
Here Gorman made the fight of his life
. he was the man IN the gap. Never dld ht
show more sasacity, skill and management
m, line. were held intact day and right He
knew that il was an effort to concentrate the
power OF the Government in the hands OF a
Republican Administration. 1t shackied th'
I Democracy aud let them at the mercy OF re
turning boards appointed Tor hte
II ss, a fight worthy OF the skill and repu
iation of such a mau as Go man mere Were
chants urr,,yri against hi u-teorge +. Hoar
George T. Ednunds, WI B. Allison, ct al
By a .hrewd increment German arTayed th'
silver Republicans against tie consideration
af the measure. The work was canehet
through a vote ia The House of Representa-
p,.. where many North,-n Democrats, in
.
With Bland 20 reverse an autl silver ruling II
C,pu,,li.,, of tFe Whole, with the understand
ing that their votes would count against th'
Force bii in the Senate.
On January ~, lsel. the Senate refused i
continue the. consideration of the Force bill
and took up an appropriation ball. tlye he
plblicans voted with the Democrats. and th'
hilrous nonStrosify Was forever put 10 sleep
Il vas battle royal in politics--oue that re
Duirri careful. consideration, undauuted pluci
and exquisite management TO WIN. lhe strali
srtbr fight was simply terrific. II was month
before tiorman recovered from ITS effects
The minority had outmanoeuyred and defeat
ed the majority. la all this hight he neVe
lost his sAvoIr iaire. The nation at large
especially the Soulh-owes him deot Q
gratitude which ought not TO be repudlated
The Force bill was made one oi the I've
LEADING issues in the next Presidential cam
paign-the Mckinley bill being the other
The Democracy was on the attack and lie
I publieani,il on the defensive. General tiar
ri.np sas defeated and Grover Cleveland re
elected. Not only was the Force bill killed
but the old Federal Election Law was repeal
rd and the Democracy, with large nalor'r
in the House and u slender one IN the Senate
began to formulate a tariff bill. It appeare'
under the name of the Wilson bill, aud wa
p.rfected IN the House by an income ta'
amendment.
The bin then went to the Senate. Her
TO- weeks IL hung trembling IN the balance
German again appeared as the man ia IN
g,n While Hill denounced the income tax
1;nrmap supported it. Tfe arduous work o
I aIayiuc animoslties, jealousies and resent
ments was resumed. II seemed to be almos
imnoSsible TO reconcile conflicting interests
vet. by working night aud day, yielding here
insisting there, and compromising on ever.
opportunitv. German returned the bill TO tht
House rechristeued and changed that tn
original father failed 10 recognize hS on
spriug. The House recognized the fact tha
il was the only tariff bill that could be passed
and finally accepted the measure as II came
from the Senate
The Administration clearly recognized ING
triumpb Of German when it allowed the bil
10 become a law without the President sig
nature. The sagacity of the Maryland Sena
tor had been again demonstrated. With tn,
income tax il was universally conceded tina
the bill would have provided sufficient revenue
for all the expenses of the Government. NJ
one, however, could toreSee the actio OF th'
Supreme Cosrt This court, after following
the precedeuts established by itself, declared
the bin constitutional, and within six week
reversed lis own decision.
In the Senate German was a man of action
ever in action His influence was felt when
ever questions of national importance were
under consideration. His knowledge of par
liamentary law had grown corresponding.
with his term of service. No man had a NOR,
thorough knowledge of the executive depart
menls. for he had studied them from the da
he entered Congress as page.
But the character of the man was more dis
tinctly shown during the war with Spain
Partisan feeling was sunk in patriotism. Lk
a true American. he upheld the President i
carving on the war With other patriot
Democrats he voted for the issue Of bonds
The Chicago platform had denounced sue
issues in time of peace, clearly indicating tina
it favored an issue in time of war. Gorma
evidently believed that if Grover Clevelan
f had the right to issue bonds in time of peace
, William Mckinley had the right to issue then
in time of war. Like loyal and patriot
citizen he upheld this right.
Party services merit party rewards n
man in the nation has done more work for tn
Democratic party than Arthur Pue German
Ii was work done AT critical moments, whe
the vitality OF the party itself was at stake
1t was service rendered ungrudgingly, un
spariuglv, increasingly and conscientiouSy "
A. H. Garland once said that he had "alway
looked upon German as an astute politician
but his magnificent fight against the force bi
, had elevated him to the highest rank of states
manship.n Garland was right, but Gorma
is equally at home in both fields. He stand
f before the country today magnificent Speci
man of An,arican manhood and statesman