Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1900-12-07
ALONG IMPARTIAL LINES.


Though nearly twelve months must elapss
before another wave of political excitement
will sweep over the State, yet, through many
of our Democratic exchanges, and from the
lips OF the political "quid nuHcs," We read
and hear much of proposed reorganization
OF the party, and the work to be done 10
order TO restore II 10 lis former prestige -
All this is well enough to pass away an idle
hour, TO gather some consolation after 8
most crushing defeat, and to soften reaec.
tons over stranded hopes and blghted op
portunities.
Reorganization, bosh lit is the merest
catch. penny twsdde that ever libeled, the
intelligence Of q manly and intelligent PEG.
pie. This cry has followed every defeat of our
party since the State passed out Of the full
and absolute control of the Democratic party
into the hands of the Republicans, until TO-
day we fear it is in a more demoralized con.
dition than ever. 10 the support Of this as
sertion we have only TO refer 10 the political
hurricane which very recently covered, with
the exception of some two or three counties,
every portion of the Stste-the echo Of
which is still heard. Itstarted in the noun.
tains of Garrett, which formerly gave 9 nor.
NAL Republican majority OF some three or
four hundred, at the recent election reached
nearly thousand majority against our pop.
ular Democratic candidate Tor Congress. 1t
increased in violence until II struck and tore
into atoms the breastworks Of what has
heretofore been styled the "Great Gibraltar
OF Democracy"-the honored home of our
present Governor-and the result, 10 addi-
ton TO the two Republican United States
Senators, who occupy the seats formerly
graced by Democrats, will be that we will
have, in the new Congress to assemble, q
full Republican delegation in the lower
house, and we add further, that in our opin-
ion, but for the able pen OF the Baltimore
Sun, instead of the ten or fourteen thousand
majority In the State 1t would have reached
thirty or forty thousand.
whisper il to the winds
go preach II TO the time-worn and time.
stained miestones that stand in gloomy
silence along some deserted highway. 1t
will have as much effect on them as in
cementing the remnants of g disorganized
party whose honest endeavors have been
irittered away. II at time there was force
10 this word in arousing the dormant ener
gies of our party in the State--it is spent
"Gone glimmering through the dream of
things that were
II It possessed a melody that once was q
charm and music To the ear, it has become
as the thinking cymbsl and the sounding
brass"
II the Democrats would recover control
of the State, they must bring about resto-
ration OF public confidence. Confidence is
the golden key which unocks the door to
public support, without it no party can
succeed. 1t is so in business transactions
among individuals, and there exists e strong
and striking analogy between State and in
dividual character.
Ii is claimed that the safety OF our gov,
eminent and the preservation OF our insti.
tutions rest upon the intelligence of the PEG.
ple-granted 1t is the intelligent and sub
stantal Democratic voter who fully appre.
ciates and understands all the great ques.
tons which from time TO time agitate the pub
lIc mind, and who likewise justly appreciates
TO their full extent the limited powers be-
longing to our State governmental is this
class of Democrats, men actuated by devo.
ton to principle, not gain or notoriety, who,
from indifference, alarm or distrust, have de.
serted the Democratic party-cut the cord
which bound them to the faith of their
fathers and now are kneeling at strange
affairs and worshipng strange gods.
We contend that this political element Of
strength and influence can be harmonized,
its confidence restored, its ambition stimu
lated, and again placed in line of action
with It's former friends. "You may have
corrupt House OF Lords and venal House
of Commons, but with & free and IN.
trammeled pres, will pr serve intact the
Liberties of the English people," was the
sublime and philosophic declaration of the
accomplished orator and statesman, Richard
Brinsley Sheridan. We say to our Demo.
cratic brothers Of the Democratic press of
the State, you who have always welded
your columns on the side Of justice. of mo-
rality, Of law and order, and in conformity
with the interests and consistent with the
honor and dignity of the good old Common,
weslth--you whose privilege it is to do so
much not only 10 the formation and crys
utilization OF public sentiment rs well as In
its healthy aud rigid development, take the
bold and fearless ground that the Demo.
cratic party shall act from an impartial
stand point and along legitimate and clean
lines. That each and every Democrat shall
stand upon an equal footing, not only as to
voting, but likewise in the governmental line
of policy. the selection Of those whom they
desire as candidates, the formation OF needed
legislation, and the distribution of public
patronage and not left TO the manipulations
Vi tuC lCN hkuaueA huS ApiuSccA VIII VI
majority. That the men who are constantly
under fire in every engagement. who ST. nd
the brunl Of battle, are not be regarded
and treated as mere drawers OF water and
hewers of wood, !" with 20 voice in the party
save that OF voting, but let each and all feel
that they are indispensable factors in all
which appeftains to the exercise of the iuuc-
tons Of the party.
Napoleon alter great battle did not
hasten to besiow imperial honors upon his
staff or field officers, but on foot, went to
the scar worn and blood stained ranks, men
covered with dust and blsckened with the
smoke of battle, those who had manned the
cannon, who had planted the Eagle Of
France" over the crumbling aud captured
fortresses Of the enemy. Such generous and
heroic recognition never failed TO send
current OF enthusiasm through his entire
army, and the words Wee "a Emperor broke
in volumes OF wild acclamations of ioy nm.