Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-08-05
SATURDAY EVENING. AUG. 5. 1899

THE PROCEEDINGS OF the Maryland
democratic State convention go to show
that the managers, after four years
absence from power are very anxious 10
get back again and are not very par
ficnIsr as TO the mode ofdoing it, Some
of the most prominent leaders absented
themselves in order to please the gold
bug Cleveland. boiling element, but the
hand of the machine leaders has been
visible in the platform, both in what
was put in and what was left out, and
ago in the nominations. Personally
there is nothing against the nominees
That We know OF, bat one Of them, Mr..
Ravner, as we understand, not only did
not support the democratic ticket in
1896. but stumped the State against MIR.
BRYAN. Such 8 candidate might De
voted for in opposition to en- out and
out avowed republican, but IN effect
this bolter is as much of republican as
his opponent can be and has no righttul
claim to the respect and support OF
democrats. The platform seems to
have been planned so as to secure, II
possible, the votes CT all citizens who
are anxious to turn out the republican
State dynasty. The motto is anything
TO win" The prominent issues OF 1896
are all eyaded and avoided in the same
cowardly meGner as for years past has
brought defeat hnd discredit to the
Mary democratic leaders. Even the
new issues created by the misconduct
and abuses of the Mckinley admins
tration are avoided for the most part.
There is no condemnation of the mis-.
management of the Cuban war, the
corrupt beef contracts, the starving OF
the suffering soldiers. of the British
policy of Imperialism, nor OF
the costly and cruel war in the
PHILIPPINES, begun and kept up
oy the President without the authority
of Congress. Are these issues OF DO i'm.
portauce Is the outrage of the Presi'
dent in usurping the war making pow
er of Congress matter of no concern?
Are the robbery of the Dingley tariff
bill and The burdens of the war rev.
enue Dill issues on which the Maryland
democracy are afraid to express an
opinion. True, we have denuncia-
ton of trusts, but there is no condem-
nation of the consolidation or
trust of street railroad franchises
which have happened in Baltimore and
Washington right under the eye of the
convention. If local matters were to
be made prominent why not men
ton these? The platform says
truly that the republican party
depends for its success upon the
large negro element and that this
fact makes the lawless element of the
negroes more ready to commit crimes.
This is true enough, but in what way
do the managere propose to correct this
great mischief? Still. this is the best
part of the platform. If the managers
mad come out frankly and boldly and
denounced the republican party as o
negrozed mongrel party, ready to shield
negro crime in return for votes, they
won Id have voiced the sentiments of all
line intelligent and honest white men o.
the South. 1t may be that the dissatisfac-
ton with the State and national repub-
iican administrations will DE strong
enough to give the victory to the ticket,
but it would not re a victory to give
much comfort and confidence TO TIRE
masses of the national democracy.
They. however, are strong enough ard
bold enough to elect their President IN
1900 without Maryland, and 10 give the
country genuine democratic policy.
The masses of the Maryland democrats
are all right, but they should not allow
their leaders to place them in false
position.