The Democratic advocate., 1903-10-03
Position of the Baltimore Sun.


The Democratic party in Maryland will have
to depend upon the county Democratic press
for support in the present campaign, as the
as the Baltimore papers are rRepublcan
or non -commital. The American, Herald and
News are thick -and-thin stawart Republican
organs, though the latter two make claim to
being independent. The Sun, also claiming
to be independent, very ably espoused the
Democratic cause in the presidential cam
paign of 1900, but in the present campaign,
where the outcome is far more important to
the people of the State than the result OF the
election of 1900, it is absolutely neutral. 1t
tells its readers that
.Jn selecting its standard bearer each party
has had the wisdom TO put forward men OF
high character who are we'll known to their
fellow citizens for their integrity, their public
sprit and, it may be assumed, their desire to
promote the welfare of the State. SO far,
therefore, as the personnel of the opposing
tickets is concerned, it would appear that
neither party has all advantage over the
other.
In 1895 the personnel of candidates did not
count with the Sun. No cleaner man was
ever put up for Governor in Maryland than
John f. Hurst, yet the San bitterly fought
him and the whole Democratic ticket because
it alleged his nomination was machine made.
IF machine made candidate was objection
able in 1895 why should not machine made
candidate be Objectionable in 1903? The
Sun will scarcely deny that Mr.. Stevenson
A. Williams owes his nomination to the Nc
Comas Stone machine, and it well knows
that Mr. Warfeld's nomination came from
the rank. and file of the Democratic party.
Then. if one candidate is machine made and
the other is the choice of the rank and hle OF
the narty. how can the Sun ignore the fact
and play neutral, when it was so active against
an alleged machine candidate in 1895?
Mr.. Warfelds character is not only high
in private life. but also in political. As
register of wills, senator aud surveyor oil the
port of Baltimore his integrity was as pro-
nounced as in private life.
In public life Mr.. Williams has never risen
above the low plane of Republican politics.
At the extra session his policy was one OF
delay. On the bill making changes in the
ballot law. providing for State enumeration
of inhabitants and regulating primaries his
eyery act and vote was for delay and obstruc-
ton. He offered numerous amendments SIM
ply to delay the passage of these bills. AS to
the bill providing for State enumeration OF
inhabitants, he voted against it after the arrest
and confession of Stephen A. Abel, one of
the federal census takers, that he had put
names on his list of persons who were dead
and of persons who had removed from the
county. This man Abel, a census taker in
St. Mary's county, returned as inhabitants OF
his district the names of $50 non-residents or
persons who had died prior to June l, 1900,
AZ residents of Baltimore City, 80 residents
of Washington City and 1871 who were not
even residents of Maryland.
Abel was arrested and confessed on March
19, 1901, and Mr.. Williams voted against cor
recting the fraud on March 2l, 1901 taco
days later. By that vote Mr.. Williams showed
that he was willing to accept the benefits to
the Republican party from the unlawful pad,
ding of the census rereturns, and was willing
to have an unfair distribution of the public
school funds.
Knowing this record of Mr.. Williams, how
can the Sun class him as man of high char
acter, integrity and public spirit, unless it has
one standard for political life and another
for private? An honorable man should be
honorable in all things.
Let the Sun take another survy of the can
didates and the platforms and see if 1t is
justified by its record in 1895 and in 1900, In
being neutral. The Sun knows, also, that
the bulk of the property owning. ax-payng
and intelligent white citizens are on one side
in this contest, and that nearly sixty thousand
negroes, the most of whom pay no taxes and
are ignorant, are on the other. Is there
nothing in this fact to stir the Sun to action
| in behalf of the property and intelligence of
the State? The many thousands ofDemocrats
| in Maryland who read the Sun did not expect
| it to be neutral in such contest-a contest
the most important since 18G7-a contest to
| keep the Stale under the guidance of its white
| citizens, and against the rule of a party that.
aside from its large negro vote, favors protec
ton to favorite classes, fosters trusts, favors
extravagant appropriations, the holding of
unwilling people as subjects, and the passage
of force bills to regulate State registration and
elections under federal supervision. The Sun
has ever been an able opponent of such a
policy, and it is strange that it can remain
silent and see the Republican party win in
this State, so far as it is concerned. 1t is true
that the election in November is a State affair.
1t is also true that the election of United
| States Senator is in the balance. And it is
further true that the party that wins in Mary
| land this year will have an advantage next
year.
| Nom D0int Of T,aw nanidad