Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-11-04
Address OF The Democratic
State Central Committee To
The People Of Mary
land.

ne FeOple vi MARY
land.
Felt0W Citizens:-Our campaign opened
most auspiciously and the gratifying
promise of success which met us at the
beginning has deepened into a well as
surred confidence of triumph as the con-
test draws to close.
| The popular manifestations of appro-
val of the work Of our Convention in all
sections of the State have left nothing
| to be desired.
Our candidates have been received
| everywhere with an enthusiasm never
| surpassed. Their acknowledged high
character land thoroughly established
| qualitications-their experience in pub
lie affairs-there familiarity with the
needs and resources of the State and
their recognized intellectual vigor, sup
| plemented by the inspiring circumstan-
| ces under which they were nominated
have given to the campaign a spirit and
| force seldom witnessed.
Our organization both in the City of
| Baltimore and in the counties is COM
plete. The work of registration has
been conducted with thoroughness and
care. fractional differences in our ranks
have disappeared.
Our local tickets are made up every
where of men of character and intelli-
gence and one of the most gratifying
features of the campaign is the hearth
ness and good feeling with which the
| friends of the defeated candidates for
nomination are supporting the ticket.
Indeed, greater harmony and earnest
ness have never been seen, and we feel
that from the reports that come to us,
from one end of the State to the other,
OF the spirit and enthusiasm of the
Democracy and the cordial union of all
elements of the party, we can say to
you with emphasis that the day our
political deliverance is near at hand.
Results have abundantly proved the
wisdom, sagacity and patriotism of our
campaign upon State issues alone.
The introduction into our platform as
tests of party allegiance of questions of
national administration and policy was
believed by the Convention to be as un-
necessary as it was unwise. 1t was felt
that in this momentous struggle for
good State government in Democratic
hands upon correct and sound business
principles, we were entitled to have and
assuredly would receive the support of
the great majority of the intelligent
white men of the State and that no OBJ
stacles should be put in the way of those
who from interest, inclination, former
associations, State pride or any other
reason might be disposed to help us in
re-acquiring our lost political supremacy
in Maryland. 1t was known that our
people are divided at this time ON the
question of Imperialism and the policy
of foreign conquest and "forcible annexa-
tion," once so vigorously deprecated
and denounced by President Mckinley
as a policy too shocking to be Thought
OF" and which in his special message to
Congress of April II, 1903, he solemnly
declared would "by oar Code Of Morality
be criminal aggression"
1t was not easy to perceive what in
tiuence could be exerted by the State
government of Maryland or the local
government of her counties upon the
question of the war now being waged
by President Mckinley against the
Philippines, and accordingly it was by
all of us thought most impolitic and by
some of us even unpatriotic to attempt
to array the Democratic party of the
State against his administration upon
subject whose decision could not be
affected in any degree by the result of
our contest.
1t was apparent too that by such a
declaration we might lay ourselves and
our party open to the charge, (Which
would assuredly have been vehemently
made) that in opposing the prosecution
of the war whilst it was actually going
on, we would be virtually and substan-
TALLY giving aid and comfort to the
enemy and that thus we might drive to
the side of the Republicans many voters
who otherwise would be glad to side
with us.
1t did not occur to our Convention
that the Republicans would be smitten
with faulty so extraordinary as to
lead them to complain of us and attack
us because with patriotic forbearance we
did not denounce the President and his
policy and thus seek to embarrass aud
weaken his administration.
Nor did we imagine that our adverse
ries in thier desperation and alarm over
the APATHY" of their party in this State
would seek to avert their impending
disaster by importing into our midst
impassioned spell binders from other
States to tell us of our political depravity;
to pirate of their monopoly of civic homes
ty," virtue and morality and to urge our
people to desert US because while We did
not commend the Presidents constantly
changing policy. we had carefully re-
Trained from assailing IT,
Indeed, nothing that has occurred
during the campaign has helped our
cause so much as these gratuitous in
suits heaped by imported strangers upon
our honor, integrity and patriotism. II
we do not resent them with the warmth
which they naturally arouse, it is be-
cause we feel that they have had no effect
but to consolidate our own ranks more
compactly and to bring to our support
multitudes who might otherwise have
been indifferent or even hostile to us.
L Marylanders are proverbially hospita-
BILE. We receive and entertain strangers
gladly and give them Of our best, but it is
a sore trial to our patience and forbear
ance to keep silent when gentlemen from
abroad who do not know our situation
come here and assume. in the loftiness
of their superior virtue, to instruct us
as to our duty, lecture us upon our sim
moralties" and "indencency" and re-
buke us for our lack of patriotism and
public spirit.
If we had denounced President Nc