The Washington times., 1911-08-30
THE BEGINNING OF THE
FIGHT FOR MARYLAND.

Maryland is by psychology as wei
as geography a border State, Divides
in the struggle of fifty years ago, j
became doubtful State as between
the two parties, and has continues
such. Now it steps forward to plac'
in the ranks of Commonwealths torn
by the strife between the old and thu
new ideals in politics.
Blair Lee knew his Maryland better
than most even of his devoted follow
ers knew it. Few of them, willing al
they were to stand up and be counted
for the things he represented al
against the things German meant, be-
lieved that there was possibility Of
making the splendid showing which the
primary vote indicates.
But for the desperate efforts of the
Baltimore city machine, Lee would
have been nominated for governor. The
fight was lost and won in the city.
The record shows, on the returns now
at hand, that Lee carried Maryland
outside of the city by a good majority.
Few of the men who have set out to
redeem States from the rule of the
sordid old bossism have made such a
showing in the first battle. In every
State this has been a warfare, q series
of campaigns, a struggle in which
strength grows by fighting and victory
comes through defeat. 1t will prove
thus in Maryland if Lee shall stay by
the fight, as it is promised he will do.
The Times has ventured heretofore
to point out the national significance
of the Maryland contest of this year:
that Germans nomination means the
installation of a machine which will
favor the most conservative course in
the national campaign next year, in
cluding the nomination of Harmon for
President. The Baltimore Sun as
sumes to be startled at the unreason
of such a suggestion, and demands to
know if anybody heard the Presiden-
tial issue raised at any time in this
fight.
If the Presidential issue was not
raised, it ought to have been. If the
Sun has not realized that Gormanism
is the Maryland manifestation of
Tammanyism, Parkerism, and Har-
monism, then the Sun has need to fur
bish up it's reflector 1t will get around
to recognize the real situation in due
time. Perhaps the Sun is so close to
the scene of Maryland's campaigning
that it sees too much of the hand-to-
hand fighting and too little of the big
maneuvers that are too plain to be
mistaken when viewed in a longer per-
spective.
A few more such verdicts as that
rendered by the Baltimore machine
yesterday, and the national Democracy,
will have squandered its splendid capi
tai of political opportunity. Does the
Sun feel able to give assurance today
that Maryland will not send a Harmon
delegation to the national convention?
Does it realize that the fight for Texas
delegation has just opened, with
Bailey leading the reactionary force
which will oppose the national leader
ship of any progressive?- Does it not
understand that machines are being
articulated together all over the coun-
try for the very purpose of suppressing
the progressive wing of the party!
The best thing that could happen to
the Maryland Democracy this year
would be sound drubbing at the polls.
That would end the effort to hitch the
splendid old Commonwealth to a reac-
tionary leadership. The fine old bun
combe which dictates that politicians
having intrusted their fortunes to the
event of a primary must accept its re-
suit and support its nominee is still
in vogue. We will see Senator Lee
and his ieutenants getting on the
wagon with such appearance of enthu-
siam as they can summon. But that
does not mean that Maryland must
accept the rule for all time of a gang
ridden minority. The voters ought to
act for their own interest, the States
interest, and the ultimate interest of
the Democratic party, by imposing on
that party the duty to purge itself
and deserve confidence before it shall
enjoy control.