The Democratic advocate., 1909-08-27
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
GOVERNOR CROTHERS CRITICISES THE
DIFFERENT PLANKS
Says Its Only Good Ones Follow Lead
Of Democrats


Convention in the Maryland Theatre,
Baltimore, Wednesday, adopted
platform, and nominated Frank r.
Williams, of Cecil county for Comp
troller. Mr.. Williams is about 45
years of age, lives on a farm near
Elkton. and edits the Cecil Whig. He
was at one time Presbyterian min
lister, but was compelled to quit
In the following article from the
In the foowing article from the
Baltimore Sun of Thursday, Governor
Crothers takes up the Republican
platform, plank by plank, and shows
its weakness
Instead of being platform that
offers new plans for the better gov
ernment of the State" said the Gov
ernor, ut Is one which contents it.
sci in proposing few new things and
pouring out TRADE of abuse upon
the present State government. The
platform does not compare with OURS.
At our convention every plank I'm the
platform was debated and nothing
was hurried through, whereas
at the Republican convention
the platform was completed and
all the convention did was TO ratify
1t. The convention was rushed
through and did not show either seri-
BUSINESS or good taste II was abb
solutely dominated by one man.
1T would be good Idea to take up
the platform point by point and see
what 1t consists Of. IL begins by COM
menting upon the wise Republican
national Administration and stating
how the tariff has been revised by the
party In power, as 1t promised II
would revise 1t before election This
seems to be placed in the platform
through an error, for the whole coun-
try has passed judgment upon the
tariff revision. From beginning to
end the tariff revision was a failure,
and the people of the country are
greatly disappointed. There was no
reduction on the necessities Of life,
as promised. How anyone can say
that the party has kept It's promise
In tariff revision is remarkable. Truly
the tariff has been revised, but that
is about as far as the party's prom
Use has been kept
THE next point in the platform Is
directed against the proposed amend
ment TO our State Constitution. What
else might we expect from eonyen-
ton of that kind +? ! never like to
Criticise, a convention of the other
party, but machine convention like
the one of today could not be expect
ed TO give any other opinion on this
subject II could not but help oppose
the proposed amendment. when II has
before 1t the great political asset OF
$4,000 colored votes. This is a great
asset from a political view point.
1T attacks the State and city Dem
ocratic administrations. II begins
by saying that the State administra-
ton has been mismanaged and the
Legislature has been grossly extra
VACANT. What about the Republican
Legislature OF 1898? II | remember
correctly, il was the most extrava-
giant Legislature in the State up 10
that time. Because the Legislature
has expended a considerable sum of
money for great improvements, IL
does not mean that 1t has been extra
VACANT. Large sums OF money may
be expended wisely and without ex-
travagance.
THE Good Roads Commission comes
III next for share of abuse. IL is
natural for the convention TO attempt
to make even the improvements under
taken. by our party to look like mis-
management II is only part of the
general abuse. have no recollection
of Republicans ever building good
roads. This point in their platform
simply shows that they are opposed
to the States policy Of building good
roads The books of the State Roads
Commission are open To the public.
do not say this as a defense of the
roads commission, for 1t needs no de-
huu sFlt t@h
ed stands as a monument TO It's efforts.
But IL anyone desires to look over
its accounts they are perfectly well
come to do so. The law requires IL
to report to the Legislature on the ex-
penditures and work that II has ac-
complished. II will make this report.
and the results OF its work will be
published in the newspapers.
Following the attack on the roads
commission, the platform attacks the
Democratic administration of the city.
As | am not familiar with the city
administration, / will not attempt to
answer the points in the platform
against the city government, but will
confine myself to the charges against
the State administration. ! do know
one thing, however, and that Is the
city has been spending considerable
money for great municipal improve
ments, and it seems to be against the
platform of the Republican party TO
spend money for improvements.
"In their attempt to give the city
just representation the Republicans
have wrapped themselves up In a
plan entirely different from the plan
of the national Government. In the
United States Senate New York has
two Senators and Delaware also has
two. / have never heard of having
two bodies of government with repre-
sentation according to population in
both houses. Why did they not make
up their minds to do away with the
Senate and have one popular body.
This Is practically the result that
this section of the platform would
bring about What is the use of hav-
ing two bodies IL both are to be elect
ed on the same principle. This seems
to be new form OF government pro-
posed by the Republicans in Mary
land 1t would not accomplish the
purpose which they expect 1t would.
"The control of public service cor
porations and public utilities has
been acted upon by the present State
Cabinet. The stand of the Demo-
cratic party on this point is too we'll
known to the public to need explain
alton. M
Next, the Democratic party Is ac-
cused OF having attempted to defeat
and impede an expression Of the peo-
ple's true will at the polls. state
that all elections will be and have