The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-01-09
A GORMAN REVOLT.
FIR. StrauS' Debt to the Machine.
Says He Will Fight the
"hunkerS"
As LONG As HIS BREATH LASTS.
He Is Gaining Strength and In Lucid,
Trenchant Manner Tells of the Methods
of the German, Rasin, Smith Machine
at Annapolis.

Mr.. Isaac Lobe STRAINS, the brilliant
young BaltimOrean, is in open revolt
against the noncompromising Demo
cratic machine Mr.. Straus refused
to attend the Democratic caucus in
Baltimore. Chairman Nandiver asked
him why not -
Because mean to fight you and
your organization as long as there is
breath or power in my body" was
the flaming retort.
Mr. Nandiver passed on.
At the conclusion, after Senator
Germans remarks at the dinner, a
general shout went up for Mr.. Straus
to speak. Mr.. Straus was evidently
ready, but at the signal from Mr..
VandiYer those at the head of the
table quickly scattered, thus prevent
ing any response from Mr.. Straus to
the calls.
To reporter of the Sun. Balti-
timore, Mr.. Straus did not hesitate to
express his sentiments and to define
his attitude at the coming session of
the General Assembly.
MY position is a very clear one"
he said. II am opposed to the party
managers debating legislation at An
napolis. think that the Legislature
of Maryland should be an absolutely
independent body, free from all ex-
traneous control.
The party managers should keep
their hands off the General Assembly.
Unless they do this the record of the
approaching session is bound to be
failure. The functions of the party
organization are well ascertained, and
when those who control it project
themselves into the proceedings of the
sovereign legislative Assembly of the
State they are guilty of a dangerous
usurpation which threatens the
rights and liberties of the people and
shakes the free government of the
State to its very foundations.
''As for myself, have no hesitancy
in saying that at the first indication
of boss interference in any caucus |
shall refuse TO remain in it. and shall
set its vicarious DEGREES at defiance.
Nov | want 10 say word about
another matter. Speaking for Balti
more city, say that unless the Legis-
lature passes a genuine, thoroughgo-
ing primary election law the Demo
cratic party will be buried so deeply
in the city that it will be impossible
to resurrect it for decade.
Il will not now venture to suggest
what the features of such law
should be, but do admonish against
any attempt to palm off upon the
people perfunctory or spurious law
or any measure which does not guar
antee under the best provisions which
experience has developed and under
the rigors of the Penal Code abso-
lutely fair, honest, equal and salts
factory primaries.
Next, | want to say word about
these election contests. The attitude
of the House of Delegates toward
them must be above suspicion. Its
action upon each contest must be I'M
questionably fair and righteous. The
powers vested by the Constitution in
each branch of the General Assembly
to Judge of the election and qualifica-
tions of its members are judicial pow
ers of the same high and sacred char
acter as the functions of court Of
record
Mr.. Straus speaks of the old timers
the hurry Vandivers and the Fred
Talbots who have outlived their use
fulness, but are kept in the saddle to
the exclusion of young blood.
las a consequence of this WELL
known policy" he said, young men
have for years been driven away from
the Democratic party either into a
state of indifference as to it's fortunes
or into active opposition to it.
1T is probably in a measure due to
this process of exiting young men
from the Democratic ranks that the
personnel of the leadership of the Re-
publican party of Maryland has
greatly changed of recent years, dur
ing Which it has comprised number
of representative young men, such as
Stevenson A. Williams, George r.
Gather, Jr., Harry Clabaugh, Robert
p. Graham, George A. Pearre, Phi
lips l.. Goldsborough and others of
like type, while the Democratic man.
agement remains, like the Ethopian's
skin, the same immutable star cham
Der, which has been bossing the party
for 10, these two generations.
st is, therefore a pertinent ques-