The times., 1899-04-27
BALTINORE POLITICS
OF NATIONAL WEIGHT
Significance of the Coming
Municipal Contest.
Democraey's Opportunity to Recap
ture Maryland.
Prominence Given 10 the Race Issue
What the Republican Admin
istration Has Done.

The city election in Baltimore next Tues
day Is OF more than local interest. Its
bearing upon national politics is much more
direct than the municipal contest in Chi
cago or any OF the other spring elections.
Party lines are well maintained in Bal
timore. as a rule. and the city forms sc
large a part of the population of the State
nearly one-haif-that the election next
Tuesday will probably foretell the action
of the State in November. and of course
that vote. like all others this year, just
before the Presidential contest, will BE-
awaited with great interest. Maryland las
been Republican since 1894. In that year
the Republicans elected half the Repre-
sentatives in Congress; the following yeai
they elected mayor in the city and
governor in the State; in 1896 the State
chose Mckinley electors, and in 1897 il
elected an anu-Gorman legislature. Today
the Governor, both Senators, the Mayor of
Baltimore. and four OF the six Congressman
are Republicans. IL is substantially Re-
publican State
Whether it will be recaptured by the
Democrats depends much upon next Tues
days ballcting. Malster. the present may
or, is the candidate for reelection. Hayes
is the Democratic nominee. The independ
ent element of the Democratic party, which
really carried the State over in the Repub
lican column. first as against the German
ring and later as against free silver. seems
10 be going back in considerable force TO
its old party affiliations. Senator yelling
ton was inGiscreet enough TO say in Re
cent address in Baltimore tnat Malster did
not need the independent vote. that the
Republicans were intrenched behind their
breastworks and could elect their candi-
date by Republican votes. This has ere
ated good deal of criticism, and the atti
tude which il represents will cost the Re
publican candidate thousands Of votes.
Another slogan of the campaign now
draaing 10 q close was the remark of
former Gov. Frank Brown, a Democrat.
that Baltimore is white mans city.
Wellington took this up, and declared that
II was neither white mans nor a black
mans city. but a city where the rights OF
all were secure and their interests pro-
tected. II strikes Northerner as remark
able that in a city where the percentage
OF negroes TO the total population is SO
small as in Baltimore-only 20 per cent
the negro as an issue should be raised in
a municipal campaign. and yet that is ap-
psrently the leading question at stake.
The Democrats assert that the Republi-
cans have pandered too much to the ne
groes. till the latter have become i'm
pudent and badly behaved. When the Re
pub,ieans first came into power, the colored
men of the city wanted TO get on the po-
lice force but after some conference the
Republican leaders decided this would
never do, and SO they have appointed none
Of them. But to soothe the feelings of the
disappointed negroes. they were given quite
number of other places, in the street
cleaning and other departments
This has fairly satisfied the colorsd vote
but is proving an element OF weakness TO
the Republican party in getting the white
vote. Maryland newspapers are now flied
with complaints concerning the black man.
Negro roTdyism has been a standing head
line In the Democratic newspapers for some
time past, and all the instances OF petty
theft, pocketbook snatching. and the like
are sedulously gathered, ,as IL having q di-
rect bearing upon the present campaign.
The Legislature elected next fall VIII not
choose the United States Ssnaeor but the
State Senators elected will hold over until
the next Legislature, and SO participate In
that function. The confirmation of s.
Davis Warfeld, who has been nominated
for postmaster of Baltimore, is quite like
ly to depend upon the results of the mu-
nicipal and State elections. both of which
will occur before the Senate regularly as
sembles. Warheld is the man who is cred
tied with leading the Independent Demo-
cratic movement against the German ma
chine, and for Mckinley On that basis
he has been appointed postmaster, but If
his followers now desert the Republican
party. as seems probable, IL is generally
predicted that the Maryland Senators will
advise against his confirmation next win
ter.