The midland journal., 1916-04-28
THINKS IT A GOOD TIME TO
CEMENT DEMOCRACY.

Believes Lees Nomination Would
Aid I'm Election--Is Opposed
However. To Hot Primary
Contest-Hopes for
Party Victory.
The following communication ap-
peared in a recent issue Of the
Wicomico News:
Salisbury, Maryland,
April 20, 1916.
/ think the present primary a
good time for the Democratic party
to cement itself once more in line
up for the desperate battle which
the Republicans will carry on in
Maryland this year for the election
OF Republican United States SEN
ator and the Republican Congress-
men. 1t is to be hoped that there
will not be any hot primary contest
over the nomination for candidate
for United States Senator such as
was witnessed in Maryland last sum-
mer. No party can stand two such
fights as that and live. 1t will take
several years unless the present
opportunity is grasped, to get the
party people together for solid
fight against the Republicans. 1t is
well-known fact that but for the
split in the Republican party last
fall Mr.. Harrington would probably
have been defeated for the Cover
norship notwithstanding the fact
that the friends of Senator Lee sup
ported Mr.. Harrington Loyalty at the
general election. This fact is proven
because the figures show that Mr.
Harrington received a thousand or
more votes in the general election
! than were cast for both he and Lee
in the primaries, and the further
fact that in every county and dis
trict where Mr.. Lee won the pri-
maries Governor Harrington re-
ceived his largest marjority, and
even then he lost the State outside
of Baltimore City. So it must be
apparent to every sensible Demo-
crat that there should be some effort
made to pull the party together in
the primaries instead of trying to
widen the breach OF the Organization
forces and the friends of Senator
Lee. One Of the best ways to bring
about this result would be for both
the Organization and the friends of
Senator Lee to let the people do
the voting without Interference,
and for the newspapers to keep
down any bitter strife such as was
witnessed last summer.
There is no doubt that the Repub-
licans, although they are in a hot
primary fight, will emerge from
same very well united, and will make
desperate battle in November to
carry Maryland Republican for Pres
ident as well as for the United States
Senator, and with hope of winning
Congressman from this State. It
is, therefore, necessary If the Demo
crates hope to win at the next
party strife in the present primaries
as far as possible. It has been sug-
gested that as the most objection to
the nomination Of Senator Lee for
Governor was the fact that he was
United States Senator, that it would
be the very best policy for the Demo-
lcratic party to let Lee have the
nomination for United States SEN
ator, as many believe his presence
on the official ballot next November
would be q source Of strength to the
party throughout the State, and
especially would 1t aid the Congress
sional nominees in the various dis
tricts.
While 1 have never been a rank
Lee sympathizer, do believe that he
is a sound Democrat, and that he
had done many things since he has
been in politics to aid the success OF
Of the Democratic party. In Nat
Senator, he has Loyalty supported
President Wilson, and as a member
of the State Senate his name was
connected with many of the most
Intelligent and progressive laws
enacted by the General Assembly
during his incumbency. 1t would
be easy to cite many OF the progres.
sive measures win which Lees
name was connected, but to cite
these at this time would appear as
q partisan move, and this is exactly
what would like to see the Demo
Gratis get away from. 1t would seen
in all fairness that Lee is entitled tt
this nomination from the hands Of
the Democrats, and that his nomi
nation would probably be the very
best method of cementing the part,
for the coming National fight. II
the last primaries Senator Lee re
ceiyed more than fifty thousand
votes from the Democrats Of Mary