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The Commoner.
16
Vol. 2, No. 46.
A r U HI I J An. Editorial Reprinted f
A Revolt in Maryland BMlmon S(m.
After every election the political an
alyzer comes to the front to explain
the causo of the victory or defeat and
to prove by the accommodating logic
of figures that the result was satis
factory or at least encouraging to tho
party to which ho belongs. To the
philosophical observer partisan ex
planations are rarely convincing, and
those who desire to understand the
situation, not as they might wish it
to bo, but as it actually is, do not ac
cept as conclusive the explanations
of the political mind-readers who un
dertake to tell us what influenced
voters to vote this way or that, or
not to vote at all. To get at any
thing like the truth in such cases it
is absolutely necessary to consider
them from a non-partisan standpoint
and to study them in the light not
moroly of election returns for this or
that year, but in the light of political
history and of all facts and circum
stances bearing upon the subject.
While interest was greater at first
in tho general result of last Tuesday's
elections than in that in any partic
ular locality, local interest has now
naturally assumed the predominance,
and people who consider such matters
at all are reviewing tho field and seek
ing to get at the causes that produced
triumph or disaster. For nearly two
generations it has been the habit to
speak of Maryland as a normally and
naturally democratic state, and the
truth of the designation has generally
been conceded even by the republi
can oppositk-i. But of late that de
scription has seemed to be losing its
accuracy, and although we believe that
it is'still true, under favorable condi
tions, even the most optimistic friends
of the democratic party can scarcely
continue to make the claim, if they
cannot back it up by more convinc
ing records than those furnished by
the elections of the last five years.
It is true, as the Sun has hereto
fore pointed out, there were features
connected with last week's election
in Maryland distinctly encouraging to
democratic hopes, as showing what
may be accomplished by democratic
voters by themselves under adverse
conditions, without active leadership
and with practically no organization,
or an organization strangely indiffer
ent and apathetic. Under the circum
stances it is a matter of wonder, con
sidering tno. great energy, the im-
years? Is thero not danger, demo
cratic voters are asking, that the state,
instead of being "normally" demo
cratic may become "normally" repub
lican, may become permanently anch
ored in republican waters?
Of course, all sorts of explanations
are cheerfully and promptly offered
by tho managers to account for these
results and optimistic predictions of
future victory freely made. But for
all that, tho people, as well as the
prophets, realize that the general sit
uation is not one with which the dem
ocratic party can be satisfied, and that
there must be some other explanation
of apparent democratic decadence in
this state than we get from partisan
democratic sources. One of two things
they feel must be true: Either, first,
Maryland is losing her democratic
character, and is gradually, but sure
ly, swinging into the republican col
umn; or, second, the democratic party
Is more than unfortunate in its politi
cal directorate, and is kept under by
a mismanagement and incompetency
that has led it year after year and elec
tion after election like a lamb to the
slaughter.
Whichever explanation they accept,
democrats are brought face to face
with a problem that is as disagreeable
as -it is difficult of solution. One of
them-, however, is less difficult and
more hopeful than the other. If dem
ocratic voters aro ready to admit that
Maryland has become a republican
state, then no more is to be said, no
further explanations of defeat need
be sought, no more election figuring
naed be done. But it has never been
in democratic blood in any section to
admit ultimate defeat under any cir
cumstances. And the fighting blood
of the Maryland democracy is of tho
same persistent and undaunted strain.
I may, therefore, be assumed that it
will continue to fight as long as there
is anything to fight against, but it
may also be assumed that it will in
sist sooner or later on intelligent,
earnest and sincere leadership, on a
management that will be directed for
party success rather than individual
benefit, and on an organization that
will give equality of political oppor
tunity to all and will allow special fav
ors to none.
Tho democratic patriot, who is not
such for revenue or office, but who is
simply Interested as a good citizen in
be the last while present political con
ditions prevail. Last week's vote was
clearly a vote of want of confidence in
the present democratic party manage
ment. The thousands of democrats
who voted to stay away from the polls
voiced no less emphatically their lack
of confidence in this management than
did such independent voters as cast
their ballots for the republicans. This
year's registration and election aro
deeply significant and suggestive to
those who look below the surface. The
tailing off in the democratic vote is
proportionally greater than the falling
off in the republican vote, which seems
to indicate that the independent vote
of the state is receiving fresh acces
sions from the democratic ranks. In
other words, discontent is evidently
growing, not discontent with demo
cratic principles, but discontent with
the funeral directors' management,
xhnh inRlstii on hauling the demo
cratic party in Maryland to the politi
cal cemetery at every election.
Tho democratic party of Maryland is
not a corpse. It is very much alive
and as full of fight as ever. But it
cannot put up a winning fight with
such a load as It is carrying at pres
ent If the democratic voters of this
state wish their party to recover its
ascendency in Maryland, they must
secure a new organization and new
leaders, who will inspire confidence
and arouse enthusiasm. The party
has had such men in the past and it
can have them again if it will call for
them. , There is but one road that will
lead it back to supremacy, and that is
the grand old Jeffersonian highway,
whic i is free to all; not the political
turnpike owned by a close corporation
and on which all who travel must
pay toll. With the party organiza
tion in hands in sympathy with the
people and marching on the old. dem
ocratic highroad, with special priv
ileges to none and equal opportunities
for all, democratic voters would speed
ily see a reversal of. the political his
tory of tho oast few years. On the
other hand, if they permit present par
ty conditions to continue, they must
expect to see the independent voters
of tho state continue to vote with
the republican party or to remain
away from the polls.
It behooves democratic voters to
consider the situation calmly, earn
estly and intelligently, to "have" a
heart-to-heart talk with themselves,
to ask themselves which horn of the
dilemma they prefer continued re
publican supremacy or the reorgani
zation of the democratic party.
What Pluck and Hard Work Will do. ,
Without capital or influence, and !
relying only on their ability to teach.
Miss Cora Mel Patten, an elocutionist,
of Newton, la., and Miss Sarah Kathor
ino Connor, a pianist, of Kearney,.
Neb., founded a school of music and
elocution in September, 1899, in Chi
cago. By hard, intelligent work,
straightforward methods, and contin
ually making friends, they have pros
pered wonderfully, and now require
six other teachers, as instruction is
given in physical culture, psychology,
Shakespeare, English, parliamentary
law, voico culture, violin playing, and
harmony. Two hundred pupilB were
taught last year, six states being rep
resented among them. Lectures and
recitals by acknowledged masters hav
been maintained for the pupils' ben
efit. Success.
A great many people will not learn
the difference between sanctity and
moral dyspepsia until after it is too
late for them to profit by. their knowledge.
THE VALUE OF CHARCOAL
mense resources and the skill of the I tbe supremacy of principles which he
republican management, that the dem-) regards as important to the. public
uuruia carnqa a single congressional weuare, cannot and will not submit
Few People Know How Useful It Is In Preserv
ing; Health and Beauty
Noarly everybody knows that charcoal is tha
safest and most efficient disinfectant and pari
flor in naturo, but fow realize its value whoa
taken into tho human system for tha flams
cloansing purpose.
Charcoal is a remedy that the more you take
of it tho better ; it is not a drug at all, but simply
absorbs the Rases and impurities always pres
ent in tho stomach and intestines aud carries
them out of the systom.
Charcoal swootens tho breath after smoking,
drinking or after oatinar onions and othot odor
ous vegetables.
Charcoal offoctually clears and improToa the
comploxion, it whitens the teeth and further
acts as a natural and eminently safe cathartic.
It absorbs tho injurious gase which collect
in tho stomach and bowels; it disinfects the
mouth and throat from the poison of catarrh.
All druggists sell charcoal in one form or an
other, but probably tho best charcoal and the
most for the money is in Stuart's Absorbent
Lozenges; they are composed of the finest pow
dorod Willow charcoal, and other harmless an
tiseptics, in tablet form or rather in the form of
lnrgo, pleasant tasting 'lozenges, the charcoal
being mixed with honey.
Tho daily use of those lozengos will soon tell
ic a much improved condition of the general
health, bbttor comploxion, swootor breath- and
purer blond, and thoboautyof it is, that no pos
siblo harm can result from tboir continued use,
but on tho contrary, great benefit.
A Buffalo physician in speaking of the bene
fits of charcoal, says; "I advise Stuart's Ab
sorbent Lozenges. to all patients suffering from
gas in stomach and bowels, and to dear the
complexion and purify the breath, mouth and
throat; I also believe tho liyor is greatly bone-,
fitted by the daily uso of thsm;they eost but
twenty-flvo cents a box at drug stores, and al
though in some sense a patont preparation, yob
I boliovo I get moro and hotter charcoal in
Stuart's Absorbent LozengoB than in any of the
ordinary charcoal tablets.'
district in the state. Victorv' in the
two congressional districts carried by
democratic nominees was the victory
of democratic voters against most
. formidable odds of organization, mon
ey and leadership. In this aspect and
to this extent the gains made carry
with them a distinct lesson of hope
and good cheer. Yet in spite of such
encouragement as can legitimately be
, drawn sfrom these considerations, the
uemocrauc voters or Maryland may
well ask themselves the question:
. Will Maryland ever be redeemed from
republican rule under existing party
conditions? A few years ago a dem
ocratic nomination in Maryland was
equivalent in the. greater part of the
state to an election. Republican local
officeholders were few and far be
tween, while in state offices and in
both houses of congress they were
. conspicuous by their absence. We still
, call Maryland a normally democratic
t state, but if it is so, why does it not
6" uumuwam;, wueu me VOteS are 1
. counted can a state be considered as
belonging to a political party which
carries it but twice in five years, and
in those cases by majorities startling-
ly small as compared with former
lnaennneiy to a management that
leads him always to defeat and which
offers him only a funeral at the end
of every campaign. , A political ma
chine which justifies itself by vic
tory can count upon support even
from many who do not altogether ap
prove its methods. But a machine
which can do nothing but hold on to
party organization for the benefit of a
lew individuals and which fails the
party on all Important occasions has
lost its only excuse for existence and
must sooner or later be thrown aside
with the old iron of the political junk
shop. Political managers who man-
ago only for themselves, and not for
the party, who are really not demo
crats at heart, who do not want demo
cratic success except in state elections,
when state offices are to be distributed,
must inevitably be turned down with
a strong? hand by the democratic vot
ers of Maryland if the state is to be
I'dqemed from republican rule.
This iq the leading and pressing
lesson which patriotic democratic as
well as independent voters will read
in last Tuesday's election in this state.
It Is not tho first lesson of the kind
thathas been givep, anjTU will not J
.Xbe
Commoner, Condensed..
31 Political Reference Book.
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