Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-11-21
The Senatorial Situation
As Seen BY Regular Democrat Contrasts
the Careers of Governor Smith and
Attorney General Raw1er.

ZAIGO5IECv WI
In order that Democrats may under
stand the situation, it will be necessary
to review briefly the political history of
the two candidates. Mr.. Rayner was
first elected member of the House of
Delegates, and in 1884 was elected to
the Senate. In 1890 he was elected to
Congress and reelected in 1892. These
were the days when we had no legalized
primaries, and Mr.. Rayner accepted
without question the nominations given
him by the powers that controlled polit-
ical affairs in Baltimore city at that
time. In 1895 he conceived the idea that
he would like to be Governor, and in
that interesting and unique way charac-
teristic of him he decided not to submit
his claims to Democratic primary, but
hired Music Hall and held a great pub
lie meeting, at which he was the star
speaker.
Many persons will remember how he
scored every Democratic leader of any
prominence in the State, and, after COM
mitting number of his friends in the
city to his cause, beat an inglorious re-
treat few days afterward and retired
to the shades Of private life.
He remained in retirement all through
the bitter contests of 1895 and 1896, and
emerged only in 1899, when he desired
to be placed upon the ticket for Attor.
ney-G General. He accepted the nomina-
tion from the hands of the very men he
had so scathingly rebuked IN 1895. In
that campaign he received 1900 votes
less in the State and 800 less in his own
city of Baltimore than the candidate for
Governor. John Walter Smith. He has
never been known to take any interest
in the election of any ticket unless he
was himself upon it.
In the contest in which he is now en-
gagged he has been entirely consistent
with his past record. He admits that
he has been planning his Senatorial
campaign since last spring. He knew
there would be Democratic primaries
held in the city for the purpose of decid-
ing on party candidates. Primaries and
party conventions are for that purpose,
and that alone. He knew that if he de.
sired to have his candidacy passed upon
and endorsed by the party it was his
duty to submit the question at the pri-
mary. After he allowed the primaries
and conventions to pass and the tickets
to be nominated, had he thrown himself
in the fight to elect, and then when
victory had perched upon our banners
had announced his candidacy, he would
have occupied much better position in
the eyes of all true Democrats.
With that selfishness that has charac-
terized his every political act since his
entrance into public life, he cared moth
ing for the success of the ticket unless
it meant success for himself. His sole
purpose in springing his candidacy at
the time he did was to compel the Dele
gates to pledge themselves to him. 1t
was an act of extreme political selfish
ness to advance his own interests, re-
gardless of the effect upon his party. If
other candidates had been as inconsid
crate we would have had strife within
our own ranks to such an extent that it
would have been impossible to elect a
man on our ticket.
After securing the pledges he appear
ed at Music Hall and made speech
presumably in the party's interest, but
failed utterly TO uphold a single Domo-
cratic position; nor did he do this during
the entire campaign. He absolutely re-
fused to go into any county except in
those where he thought he had some
chance to secure vote for himself. and
has shown no interest in anything save
his own election to the United States
Senate.
Further tnan that it is we'll known
that he held several interviews with
certain Democrats from Queen Anne's
county prior to their primaries. That
he was anxious to have the delegation
from that county is too plain Tor denial.
His friends contested the primaries. but
were defeated in every district. Not
withstanding their defeat, his principal
advocates continued to fight the ticket.
Mr.. Rayner was asked to speak at Cen
treville; he refused. He was asked to