Saint Mary's beacon., 1903-12-24

scale, that other things being equal,
he will rise to the occasion when the
scale increases. 1t also stands TO
reason that man who has not done
50 well in his smaller sphere, cannot
be expected TO develope any symp-
toms Of greatness when he gets TO
the larger field of action, il indeed,
by any injustice on fortune 5 part, he
ever gets to such larger field.
This is merely to suggest, in spite
Of the eternal fitness of things"
which was made the theme Of a re-
cent editorial in Baltimore paper,
in which Governor Smith was belit-
tied at the expense Of the Hon. Isl
dor Rayner, thai perhaps the Gov
ernor, having proven himself about
a dozen times a better statesman here
in Maryland than Mr.. Rayner, il will
not be safe in spite of this Baltimore
paper. to imagine that Mr.. Rayner
will develoy any alarming symptoms
of fitness" in Washington.
Diplomacy has been referred toas
one of the Honorable Mr. Rayner's s
superlative qualifications Has any
Marylander seen signs Of any sort,
of this being one of his traits? Has
this campaign on which he is now
engaged shown him TO be a past
grand master at the art of diplo-
macy? Has he not rather antagoniz-
ed with prodigal recklessness, every
leader in this state who could have
been of the slightest serviceto him?
Is it not a fact that Poe, and Smith and
Jackson and Miles and as many more
candidates as there are, want first
to defeat Rayner, then to select
someone else? Has Mr.. Rayner one
single solitary chance of gaining
strength through the withdrawal or
the friendship of any of these men
Jackson wants to be elected and is
making fight for it. Particularly
he wants to beat Rayner however,
and will do everything in his power
10 elect Smith If he finds that he can
not be the senator himself. Smith
feels the same way, favoring Jack.
son in preference to Rayner. Miles
is in precisely the same condition.
Talbot cannot say enough uncom
plimentary things about Mr.. Rayner,
Poe withered him with as beautiful
q specimen of sarcasm as one often
secs; and hedevelopsany strength
it will 60 to Swith in preference
to Rayner, his fellow Baltimorean
Rasin favors Jackson, but heinfinite
ly prefers Governor Smith to Ray.
ner. If Senator German has any pre-
ference of feeling for Rayner, it has
not been made manifest. The city
delegates, even the ones who are
going to stick to Rayner until after
the first ballot, are not friendly te
him, aud sneer at him openly on al
occasions. Itis doubtfulifthere has
ever been more open hostility to any
democratic candidate. He hasn't 9
single sincere friend, who can be o
any service to him. And yet this
fitness" editorial lauds Rayner on
his skill as diplomat
1t speaks of other qualification;
If Mr.. Rayner's intellect is well
trained,-this Baltimore paper in
fers that it is,-it has nevertheless
shown signs OF being unbalanced
during the past two months. II he
has through knowledge of political
history, he has shown a lamentable
ignorance of the rules for applying
it. II his knowledge OF information
al law and his ability to comprehend
and discuss abtFue problems are
great, they have never helped him
to any great extent as q statesman or
as lawyer, since his great cases
have gone against him more often
than in his favor. But-and here
justice must be done, his knowledge
of economies ought to be great. He
has parted with $1,000 here of late
and expects to be paid a senatorship
for it, while the other candidates
have been so ignorant OF these econo-
mical laws, as to spend about ten
times as much each, in their efforts
for the same thing. Yes, Mr.. Ray
ner's economics are first class, and
on this ground at least, he is a fit
candidate. IL this o test OF fitness.
The editorial goes further and
wakes eloquent on "Mr. Rayner of
Maryland" on committees of national
importance, and speaks of how all
eyes will rivit themselves on this
illustrious Marylander" when he
rises to speak. Even this paper in
its three-column puff of Rayner (sent
from Washington, praising his con.
gressional career remained as silent
as tomb with regard tohis committee
work while in Congress. How does
this paper know that he will besuch
light on senatorial committees?
TR 4