Middletown transcript., 1899-08-05
For Attorney General:
Baltimore city.

Col. John Walter Smith, ,tbe nominee
for Governor, is q native Of Worcester
county and has a beautiful home at |
Snow Hill. He was elected to Con-
gress last fall from the First Congress
sional district and previous to that
time had represented his county for 10
years In the Maryland Senate.
Colonel Smith is one of tha most
popular men in public life on the East
ern Shore and has devoted himself with
energy to plans for the Improvement OF
that section. He is widely known as
the 'sfather of the free school-book
bill,n which be originated and pressed
to passage. he is about 5S years Of
age and Of genial personal characterisl
tics. Colonel Smith is by profession q
banker. He has been actively identi-
fed with politics for years and has long
been the acknowledged leader of his
county. He is the senior member of
the largest dry goods firm in Worcester
county and has also been largely en-.
gagged in the lumber industry. He and
Merchant j. B. Messick, of Middle.
town, were boys together.
THE PLATFORM
They assert in the platform:
"The representatives of the Democratic
party of Maryland, in State Convention
assembled, declare that, after an experience
of four years of Republican ascendency,
we should make united effort to recover
political control of the State, SO as to in
sure to the people the fullest protection OF
life, liberty and property. The result Of
the last municipal election in Baltimore
CITY demonstrates that this can be accom-
plished by the harmonious cooperation of
all elements of the party, without regard to
past differences, and we invite all such to
aid us in the political redemption of our
State and the Democratic party.
1--WE declare our unfaltering allegience
to the fundamental principles of the party
as formulated by Thomas Jefferson, and
we believe that the practical and constant
application of those principles to Federal
and State government is essential to the
perpetuation of our free Institutions.
'sWe insist that in time of war, as well as
of peace, the freedom of the press shall be
reserved and that the right Of the people to
critieise freely the policy and conduct Of
the administration shall be defended at all
hazards.
"No deadlier blow can be dealt to Ameri
can liberty than the suppression, by an
abuse of executive power, of the free utter
ance by American freemen of their senti
ments upon matters of public concern af
fecting the welfare of the people, and we
denounce as dangerous and indefensible all
efforts to interfere with and abridge thil
sacred right.
"We declare our unalterable opposition
to the creation and maintenance of a large
standing army in time of peace, and we in
sist upon the supremacy of the civil owe
the military authority. and we demand the
strictest economy in the collection and dis
bursment ofthe public revenues.
"We believein the time-honored doctrine
SO earnestly impressed upon us by th'
fathers of the Republic, of Peace, Com
merce and Honest Friendship with all ma
tions- entangling alliances with none
1--WE view with alarm the multiplication
oyer the lano of such gigantic. industria
and commercial trusts, the outgrowth o
Republican legislation, as stifle competition
threaten popular government, increase tht
cost of the living and curtail the individua
rights of the people, and we favor vigorous
measure by the States and by Congress tt
repress this great and growing evil.
| The remainder of the platform refers
to locals matters. All the candidates
are "gold Standard men. The re-
ference to Trusts in view of the actor
Of Delaware Democratic officials il
amusing. In Delaware Trusts are
created daily. The entire capitalization
of the 139 companies thus far chartered
is found to be S271, ,1S4 300. or ar
average of nearly two millions dollars
for each company. And all this has
been combined by capitalists since
March II, when the Incorporation Law
became operative.