Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-08-23
THE QUESTION FOR DECISION.

THE QUESTION FOR DECISION.
In the present campaign in Maryland we
have the striking contrast OF party Of def
mite aims and pledges opposed by party
whose chief reliance Is upon the respecta
bility OF its candidate for Governor. What
ever may have been the sins Of Democratic
leaders in the past, there Is no lack Of cx-
plicitness in the party's declarations now,
and the rank and file have shown on more
than one occasion that they will exact the
fulhlment of the pledges made by the con.
vention. If it is true, as has been charged,
that some OF the old time leaders were present
and sought to rule the convention, 1t is also
true that they were forced to work under a
new order Of things, TO recognize higher
plane of thought and realize that younger
men, whose political ideals are based upon
current demands and not upon memory have
won place in party councils and earned
the right to share its responsibilities. Hence
1t was that the platform was written upon
lines which aimed TO meet the expectations
of the masses who desire substantial results
a happy substitute for the fashy plati-
tudes which are only meant to serve the
temporary purposes Of a campaign.
Opposed TO II is a TRADE with which one
cannot argue, because 1t is untruthful in Its
premises and hopelessy illogical In its con-
illusions, and strenuous only in its appeal to
the ignorant and irresponsible and In its
effort to hold for the purposes of few selfish
politicians the one element which disturbs
the serenity Of our political life and, ss at
present influenced, checks the growth of
our material prosperity. 1t is essentially
the platform Of boss-ridden party. 1t
leaves the bars down for any raid which
the Republican politicians, If they gain con.
troll of the State, may choose to make.
1t was natural that set of politicians so
situated should select as the head of their
ticket 80 reputable man as Mr.. Gather.
But what could Mr.. Gather do with leg
isature under the control Of Messrs. Mudd
and Jackson, and as member Of Board of
Public Works dominated by the same in.
fluencesr He might, indeed, give fine ex.
hibit OF individual courage and indepen-
dence, but his political isolation would be
complete and humiliating and his opportu-
mites for promoting the interests Of the
State would be reduced to the minimum.
For politicians Of the class which now con-
troll the Republican party in Maryland do
not permit the man who opposes their
schemes TO succeed, If tits humanity possible
to prevent 1t. Governor Hughes, indeed,
appears to have been able to accomplish
much in the face Of the opposition of the
bosses, but aside from the fact that he may
be no more than the exception which proves
the rule, the fight is not over in New York
as yet, and Governor Hughes was not con-
fronted by party the majority Of whom are
ignorant negroes with but meager property
interests, with no political convictions and
with no State pride. But it is yet to be
shown that Mr.. Gather would do otherwise
than carry out the behests of his party as 1t
is constituted and influenced. That he is q
strong partisan we all know; that he would
promote the schemes Of the Federal admin
istration, TO which the great bulk of the
all believe. From the political standpoint,
therefore, there is nothing in the excellence
of his character or in his capacity to fill the
Office of Governor, which can outweigh the
manifest danger OF Republican rule in the
State.
Nor is it conceded that, in the excellence
OF his character and in his capacity to fill
the Office OF Governor, Mr.. Gather is the
superior of Judge Crothers. AS to Judge
Crothers, there has been land there can be)
no impeachment Of his integrity as q man,
no suggestion Of intellectual incapacity. In
all that goes to give assurance Of an IN
trammelled administration Of public affairs,
the manner Of his nomination far surpasses
that of Mr.. Gather. In all that affects the
interests OF the large majority of our people,
he stands upon platform pledges which
appeal, as Mr.. Gathers do not, TO the intel