The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-09-19
IF NOT. WHY NOT?

was a WHICH, AL lIluEDCll-
dent Democrat in Maryland was a rari-
ty, now they can be found by the thous-
ands. The question recurs, are such
1 men any the less Democrats because
they are Independent? Are they not
still Democrats in principle? The indie
pendent Democrat will affirm that ne is
Just as good Democrat by voting ac-
/ cOrding TO the dictates of his conscience
as are those who support the ticket
when they know their party is in the
wrong. But why independent Demo
Gratis any more than independent Re
| publicans? For answer we have but to
refer to the Democrats themselves.
For many years prior to 1895 the Demo
cratic party dominated the state, cor
ruption was rampant and the ruling
powers INSCRIPTIONS and arrogant. The
people of the state determined there
should be a change The change came
by the election of Republican COVER
nor IN the person of the late Lloyd
Lowndes, who gave to the state one of
the fairest, cleanest and most econoni-
cal administrations the Commonwealth
ever had. The election of Gov. Lowndes
was due to the independent Democratic
vote. From that day to the present the
independent Democrats have held the
balance of power in tie state. That
power they will exercise, for the same
reasons they exercised it in 1895, when
they go in the polls at the state election
in November. THE REPUBLICAN is
pleased to note an editorial in Tuesdays
Baltimore American along this line:
Are there no independent Republican,
says our esteemed contemporary. IF
not. why not ="
Gone may accept this as a pertinent
question in the political catechism. 1t
Is susceptible of direct and simple an
swer. There are no independent He-
publicans, there is no need for such, and
the fact of that negligibility as class
is the finest tribute that could be paid
Republican efficiency. The independent
is by-product of bad party govern
ment. Like coal tar products, he has
magnificent usefulness, but he is no
more like the party from which he has
been extracted than aniline dyes are
like coal tar. If the Democratic party
had not shamefully and repeated betray-
ed the public trust there would not now
be the vast unaffiliated political section
that sways the election when it has
mind. The existence of the independent
Democrat is the keenest censure that
could be passed upon the Democratic
party, the finest tribute to the worth of
the Republican. Were the Republican
party like the Democratic, urfaithful to
the interests of the people, the woods
would be full of independent Republi-
cans. 1t is folly to assert that their
lack indicates the power of bosses over
the party. THERE'S any amount of in
dependency in the Republican following;
a. /" Ii4' hiNc pSHuSIlSS DIeu lIOLH DeilO-
cratic pollutions, but there are no indie
pendent Republicans because the Re
publican party is too efficient to create
shifting class of citizens who would
seek to reduce it by voting the Demo
cratic ticket. Should the Republican
party ever make the II stakes and be
capable of the follies as the Democratic.
there would arise hosts of independent
Republicans. Their absence makes
element of the people is strongly drawn.
When, as in the present campaign, with
the platform full of duplicity and trick
cry and candidate who cannot com
mand the highest respect the indepen-
dents are compellingly drawn INTO the
Republican ranks. Through all strata
of society runs the cleavage of indepen-
dent Democrats. These Independents
are all turning towards the party that
has the sagacity to present a candidate
like Mr.. Gather for their suffrage and
the good ense to offer to the voter a
set of principles that will revol1t ionize
and elevate the state in political condi-
ton and industrial status. Unless the
Democrats mend their ways there will
not long be independent Democrats,
even sentimentally to consider. They
will all be strsightout and avowed Re-
publicans "