Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-25

Col Gist Blair of Montgomery county,
who has for weeks been looked upon as
a receptive candidate for Congress from
the sixth Maryland district. has made a
formal announcement Of his candidacy
and at the same time makes it plain that
he would ask for the support of the people
of western Maryland upon a progressive
platform.
Two years ago Col. Blair made Wig
orous race for the republican nomination
for Congress from this district. He was
defeated upon the face of the returns by
fewer than 500 votes by Brainard H.
Warner, jr., of the same county. The
enormous vote in Frederick county In
favor Of Mr.. Warner overcame the ma
jorities Mr.. Blair received in the other
counties Of the district.
After having made several trips through
the district and after conferences with his
friends, Mr.. Blair has decided to make
an active campaign before the May
primary and will visit every election dis
trict in the five counties of the sixth dis
trict. He has the advantage of an or
ganization built up two years ago and al
ready has assurances that he will carry
Montgomery Frederick and Allegany
counties.
Will Qualify Before April 16.
ct have definitely decided" he declares.
Ito submit my candidacy to the voters of
the sixth Maryland district, and will quail
ify for a place upon the primary ticket
before the 10Th of April.
MY appeal to the people of my congress
sional district will be to the same eff.
feet as my appeal to them two years ago
when 1 stated through the press of the
district and upon the stump that If elect
ed I should have no other interest thar
to represent my district in Congress and
out of it. I declared then that 1 should
be a congressman twelve months out OF
the year and would be at the command
of my constituents when Congress was ir
session and when it was not. 1 take the
position that congressman position
is not a sinecure, but a job that is pait
for by the year, which requires a year.
work for years salary.
again l shall go into western Mary
land and shall renew my declarations.
mean to work for every interest that vii
affect the prosperity OF my district anc
my state if nominated and elected, and
shall lay my case before the people upor
that platform
MY politics has not changed l an
still a republican. but. as l said in my
announcement two years ago / am pro
gressive republican. l believe in thu
progressive ideas Of my party and shall
assist in my limited way in making my
ment that has swept the country.
Declares for General Primary.
Foremost among the progressive idea!
for which i stand is that of a primary
system in national, state and local poll
tics. 1 believe that the people, the Who'll,
people, should have direct voice In TIT
nomination of their congressman, tnei
| senators, their governors and their Presi
dents. / have supported and shall con
tinue to support presidential prefer
ence primary act by the Maryland legis
| lature.
"In this 1 follow the lead of Maryland.
young but courageous governor. Gov
GOldsborough has told the people of TIN
state that he favors a preference primary
| and he meant just that when he said 1t
| Neither is he secretly conspiring to defea
| a movement that he has openly espOused
as has been intimated more than once.
II am willing to have the people of my
district pass upon my candidacy for Con
gress. II 1 cannot be nominated by a ma
jority of the republicans Of the distric
l shall fall in behind the candidate wht
is nominated and shall work for him JUS
as hard as 1 worked for Mr. Warner tive
years ago..
Mr. Blair is at work now reorganizins
his forces for the primary fight. He is q
member Of Gov. GOldsbOrough's staff an(
is being supported by some of the gov
ernors closet friends in western Mary.
land,