Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-10-08
MIR. Harrington's Speech OF Ac-
ceptance.

Mr.. chairman, Gentlemen OF the N0tifica-
ton Committee and Fellow-De Democrats
Il fear that may not be able to express
in adequate language my full appreciation
Of the courteous and considerate manner
in which Senator Hubner. your spokesman
and the spokesman of the Democratic State
Convention. or more strictly speaking, the
duly commissioned or authorized spokes-
man Of the Democratic party itself, has
conveyed to me the official notice OF my
nomination by the Democratic party as
its standard-bearer in the coming contest
for the high Office of the Governorship Of
Maryland.
I'm accepting this great honor, conferred
by the direct vote Of the democracy of our
State in a primary contest. the fairness
of which has never been questioned and
in which the Unprecedented number Of
117.000 Democratic voters of our State
participated, am at this time as fully
conscious Of the great responsibility thus
imposed upon me as am appreciative of
the high compliment bestowed by the
democracy Of our State.
But am cheered and comforted by the
knowledge that by every principle and ira
dition Maryland Is a Democratic State.
Only twice since the Civil War has she
drifted from her Democratic moorines. and
just as in 1899, after four years Of Repub-
lican administration in all departments
under Lloyd Lowndes. she promptly re-
turned to her Democratic faith. so now in
1915, after another four years experience
under another Republican Governor, Mary
land will surely for many. many years ia
come be found safely anchored in the
Democratic column. For there are now in
Maryland $4,000 more registered affiliated
Democrats than registered affiliated Repub-
lcans, and ii can only be. when some
great principle has been. violated or some
great party mistake has been made. that
such a revolution could occur that would
place Maryland again under Republican
control. for the four years experience I'M
der Lowndes has not been forgotten. In
the language Of Frank r. Kent, in his book
The History Of Politics Of Maryland.
Lowndes' administration is tersely de.
scribed:
"'Another feature that helped disgust
the public with the Republican regime was
the prominence Of the negroes at Annapolis
and elsewhere. Both the State House and
City Hall teemed with them. and their ar
rogance and impudence aroused general
resentment. Governor Lowndes was a
heightened man and socially his admins.
tration was. perhaps. the most popular Of
any Governor. but the power and patron
age SO suddenly gained seemed too much
for the politicians Of the party. and particu-
larry In Baltimore the conduct Of affairs
was not creditable.
Speaking Of the Legislature Of 1898
which the Republicans controlled, the same
author says:
"'lt has been said by men who were in
II that that Legislature was the most dis
graceful Of any since the war. There was
more buying and selling Of votes more open
grating and unclean politics than at any
session that had gone before or that has
followed. There were, Of course, many
honest and capable men of both parties in
the House and Senate. but the proportion
Of those who were not honest was great and
the corruption brazen and shameless Men
who were members assert that the Speaker
desk was made an auction block and
that legislation was bought and sold openly.
Governor Lowndes appointed the Speaker
Of that House as State Fire Marshal, and
then refused to issue his commission be-
cause Of his record
"And although at the end Of the Lowndes'
administration his Republican followers
still stood by him and accorded him re-
nomination. at the end Of Governor Colds
boroueh's administration there has been
no such honor conferred. and the Republ-
cans themselves. almost in solid phalanx,
throw up their hands. admit that his ad-
ministration Of our States affairs has prac-
tically made his candidacy for them an
impossibility. and while he was absent
from the State attempted by stealth so to
intrench themselves. notwithstanding al
legged promises to the contrary, that the
second Governor they have had since the
Civil War was practically repudiated by
them and shut out from the running.
my distinguished opponent, in his letter
Of acceptance, said
awe have Immediately behind us four
years Of the clean and excellent admins
tration Of Gov Goldsboroueh, against