The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-05-06
It's Significance.

It's Significance.
The result of the Baltimore election means
that the people of that city intend to have
good. economical. non partisan government
By non-p partisan is not meant government
administered by persons without decided views
on matters political and who do not animate
with political parties, for men who have not
decided and we'll defined views and principles
are not fit to hold important public positions.
By non partisan government IS meant gov
eminent in the interest of the people, not
government for the benefit of party-govern-
ment where offices are bestowed upon lucap-
able and unfit persons as reward tor party
service rendered. By good government Is
meant government where the greatest good to
the whole people is accomplished. By eco
nomical government is not meant parslmony
and niggardliness in public expenditures
The people mean by economy the getting OF
their moneys worth, as opposed to what are
termed 'fat' contracts-contracts carelessly
carried out and large profits pocketed, They
believe in liberal salaries for efficient work,
but are opposed to padded pay rolls They
despise deception, such as reduction OF
taxes below a rate that will produce sufficient
revenue for the actual needs of government
simply for political effect; and they also de-
spise show of making needed improvements
lust before primary or election. They viii
not tolerate sham and hypocrisy, and they
require honest and capable public officials
and an honest accounting of the expenditure
of public money.
In a party sense the election means
return to power of the Democratic party
the party that embraces the great MAJOR
ity Of the intelligence, virtue and sohdl-
tv If the city. and which is not handicapped
by any large and solid element OF ignorant
and non-taxpaying citizens to whom Difference
must be paid that party success may result
II means continued Democratic rule SO long
as that party gives the people good economi-
cal. non-partisan government, and gives an
earnest of it by nominating clean and capable
people for public office.
So long as the Republican party Is eonst'-
tuted as it Is, and so long as the party Is con
trolled BY the element that now dominates H.
neither efficiency nor honesty can be expected
of il. and it will have to be radically reformed
and the Democratic party sink to very low
state before the people Of Baltimore VIII Try
Republican rule again.
But the work so we'll begun in Baltimore Is
not vet completed. The Republican state
ring is as corrupt and inefficient in state affairs
as the Master machine has been in city man
agement. The Master machine was backed
and buoyed up by Lowndes, Wellington, Nc
Comas. Sloan, Pearre, Mudd and others. All
these knew thai the city government was bad,
incompetent and corrupt in nearly all IT'S
branches. but to them Republican success was
far more important a matter than good gov
eminent They believed, and 50 plead with
the party, that defeat for Master meant an
overtrnuing of the state government, and
consequently the upsetting of all their plans
for future offices and emoluments. 10 them
the success of Master meant salvation tor
themselves. If the Master machine could
win il could give sufficient majority IN Balu-
more to overcome the vote Of the counties
and give majority in the legislature. The
very fact that they labored zealously and earn
estly for Masters success, and consequently
for the continued control OF Charlie Wilson,
Ben Hiss, Ben Andrews, Hiram Watiy and
others of that ilk. is sufficient evidence that
they are mere spoilsmen. When the tnrn was
made in 1895 that placed the Republican party
in power. every one Of them rushed for office,
and the history ofthe Republican party shows
that the obtaining of Office is the chief object
and aim Of the leaders aud managers Wei
lington leaped forward 10 seize seat IN the
United States Senate, and LowndeS prosii-
tuted every Office in his gift to bring about ms
election, which was done in defiance Of an
ancient and honored law. Mudd, the Speaker
of the House, worked his place for all It was
worth. and traded his influence for places IN
the tobacco warehouses and the promise Of a
nomination for Congress. Later his bench
men in the tobacco warehouses were taxed to
raise funds to carry primaries and the elee'
ton in his behalf.
But we will not now undertake to so into
the details Of the bargaining and trading
among the state managers for Office. nor
show up the incompeiency Of the Lowndes
administration, or speak Of his professions Of
purity and contrast them with bis practices Of
the spokesman. All this will De done later,
and the people shall have brought up for
their consideration the fall history, so far as
il can be obtained. OF the faults, failures, in
competency aud hypocrisy Of the Lowndes
administration.
The redemption Of Baltimore must be fol
lowed by the redemption Of the state. The
work Of the Democrats and Independents IN
Baltimore has encouraged the Democrats of
the counties, and they will do their duty to
the state in November. The Allegany Ring
must be sent back to Cumberland. Wellington
and MeComas must be retired from the Sen
ate, the Republicans Of the House who have
misrepresented the people must be replaced
by better men, and the whole state govern
ment must be reconstructed. 4 look al the
books and records at Annapolis may result in
benefit to the people, and the people should
resolve to see them.
In order to continue the reform inaugurated
in Baltimore, it will only be necessary for the
Democrats to present state ticket OF high
character and capacity, and for the Democrats
of the counties to follow with clean and cap
able nominees for the legislature With good
tickets in STATE and counties many Repubii
cans will be attracted to their support, just as
they were attracted by the high character
of the Democratic nominees in Baltimore, and
the state machine will be smashed rs COM
pletely was that Of the Malster-Wison-W atty
ring.
Mr.. Lynn R. Meekins, who has been on
the editorial staff of the Baltimore American
nearly seventeen years, has severed his con.
nection with that paper and accepted place
on the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post
Mr.. Meekins is graceful writer and ha.
achieved considerable reputation, particularly
L ant a.