Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-12-26
FITNESS AND CALIBRE.

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FITNESS AND CALIBRE.
Baltimore Correspondence.
| 1t stands to reason that when a man
has shown especial fitness and skill for
any particular line of work, vocation
or avocation,) on a small 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 so well in his smaller
sphere. cannot be expected to develop
any symptoms of greatness when he
gets to the larger field of action, if in
deed, by any injustice on fortunes 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 recent editorial
in Baltimore paper in which Governor
Smith was belittled at the expense of
the Hon. Isidor Rayner, that perhaps
the Governor. having proven himself
about a dozen times better statesman
here in Maryland than Mr.. Rayner, it
will not be safe in spite of this Balti-
more paper, to imagine that Mr.. Rayner
will develop any alarming symptoms OF
''fitness'' in Washington.
Diplomacy has been referred to as one
of the Honorable Mr.. Rayner's superla-
tive 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 past grand master at the art OF
diplomacy? Has he not rather antago-
nized with prodigal recklessness, every
man in this state who could have been
of the slightest service to him? Is it not
fact that Poe, and Smith and jackson
and Miles and as many more candidates
as there are. want first to defeat Rayner,
than to elect someone else? Has Mr..
Rayner one single solitary chance of
gaining strength through the with.
drawal or the friendship of any of these
men?
Jackson wants to be elected and is
making a fight for it. Particularly he
wants to beat Rayner however, and
will do everything in his power to elect
Smith if he finds that he cannot be the
senator himself. Smith feels the same
way, favoring Jackson instead OF
preference to Rayner. Miles is IN
precisely the same condition. Talbot
cannot say enough uncomplimentary
things about Mr.. Rayner. Poe withered
|
sarcasm as one often sees; and if he
develops any strength it will go to
Smith in preference to Rayner. his
fellow Baltlmorean If Rasin favors Jack
son, he infinitely prefers Governor
Smith to Rayner. IF Senator German
has any preference 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 to him. and
sheer at him openly on all occasions. 1t
is doubtful if there has ever been more
open hostility to any Democratic candl-
date. He hasn't single sincere friend.
who can be of any service to him. And
yet this ''fitness" editorial lauds Rayner
on his skill as diplomat.
It speaks of other qualifications: 1t
Mr. Rayner's intellect is we'll trained
this Baltimore paper infers that it is
it has nevertheless shown signs OF being
unbalanced during the past two months.
If he has a through knowledge OF
political history, he has shown a
lamentable ignorance OF the rules for
appl ying 1T. If his knowledge of inter-
national law and his ability to compre-
bend and discuss abtruse problems are
great. they have never helped him to
any great extent as 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 economics
ought to be great He has parted with
S., 900 here of late and expects to be paid
a Senatorship for it. while the other
candidates have been so Ignorant OF
these economical laws, as to spend about
ten times as much EACH. in their efforts
for the same thing. Yes, Mr.: Rayner's
economies are first class. and on this
ground at least. he is a fit candidate, If
this be Jest 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 rlvet
| themselves on "this illustrious Mary
lander" when he rises to speak Even
this paper in its three-column puff OF
Rayner (sent from Washington prals-
ing his Congressional career renamed
as silent as a tomb with regard to his
committe work while in Congress. How
does this paper know that he will be
UGH light on Senatorial committees:
If he succeeded in all his Congressional
service in getting on any committees.
why was his organ So quiet about it?
Was his work there not worthy OF no.
tice, even in this. his own paper? How
does this great Baltimore journal know
that he will even be put on Senatorial
committees? Does this paper know of
certainty that it will hear of "Mr. Ray
ner of Maryland' in conference with
foreign "big- wigs" on National ques-
lions?
All this xeeness of perception which
induces sr9;h an editorial is marvellous,
just as is the perception which points
out with unwavering hand that: ''alI
the people favor Rayner." The county
papers, twenty two in number. favor
Governor Smith and only ten of them
favor Mr.. Rayner. These papers in
that they represent with almost uner-
ring accuracy the sentiment of the peo-
pie in whose interests they are publish
ed are like feathers in the wind. And
the State press chronicles anything but
an overwhelming sentiment for Rayner.
In Baltimore even his pledged delegates
do not favor him. Now where does all
this sentiment come in?
In Anne Arundel county almost every
pa per favors Smith, and the delegates
to man will vote for him. In Mont
gomery it is doubtful if Rayner gets two
votes In Baltimore he may get fifteen.
but that is doubtful At the outside he
will perhaps have twenty-five votes. land
that after stirring up every man in the