The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-06-30
German, Of Maryland.

Joseph Dennenberg, gives history OF
the rise to political power and affiuence
of Maryland's big democratic boss, ex.
tracts from which article may prove of in
terest to a number Of our readers here in
the home State of this shrewd political
manipulation.
Generally speaking the genus politician en-
braces two species, says the writer of the article
The first consists of those entering the public ser
vice for the just renown which rewards useful
achievement The end they have in view is the
public veal, and ambition and toll are richly
repaid by the celebrity which writes their fame
with the progress and improvement of the state
The other species is composed of those whose ends
are pecuniary Their goal is pelf. The only
true public service sprivate enrichment-the end
of itail-"put money in thy purse"
OF the latter class, Arthur Pue German, senior
Senator of Maryland. is the most conspicuous liv-
ing example Politically he is the offspring of the
union between corporation interests and legsla.
ton. He is the exponent of commercialism in
politics. Sent to the Senate in 1880 by the most
accomplished band of lobbyists this country has
ever RuOWup ne mas ludlQCd DIS leduersulp
of the democrat party inMaryland and his standing
with the powers in Washington through the same
measures which secured for him that place.
The men who were with him at Annapolis and
through whose aid hewas sent to Washington
Cotton, Hines, Bannon. Davis and Woolford-al
died poor. But German himself now counts his
fortune in millions, all made in the public
vice." Yet he is not satisfied. Forty years of
NH frord vic and Of tba
polls. of lobbying and bossship have made his re-
gime in Maryland odious, and reduced the organ
ization of which he is head to the direst straits
Forty-three years ago, when the most radical
of the Republican factions was in control OF the
United States Senate, and conducting the war on
behalf of the negro against the South, German
was bringing and fawning at its feet, insnuating
himself into the Office of Postmaster of the Senate
He was then professed Republican. Ten years
before he had been, as youth, professed Demo
crat and had obtained an appointment as page
in the United States Senate at the hands of
Stephen A. Douglas. its great Democratic leader
In 1865, alter the death of President Lincoln, he
was appointed by President Andrew johnson as
Internal Revenue Collector for the Fifth District
of Maryland. This appointment was made at
the instance of John A. ]. Creswell, the Repub-
,;can senator from Maryland
Whyte and Hamilton, from 1867 until 1881, were
the controlling figures of Maryland democracy
These men German set himself to unhorse, never
of course, dreaming of such an enterprise in the
beginning, but as he gradually made his way.
conceiving growing schemes of power. He began
as hanger-on about Whytes Office Whytes odd
jobs fell to his lot, and the Senator never dream
ing of the future of this mild, reverend.looking
lad, assented to his election to the Maryland
legislature in 1871. = This was his first
step to influence and aff1uence
In IA German took his second step forward
toward party premiership. He was made presi-
dent of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. This
place Whyte also gave him. 1t was portentous
event in his career as well as in the history of
Maryland politics. The canal extended through
the western counties which exerted potent in
fuence in state conventions. German, as presi
dent of the canal, was furnished with extensive
and influential patronage, of which he was not
slow to grasp the advantage. The history of the
canal was brief. 1t lasted but decade. But in
this period Germans influence waxed great, and
he became wealthy man.
Whyte retired from the Senate in 1878 to become
Governor of Maryland. He held this until 1874,
when he was again elected to the Senate by the
legislature. His term was to expire March A.
1881.
But from 1873 until the legislature met in 1880
Germans scheme to serve Whyte as he had
Hamilton was in progress. And when the critical
moment came German was aided by an event,
unimportant under ordinary circumstances. but
which proved far-reaching in its results at the
time in question.
The Governors wife was an invalid, and late
in 1879 Whyte announced in brief card publish
ed in the Baltimore papers that owing to his
wife's indisposition he would not be candidate.
A few weeks later, yielding to the pressure of
host of friends, and particularly to the concerted
opportunities of business men of Baltimore,
Senator Whyte recalled his card. 1t was not
supposed at the time that this acknowledged
leader of the ruling party who had defended the
entire South during the reconstruction era would
be at all embarrassed in being reelected to the
place he had filed SO we'll. But German had
taken time and events by the forelock. Whyte's
published declination of a few weeks was all he
needed for the final contamination of his plans.
The main train of arrangements had been
clandestinely and effectively laid during the two
years preceding, and when the legislature met in
caucus in Baltimore in 1880 German had
majority.
On March A, 1881, the erstwhile page of the SEN
Only he was not there in that capacity. In Cor
man America saw almost its first commercial
statesman.
His term had half expired when Cleveland was
elected President for the first time. By then Cor.
man was power in the Senate having the large
corporate interests behind him. Among them
was the Roach shipbuilding Company, which had
aided German to defeat Whyte in the senatorial
fight in the counties of Maryland because
Whyte had stubbornly fought and finally defeat
ed the first subsidy bill introduced. which would
have been of great benefit to the Reaches.
Under Cleveland the tariff was again brought
forward as an important measure, indeed the
most important of the administration. Closely
identified with corporations. his position with
them made German protectionist. Therefore, he
was opposed to the tariff reform wing of the de-
mocratic party. the Cleveland wing. His oppo-
sition was carried secretly until 1884, when the
Wilson bill. representing cleveland's IDEAS was
presented. Then it was that German showed his
hand. The Wilson bill passed the house and came