The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1913-01-10
LEWIS OUT FOR LEE.


district, IN an interview, gave his reasons
for supporting State Senator Blair Lee,
Of Montgomery counuW for the seat in
the United States Senate made vacant by
the death of Isidor Reener. MIR. Lewis
quoted from the utterances of President
elect Wilson concerning the kind OF men
needed in the work before the party and
declares that Senator Lee fits every re-
qurement AS further demonstration
Mr.. Lewis reviews Senator Lees work at
Annapolis.
"At the coming Democratic Senatorial
primary a successor TO the late Senator
Ravner is to be selected by the Demo
Gratis of Mary land" Mr. Lewis says
In common with other Democrats I
am, of course, very much interested and
think the choice should be apt and fitting
to the national situation of the party.
This situation is largely new one and
can be best described only in the words
of our official leader, the President-e
He said:
We have come upon a new con-
structve age, an age of reconstruction,
which calls for high gifts and men OF in
domitsble purpose.
" We have begun to get a complete
vision of our problems and of the policies
! that must solve them.
" Many of the old formulas ofour bust
ness and of our policies have been out
! grown.
- Responsible business and genuine
/ representation of the people in govern
ment is our program.
We are cutting away anomalies, not
! institutions.
We are no longer in the temper of
attack. We are ready for remedy and
adjustment.
We have ceased to be divided into
alarmists and defenders of society and
| begun to redivide ourselves into work
able groups.
" There are tories in both parties. but
there are also liberals in still greater num-
bers, and the two kinds are now rapidly
shifting themselves about and drawing to-
gether.
" Parties are reforming while labels
remain unaltered.
"'W Whichever party proves most fit to
conceive and put through wise, pro-
eressive program will become the liberal
party of the nation
Here is a program for the modern and
progressive application of democracy
with leader behind it having the power
! Oh COHNlCNlOll dtlO Will q mum
! the nation itself
at should be expected from the close
personal and political friendship | have
| had with Senator Lee for nearly genera
| ton that should be favorable to his can
didacy in this case. even were he not from
my district. But | can fairly say that he
would be my choice in this juncture of
party affairs in the State and nation even
| If he were a stranger only.
For has he not been. in truth and
fact the foremost exemplar, in State
Legislation. of these new applications Of
democracy. for eight years past? If | have
any understanding of the Wilson program
of Progressive Democracy Lees career
in the Senate of Maryland stands as Its
unique representation. and | think it is
fortunate for the Wilson administration
as well az for the party in the State that
there is such candidate in the field
Il am glad Senator Lee is candidate
for the short term. 1t will begin January
next. There are many indications that
we will need in the Senate such Demo-
crat at the very earliest moment to repair
the loss Of Senator Ravner The fate of
the Wilson administration may be deter
mined at that very Congress, and prob
ably will
Now President elect Wilson is sound
" in earnest in his program of consruc-
tive democracy. The Democrats of Mary
land voted for him solidly and apparently
desire that he should have support to
carry out his progressive program.
In order that he be able to do this eff
fectively think most OF these Democrats
will agree that men OF his type-that IS,
men who have proved themselves in leg
islative work and accomplishment to be
of his progressive temperament and pur-
pose and typify his policles-should be
selected IN the party situation in which
we find ourselves,
: In the House we shall have no trouble,
but in the Senate the case is not so as
sured, tor there IS no denying that there
are Democrats there some of whom are
less progressive and some of whom are
more progressive. | take it that all will
agree that the Wilson administration is to
be of the more progressive character,
and will agree as well that if his leader.
ship is not followed his administration
will be a failure and the Democratic
party will be punished for its failure.
II y
AS was so aptly SAID by Hon. Joshua
W. Miles in his recent interview in The
.Snn:
blair Lee, by reason of his record in
the Maryland Senate and his entire Ca
reer in the politics of the State is more
thoroughly associated in the public mind
and from the viewpoint of the average
voter with those great popular reforms,
the advocacy of which have brought
Woodrow Wilson to the Presidency than
anv other public man in aryland. -
but for Senator Lees presence in the
State Senate and his uncompromsing ad.
vocacy of direct legalized primaries. in
season and out of season, we would at
this critical juncture have no Statewide
primary system.
HE introduced and passed the bills
which gave u.s. besides many other i'm
poriant features:
"First-The county autonomy plan,
under which. by reason of It's division
/ into Legislative districts, a progressive
/ fight was for the first time made practi-
/ cable in Baltimore city.
''Second-The vital recount provision.
/ "Third-The second choice provision.
"Fourth-The plan for placing the pen
atty OF vote-buying on the vote-buyer
alone, which puts the buyer at the mercy
! of the man who sells his vote.
The fact that at present this is one
party State, and Democratic nomina-
ton is equivalent to an election, makes
more applicable than ever the aphorlsm
that the selection of candidates is more
/ important than the election