Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-09-02
THE REFORMATION PERIOD IN
LOCAL POLITICS

liC lJAdl OtudllOii III l(NhiO
cratic politics has brought forth
repeated use Of the term "Organi-
cation" Democrats and "Anti-or-
ganization" or Progressive"
Democrats. Those who in the
past have been identified with one
or the other Of these factions are
now, for present political pur-
poses, classified or branded" ac-
cordingly, and this, too, regardless
of entirely changed conditions.
There is no use denying the OBJ
vious fact that in the days when
the late DIR. George Wells was the
dominant leader III local politics
there was marked alignment be-
tween the two factions, and many
accepted the classification of "Or-
ganization" Democrats because
there was, in fact, an organization
and they had to share the credit
or the opprobrium dependent on
the viewpoint) that attached to it.
There were, admittedly, many
Organization" Democrats who
were just as truly Progressive
in their principles and activities
as those who adopted that name
to identity their factional align
ment. There were, necessarily,
certain impcrfections i'll local gov
ernmental affairs that called for
reform, and which still exist and
will always exist because Of the
fallibility Of human nature. To
come as near as possible to REM
edying these political evils should,
of course. be the aim of all citizens
interested in good government, re-
CARELESS of any question of fac
tional supremacy, and no persons
motives in this respect or his
Democracy should be discredited
by simply playing on the words
Organization" Democrat or
Progressive" Democrat.
There is, also. no use denying
the fact that DR.. Wells occupied
a very unique position i'll politics
and that when he died the "Or-
ganization" ceased to exist in the
Sense that it existed during his
leadership. Many within his or
ganization differed with him on
vital matters of principle and act
Aed accordingly on their own in
dividual responsibility, but when
factional lines were drawn i'll
purely political campaigns classi-
fed themselves, or were classified,
as Organization"
Likewise there arose during the
course OF the perennial opposition
to DIR. Wells body of Democrats
who in recent years adopted the
word Progressive" as their poll
teal battle cry rather than the
term "anti-Wclls." 1t amounted
to the same thing, however, and
the ensuing campaigns were
fought out accordingly. 1t made
no practical difference that many
of the "Progressives" disclaimed
any personal hostility to DR..
Wells, but insisted that their cru
SADIE was against some of his prin-
cipal lieutenants and their meth
DDS. With characteristic hardi-
hood and loyalty he assumed
the whole burden himself
and made no apologies for those
who were ON the firing line with
him. That is what 'Organiza-
ton" and Progressive" meant in
DR.. Wells day.
Now, however, we are living in
different day and generation,
and instead of attempting to make
political capital against individ-
uals out of the old terms ',Organi-
cation" and Progressive" as for
merly employed and understood.
those whe aspire to leadership in
local politics have got to seek and
find surer and better foundation
than the mere use of terms.
The first step in this direction
is. we suggest, for citizens to clas-
sify themselves on different
basis,-the natural one,-name-
": Cd Those who are inter-
ested in, and will strive for.
good government, and (2) those
who cannot be counted on for this.
1t can make no real difference
nowadays whether the first named
element be called Organization"
or Progressive" and it is probab-
Nv safe to assume that there will
be found among its recruits Just
as many from the one old faction
as from the other. Organization