Year: 1873




As the time approaches for the great
event to all Americans-the annual cleo
tions, freighted with their inestimable con-
sequences of good or evil, the question is
asked with more interest and anxiety than
ever before; who are to be our candidates
This query is not put by parties as a party
question, but by the people who yearn for
better men to transact their public busi-
ness than the class which has had the man.
agemsnt in the past, which is teo often
made up of individuals in whose hands
none would trust important private affairs.
This is all wrong and the public feel it to
be SO, and former murmurs Of dissatisfac
ton are breaking into loud compliments.
1t is through this reckless choice of agents,
that every expense of government has been
swelled to such mountains of debt and
taxation as are felt and protested against
by every taxpayer. When the people re-
solve no longer to be tools and fools for
designing men, and learn to weigh and
examine their political rights and public
business, in a sensible and business-like
manner, then such men will be selected,
and none others, rs will be credit to the
intelligence of their constituents. The
great degradation of politics is the wild
hunt of the day by set of played out men
-played-out and complete failures as man
ayers of every thing they have ever at
tempted in the way of business. When a
man finds he is not competent to conduct
any business successfully on his own ac-
count, to 90 on "his own hook to use
an expressive phrase Of the day-he be-
gins to hunt office. He worries some party
for a nomination, or he bores his friends for
recommendations for an appointment to
some office. These men open an account
against the party to which they attach
them selves, and debit the party with
long list of imaginary services which usual
ly nobody has any knowledge of-they
have always voted the ticket, is one of the
strongest, usually-but themselves; and II
their "caims are not paid by nomina-
tion or appointment, they threaten reprisal,
very frequently by going to the opposite
party. When man talks about support
ing party from his love Of a political
principle, and then goes to the opposing
party because he falls to secure Office,
what value can be placed on his profess
sions? None whatever. He evidently has
no faith in party principles. And yet those
occupying the front rank of party organ
izers and office hunters, are just such men.


The blind, unreasoning prejudice that
has crept into politics, and formed bigoted
partizans is the greatest curse to our polit-
ical prosperity. Until men learn to view
and examine their political business as they
do their private concerns, and aim to select
agents whom they could trust to manage
the latter, to take charge of the former,
they will have to submit to the mismanage-
ment in public affairs SO loudly complained
Of The remedy for these wrongs is not so
much in good laws as in good men to
administer the laws. A law, though franz
ed in righteousness, will prove failure for
good, if corrupt or incompetent agents
are selected to administer it. The true
way to reform wrongs or prevent repeti-
tion of evils, is to begin at the fountain
head. Place no man in nomination for
Office whose course if elected is in any
doubt. No man should be candidate for
a county or State Office who required any
pledging Or that any voter need ask the
question, "What would he favor if elect
ed 2" His qualifications, business ability
and probity and honor should be so we'll
established, that every man in the COM
munity acknowledge them without doubt
or question. Such is the class of eandi.
dates we should make sure to nominate the
approaching Fall. The people are In
severe earnest about having their public
business better transacted in the future
than in the past. They are fast resolving
into one party on number Of important
questions. Peculation in office is getting
in monstrous bad odor with them. High
taxes are bad enough, but if the money is
to be raised for useful purpose, the peo-
pie are willing to pay; but when the taxes
are wasted as the half of them have been
for years past, their complaints rise to pro-
tests which it is no longer safe to disre-
gard. And the cure for the lax, unfaith


full performance of public trusts is in the
selection of agents who have reputation
for honesty and business capacity. The
people are more in earnest than they have
ever been before, to have that kind this
fall; and all who fall below this standard
will be "cut" with a severity never before
known. 1t is thinking man who cuts his
ticket, was the remark of an old politician
of this county, and there is whole VOL
ume of truth in the observation.


The best interest of this State and county
have been overridden and kept down by
the party which have been in the ascend
ent for years. The offices existing when
that party came in were speedily filled by
its adventurers to the exclusion of better
men, and host of new offices created and
supplied out of the same clamorous crowd.
"Plunder" has been the shibboleth Of
these men ever since, and the people have
grown weary of supporting men whose
highest aspiration is to live by party watch
words and organization under old preju-
dices. While large mass of our citizens,
whose only desire is cheap government, and
faithful execution of the laws, have been
for years systematically humbugged with
constant e1hortations to be faithful Demo
Gratis, and oppose Radicals at all hazards,
these same men who preached partyism SO
earnestly have been only intent on plunder.
But the people have found them out at last.


EDITORIAL ExcURsIoN.-A very grand
excursion of the Association Of Maryland
Editors is organized for this year. The
excursionists will leave Baltimore on