The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1922-03-07

the pledge unmiXed with other FRO
positions involving the violation o.
fundamental principles of govern
ment recognized in the organic law
of this state in every constitution
adopted by the people of Maryland
since Maryland approved the Federal
constitution and became a part OF the
Federal Union. Careful study Of all
that has been said OH the subject
leads inevitably to the conclusion
that if the Democratic Party is to
carry out its pledges for fewer cleo
tions, it must do so in one of two
ways: By the one method the state
and county officers must be elected
in Federal years; by the other
method, g constitutional amendment
must be adopted which violates the
great principle of popular govern
ment, always held dear by the elec-
tOrate of Maryland, that the repre-
sentativeS of the people should fire.
quently and at short intervals, be
made answerable to the people whom
they represent.
On its merits there is much to be
said in favor of the view adopted by
luC vi Jul PIE SoIloIA
tuition of Maryland that Federal and
State elections should be separately
held: but as the State cannot change
the year in which the President of
the United States and representatives
in Congress arc elected, the pledge
in tho Democratic platform necess2r-
lily H. ans that elections rs" State Of
fit rs shall be held in the I tt, years
a. the same time as Federal cleo
tions, and this was the clear intent
and purpose If the trainers of our
State platform, unless We are LADY
TO conclude that the trainers of that
platform started out to change Mary
lands form Of government IS is
now proposed by the quadrennial
Election Bill l do not believe this:
on the contrary, l believe the quad
rennial Elections Bill constitutes an
afterIhought born of n view as to
political o. party conditions in
Maryland just as half-baket and I'M
:i.;t:Ura as arc tba governmental pro
,-ositions cont2 red in the proposed
Quadrennial Elections Bill. In other
words, it is said that the Democratic
Party will Suff"', and its supremacy
in Maryland b Threatened or i'm
rrrilled by the ado )";un Of an amend
inent to the = lstitution providing
for the election of Slate officers in
Congressional years, and local officers
in Presidential wears | do not be
lieve Well-in-formed Republicans be-
lieye this. There are no signs that
Republican politicians Or writer's on
the subject OF Republican predictions
entertain any such view. The his
tory OF politics in Maryland in the
last half century does not justify ar.y
such view. 1 doubt ii in the long
run either Party would greatly SUI
fer from the adoption OF an amend
;nent to the constitution which would
taaan the election of state and local
CtiicerG in Federal years; but certain
j. is @ review of tho political cam
paignG held in Maryland since the
adoption of the present constitution
certainly does not lead to the con-
clusion thai the Democratic Party
would suffer by the proposed changes
Thirteen Presidential campaigns
have been conducted in Maryland
since the enfranchiSem1nt Of the
negro, and in eleven out OF thirteen
of these campaigns the Democratic
Party has been successful.
During the same period, the
Democrats have lost in three state
campaigns. 1t lost first in '95, when
LowndeS was elected Governor over
Hurst. Again in the midst of Lown-
des' administration, the Democrats
lost the Legislature in 81. and again
in 1911, when Goldsborough, the Re
publican candidate defeated German,
the Democratic candidate for Cover
nor. In addition, in the very midst