The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-10-23
THE baltimore "SUN''
SHINES WITH EQUAL FERVOR upon
The JUST and The UNJUST
speech Of Hon. Lloyd Wilkinson al
Odd Fellows Hall

I,,b for your lnVltatlon " duuiess
tho citizens of Westminster. l nave
enoten in other parts of Carroll, but
spoi ;" 10 the first time l have had the
.ItS iinosure of meeting the people at
.a"r county seat. I have always en-
!urained the very highest opinion OF
tIa .sl nnmocrats of Carroll county. No
InD ihore in the state are they so true to
w ties. With a voting population
pc, Pc noarlv 900 evenly divided between
10 two parties, there is never a dlf-
snnoncn of more than a few hundred
i.otos in anv campaign. Other coun-
w. NAV 90 from largely Democratic
~ Republican majorities, or the re-
'.orso bv the changeableness or flck-
,enoss of the voters. Your county
Wings from one party to the other,
Imt if is due entirely to the closeness
of rho marty vote. Every fight is
Tartla roval and under the leadership
oF one of the ab1est political captains
IN this state. the Hon. B. F. Grouse,
,,ou have usually succeeded in gain
;ng victory. My information from
,to cornty leads me to expect similar
result ttis time.
yorr club has been very fortunate
in having the national candldate LOT
Vice President, Mr.. Kern, and your
Governor, Austin l.. Crothers, at your
9rovious meetings, and it is d1mcult
n follow such speakers and say any
hing new or interesting. L propose
~ talk to YOU at this time on the pow
er and influence of the public press.
Some wears ago the campaign speaker
was the medium by which the voter
was reached and newspapers played
hnt little part Today the newspaper
ooas into every home and reaches all
Classes. The public press has more
inAuence in shaping and moulding
nrbIic oninion than all other means
combined They are daily visitors in
N the homes and offices throughout
the land They can build up or they
can DESTROY. The Car of Russia, the
Vino of England. the President of the
United States, have not the power or
influence of those who control great
public journals: +ho
They should be, and usually are tne
leaders to whom we look Tor guidance
on all the great public questions OF
the day. This being the case, we can
readily see the absolute necessity ol
having the control OF these papers III
the hands of the purest ana aDies'
men in the nation-men whose sole
motive is the public good. IL tney
are controlled by those who desire to
mislead instead of enlightning the peo-
nle. who are interested in private OF
public matters and opposed to the best
interest of the people, you can readily
see what a great power for evil tney
would be. To a very large extent the
future of this country depends upon
its newspapers. A newspaper In ltsell
is nothing. 1t is necessary that tne
Uublisher or editor shall put life IN
il and make it's pages speak to the
mind and heart of the reader. IL tney
allow their own selfish desires or am
bitions TO swerve them from the pain
of duty. if from mercenary or manc-
ious reason they stray from tne
straight path it will not be long be-
fore their influence with the people
will be nothing. No one has more re-
spect for the press generally than my
self. but if there is anything contempt
ible it is to see great newspaper
with its immense opportunities fo1
good, lending itself to the advancement
of personal interests. One thing tna'
is absolutely necessary, if a neWspa-
per desires to retain its influence with
its readers, is that it shall be consist
ent. If it is constantly shifting from
one thing to another, or from one
p3rty to another, advocating prln-
ciple at one time and afterward the
reverse, how can it's readers have any
confidence in it.
Now, my friends, we are rather un-
fortunately situated in this campaign
so far as any aid from the press Is
concerned. We have, it is true, the
assistance of the Democratic editors
OF the county paperS,a and no men coulo
be more faithful than they. Week al
ter week, year after year, they give
column after column of their papers
in support of our party candidates
without reward or hope of reward
They do it in the face of the we'll
known fact that traitors to our party
are often rewarded while they have
been ignored. They have done, ane
are doing, a great work in this state
and our party in many a hotly- con
tested fight has had to rely upon then
to bring victory to our ticket. Tht
same conditions confront us in th'
present campaign, for, while having
TWO daily papers claiming sympath!
with the Democratic party, on all oc
casions whenever there is question
OF public patronage, they are usual!
found, as now, advocating the election
OF the Republican ticket.
The Baltimore Sun has been her
aided in the public press of our larg
cities as a Democratic paper nov
lighting fer the election of the Repub
ican ticket. The Sun has taken SOM
pride in publishing interviews iron
Republicans claiming that Marylan'
would go Republican in this contes
because the Sun was favorable to In
election of their ticket, and the SUI
was to be the great factor in swingln'
.nls state into the Republican column
Iney succeeded in defeating John Z
Hurst, one of the ablest and cleanes
men in our state in 1895, when the,
opposed the Democratic ticket from
tne most malicious and persona
motives. With their assistance
majority of some $4,000 was cas-
against William j. Bryan in 1896. Il
1891 1t made its great fight agalns
senator German and succeeded i
electlng Republican legislature. Il
1899 the Democratic ticket was electe
without assistance from the Sun. Il
!SOO it advocated the election of Will
lam j. Bryan, but failed to carry tn
state by over 10000. In 1903 tn
Democratie state ticket was electe
IN spite of the opposition Of the Su
70 us nominee for governor. 1t ha
peen shifting from one side to the othe
Wssuch an extent that it is not a FAC
Of aif 0f.