The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-10-24

Last night Senator McComas, Mr..
Thomas Parran, Senator Ravenscroft
and Mr.. Scott 7. Jones faced the fin
est, fairest, largest, most enthusiastic
and intelligent audience ever gath
cred at a political meeting in Oak
land. The orators may feel proud of
the warm reception and close atten-
ton given them by this highly cul-
tured and critical audience. 1t must
be noted through the great crowds
gathered at Mountain Lake Park and
our other popular resorts the great
est orators, lecturers, teachers and
preachers of the country are heard
and met by our people during the
summer season, our residents are ca
pable critics. Their pleasure and APP
proval was evidenced by close atten-
ton and constant applause.
Scott T. Jones, Esq, the popular
Cashier of the Garrett County Bank,
presided, making one of the most
effective speeches of the campaign,
saying in part: 1.-The Democrat is
the most persistent kicker in the
world, but we are glad we haye him,
for without the opposition of the
Democratic party we would never
have been able to accomplish so
much. We have in this campaign an
issue which carries us back many
years. l refer to the issue of taxa
ton without representation" After
discussing this proposition briefly the
chairman introduced Senator r. A.
Ravenscroft, who spoke of the growth,
prosperity and Importance of our
county and of the Importance of the
election to be held. He then discussed
the effect of the legislation enacted at
the special session of the Legislature.
He then spoke of the record that he
had made as a member of the state
senate and said 1T is for you, my
fellow citizens, to say whether that
record justifies you in re-electing me.
l stand upon my record, and if elect
ed l expect to be the representative
of the whole people of Garrett coun-
ty."
Senator McComas, who has always
been very popular among our people,
delivered the most telling speech of
the campaign. He is veteran orator
of national reputation. Upon this
occasion he was at his best, and held
his splendid audience from start to
finish, closing amidst great applause
and enthusiasm. Senator McComas
said in part: These conspirators
beheld this legislature hostile to
popular rights, and procured the
plant governor to call it an extra
session to execute their scheme
against popular rights. The state
Constitution stood in their way. A
slender majority in the State Senate,
with an able, aggressive Republican
minority therein, led by that splendid
man, Senator Williams, blocked the
way. The scant but servile majority
were driven by Mr.. German, Mr..
Vandiver, Mr.. Baughman, Mr.. Schley
and others, who stood over them with
slave drivers whips, herded and
drove them like docile slaves to
butcher the fairest election law any
state in the Union ever enjoyed, and
to pass a census law in form, but in
purpose, a supplementary disfran-
chisement law to operate grand lar
ceny of voters rights all over the
whole state.
Have you forgotten the outrages,
frauds, shams crimes and scandal
which in 1875 overturned the election
by the people and which yearly were
practiced by the ruffian ring, which
in its turn was cast out by the people
in 1896? The conspiracy of the ex.
ira session was to fortify the same
German and Rasin ring in absolute
power for a generation to come. And
the herded legislature, like the quiet
voting cattle they were, did the bid
ding of the conspirators and ad
journed.
''If we win this fight we will wipe
out with a sponge the conspirators
law, restore the Reform League Elec
ton Law, make fair primaries to al
parties by law, pass the Corrupt Prac
tice Act, take the police of Baltimore
city out of politics, and start afresh
in the career of reform wherein ouI
party in it's brief ascendencY gained
so much honor, achieved so much
good to our state.
Chairman Vandiver, who passed
the law to keep out illiterates, because
they were corrupt, asks for money to
qualify the corrupt illiterates, and
then defeat his law that he may be
able to vote the illiterates and the
corrupt, and for this he calls loudly
for the cash.
1.-The pretense was that the disfran.
chisement election law would stop
the corrupt use of money. We Re-
publicans do not believe that be-