The Democratic advocate., 1907-07-26
Democratic Conference.
Senator Whyte's Speech on Taking
The Chair.

Senator Whyte, on taking the chair, said:
"Fellow. Democrats We have assembled
here as citizens of Maryland, IN friendly con-
ference, to consider the present status OF our
party throughout the State and to ascertain it
possible if there is any concurrence OF OPINION
as to the kind of candidate for Governor OF
MARYLAND whom we can in body commend
to the Democratic State Convention. This is
the privilege of every affiliated party man.
Could we do so, its effect could only be known
when the State convention shall have spoken.
l greet you as Democrats who do your own
thinking and have the courage OF your con-
victions.
"This meeting is held solely in the interest
of the Democratic party, and IN no way to ald
the aspiratons of any individual or 10 impede
the laudable am5ltlons OF any oi our party
friends.
"We believe that the principles and policy
of the Democracy will best subserve the IN
terests of all the people of our State. 1t is
this magnet which has attracted such note
| worthy assemblage of true Mary land citizen
| ship as | now see before me. Our intentions
| are patriotic; our loyalty to the Democratic
| cause cannot be questioned, and the sincerity
| of our desire for victory tor our party Ill NO
| vember is beyond cavil.
"That there shall be no just accusation
| against us or secret arrangements to torestall
| the action of the Democratic State Convention
| on August next by an effort to advance the
| interest of any person whatever Tor any once
in the gift of the people, / take the liberty OF
| asking YOU at the outset that our deliberations
| may be made with open doors. Unless some
other order shall be given by this body, shall
| request the representatives OF the press 10 Keep
| their seats
"Mr. Webster was wise when he declared
| 81,
| but make the public know that they are dong
| right We have no apologies to make to any.
one either for our existence or our presence
here; it is the privilege of American citizens
| to speak out in meeting or out OF IT., ana we
come from our homes today to ask Watch
man, what of the night?' and to serve our
party best by urging our State convention to
give Us nominees to work and vote TOR or
whose candidacy we shall be neither AFRAID
| nor ashamed.
ave need not be disturbed by captous
| critics, nor give heed to those who seek to
ridcule our efforts in good cause, for. to use
| the language of another, if we attempted to
refue their unfounded suspicious or expose
the insinuerty of their pictorial effusiohs life
would be a perpetual flea hunt.
! There is a probability that among the
! Democracy of the counties and the city of
Baltimore there is sharp diversity OF opinion
as to the kind of man, in regard to htness ana
availability who would meet the requirement
| of the hour as a standard bearer, lnasmuch as
the matter Of selection has drltted so long as
not to have crystalized, and so, with all our
| efforts for union and harmony, no one hgure
may appear to command universal support.
| Nevertheless, we shall have passed an hour or
| two in friendly consultation and the exchange
| of cordial expression of united work IN the
| efforts to elect the nominees of the State con
vention, and we shall have done nothing to
intrench upon the functions of the State con
| vention or to embarrass its deliberations IN
| any manner. -
"While we know that this State is normally
| Democratic in its political status, yet we real
| ize that we are confronted with willy and
untiring foe, and we shall not forget that with
ou, great effort nothing worthy was ever
| achieved, and he who is not willing to labor
and make sacrifices for his country and his
fellow man is but IL cumberer OF the ground.
''I.et us now proceed to the business which
| has called us together. After the election OF
a secretary and the call of the roll | will ask
some of the conterees who are present from
the several counties and the city of Baltimore
to state briefly the political condition OF their
several localities and their opinion as to the
prevailing sentiment in regard to the type OF
| candidate their Democratic fellow citizens
| ton for Governor.
Resolution Adopted Unanimously by
| The Conference.
Called, as this conference of Democrats has
been for the purpose of securing free eX,
| preston of opinion as to our present political
situation in Maryland and not to further or
antagonize the aspiration OF any OF the several
| gentlemen whose names have been suggested
| for places upon our State ticket for Governor,
! Comptroller, Attorney General and Clerk OF
| the Court of Appeals, we refrain from all
action that might seem to indicate a desire OF
| design on our part to forestall the work OF our
| coming Democratic State Convention, or to
interfere in any way with the task that is pc.
cuiarly ntrusted to them.
But earnestly desiring, as we do the triumph
| of the Democratic party i'll Maryland IN the
| coming election, we all agree that in the Sc
! lection of our candidate for Governor, as our
| standard bearer, the convention may well be
| exhorted to choose a man who, to the quail
| fcations of high personal character and lnteg-
rity, knowledge of the financial condition,
resources and needs of the State, approval OF
| Democratic principles and policy, intellectual
| capacity to deal with matters of State and
ability to impress upon the people with both
tongue and pen his convictions upon public
questions, is found at the same time to be free
| from personal objections that may tend to
! iniuriously affect his availability as popular
| candidate or ALLEVIATE from him any consider
able body of our party friends.
What we need i'll our candidate is a anlon
of strong moral and intellectual qualities with
votegetting popularity founded upon a per.
sonal magnetism, which will commend him to
all classes of the people and with whom as our
leader we can go into every section OF the
State and carry on a vigorous campaign.
Entertaining these views, we feel that we may
very properly urge them upon the State con-