The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-11-23

L lie executive committee OF UnG
Maryland Democratic Silver Associ-
alton made p bile to-day the follow
ing reply to their congratulatory tele-
gram to w. j. Bryan:
ITO the members of the association:
am greatly obliged to you for the
congratulations sent through your
executive committee. The fight IN
Nebraska was made on national issues,
and the result is gratifying. The re-
turns from other states indicate IL
growing opposition to Republican
policies. We are much pleased to see
that Maryland is again in the Demo
cratic column and ready for the CON
test of 1900.
Every truly yours,
wv. j. BRYAN"
This bit of comedy calls for key,
and fortunately the Star is able to
supply it.
Early last spring mention was made
in the newspapers of the Maryland
Democratic Silver Association, and of
its purpose to insist upon a straight
out declaration of principles by the
party at the approaching state con-
vention. 1t was a notice served on
Mr.. German that there must be no
trimming or lodging. 1t read bravely,
and the Star, accepting it at its face
value, commented on it it terms of
appreciation of the courage exhibited.
The Star went further, and asked
what the action of the association
would be in case Mr.. German, indif-
ferent to or in defiance of its warn
ing, should, as was at that time
thought not unlikely, ignore the Chi
cago platform, and Mr.. Bryan into
the bargain. A reply came promptly.
and was signed by an officer of the
association. 1t stated, in substance,
that the association meant precisely
what it had said, that it had a mem
bership of several thousand and was
growing every day, and that it would
stand no trifling. The STIR, COM
menting on this, pointed out that in
a close state like Maryland several
thousand voters were not to be
"speezed at" and that if they stood
to their guns their influence ought to
tell at the state convention.
Time passed, as the noyelists say.
The Democratic State Convention
met and Mr.. German controlled it.
He nominated a ticket of gold men,
ignored the Chicago platform en-
tirely, did not even refer to Our
peerless leader" and gave not the
faintest sign, except in this pro-
gramme of contempt, that he knew
or cared whether or not there was a
silver man in the state. He did not
say turkey to the Bryanites once.
The result, as we all know, was a
Democratic majority of some ten
thousand.
Now, the question comes up, did the
Maryland Democratic Silver Associ-
alton help to roll up that majority?
After all of it's laundering in the in
dex, did it fall in behind Mr.. German
and do his bidding? If it did, this
telegram to Mr.. Bryan has a strange
sound Gentlemen who ducked and
lodged in Maryland are hardly the
ones to congratulate the victors in
Nebraska, who stood out in the open
and fought courageously for their
principles.
And as to Mr.. Bryan, how may his
reply be read? He was not in ignor-
ance of how the result in Maryland
had been obtained. He knew that
both he and his platform had been
studiously kept out of sight during
the campaign. Is he "sarcast?"
Was he Kidding the Maryland
Democratic Silver Association when
he pointed out that 1.-The fight in Ne
braska was made on national issues,
and the result is gratifying" 1t
looks very much like that.