The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-16
T0TTERING DEMOCRACY
The Organization of the Democratic
Party Is in Very
Bad Way.
REVOLT AGAINST THE MACHINE BOSSES
An Effort Will BE Made to Hold the Leg
islature So Pledges Can BE Redeemed.
But the New Men May Obiect-Forcing
CIOture.

Time was when the legislature s
sessions were of no particular interest
to anybody but those who expected
to use it. Its effect either upon the
Democratic or Republican party in
the State was nothing for the reason
that the Republicans were in a hope
less minority and the Democrats in
an equally hopeless majority. What
ever was done did not endanger the
success of the Democrats or make the
Republicans more hopeful. But all
that is changed now. The dominant
party in the Legislature il made for
the time being the keeper Of the par
tvs counsels and the party has to
answer for the guardianship, whether
it keeps them wisely or unwisely. 1t
can destroy the chances of future
success by ill-advised legislation, or
by making record that appeals to
the people by its cleanness and fair
AASoS YAH give
gument for the next campaign.
No Maryland Legislature in recent
years has been of such moment to the
Democratic party in the State as that
which is now in session. The extra
session was desperate remedy for a
desperate case, and desperate meas
ures were resorted to to make its
work effective. The party would have
been in better condition without it,
but it was necessary to the ambition
of one man, and that ambition will
now be satisfied. 1t was Mr.. German
last struggle. Good Democrats all
over the State had their party allie
glance put to a severe test by the
step he took to reach his goal, but
they will not again be subjected to
the same strain.
1t is fact admitted by observers
of political conditions that the So
called organization of the party is
fast becoming disorganization. New
men have entered politics. Young
men have grown up, and the old men
have passed away. New conditions
and new questions have arisen which
need to be treated differently from
those that engaged the politicians a
few years ago, Notwithstanding all
this, the party management is prac-
tically in the hands of the same peo-
pie who have had grip on it for the
last 10 years. They try to use the
same methods, and trust only the
same people, if they trust anybody at
all. They look upon the new men as
interlopers whom they must either
promptly put out OF the camp or else
make cringingly subservient to their
wishes. All of this would have done
very well in the old days. Then they
voted the graveyards, and the de-
funct members of the party could do
yeoman's service on the day of cleo
ton as well as when they were alive.
They cannot do that now, and it is
hard to see where they expect to get
recruits to fill the places of those I'M
fortunate Democrats who must die.
The State organization is now tot
tering to its fall. Mr.. German is too
commanding a parsonage to go down
in the wreck, but the others who are
trying to brace themselves against
him are as surely doomed to go as
they are sure they will not The NUT
terings that are now heard all over
the State against the "old crowd are
too ominous to be mistaken.
1t remains to be seen what will hap
pen after the Legislature is in full
swing. individuals who have been
afraid to say word will not be close
mouthed after the committees have
been named and appointments made.
The bosses have started with a firm
hand on both houses, and they will
try to keep it. In the Senate they
ho''o iOiOcu through Tile clOUure rule
of the extra session, overturning the
traditions which have come down in
that body from the infancy of repub-
lican institutions. No laws are fire.
quently the best laws. The State has
suffered more from laws hurriedlv
passed than it has by those killed by
debate. There was no necessity for
the rule. The majority is too large
to fear defeat from the minority. The
only reason that can be urged for the
change is that these bosses want to
have gag to close the mouths of
those who would speak the truth
against them. 1t was an arbitrary
dictatorial assumption of an unnec-
essary power. In this, as in other
things, the bosses do not know the
temper of the people of Maryland,