Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-28
CLAIMS OF SECTIONS.
The Important Question Confront
ing Maryland Politicians.
THIRD PARTY PROSPECTS IN OHIO.
indications as to the Coming Cub
ernatoriaI Campaign.
THE ALLIANCE IN VIRGINIA.
THE CLAIMS OF SECTIONS.
Geographical Position To Play an Importan
Part In Maryland Politics.

THE CLAIMS OF SECTIONS.
Geographical Position To Play Important
Part In Maryland Politics.
special Dispatch to The Evening Star
BALTIMORE, April 2s.-It will be interesting
to watch the part that geographical position
will play in Maryland politics this year.
Always ar important factor, it is likely to
have even more than its accustomed import
ance in the distribution of Offices, and the
claims of sections will probably receive as
much II not more consideration than the indi-
vidual fitness Of candidates.
There are four state Offices TO be filed by
election-goyernor, controller, attorney gem
eral and clerk of the court of appeals. There
are what might be called four grand divisions
OF the state-BaltlmOre, western Maryland.
southern Maryland and the eastern shore
each presenting its claims to one OF more OF
these places. Then there are the subdivisions
of congressional districts and counties demand
ing recognition, if not on the state ticket, for
some local office, that must exercise a very
material influence in making up the state
ticket and even upon the United States senator
ships, 50 far reaching are all the ways of poll
tics And there are any number of other state
Offices, to be filled by executive or legislative
appointment such other method as NAV be
prescribed by law other than election, to all of
which due regard must be paid. OF first inn
portanee among these are the offices of state
treasurer, filled by the legislature; state tax
commissioner and commander of the oyster
navy, appointed by the board Of public works,
and the large number Of valuable places
within the gift Of the governor.
Baltimore city and western Maryland have
mp to this time a monopoly in the way of
subernatorial aspirants- The eastern shore
has furnished tn last two governors, and will
not be in tt, fight this time, and southern
Maryland, which has not given the state an
executive since Governor Bowie will probably
be content with some more modest demand for
some time To come.
CANDIDATES FOR THE coSTRoILERsHrp.
For the controllership the eastern shore
has thus far all the candidates State Senator
Robert +. Brattan of Somerset county, who
was president of the last senate: E. W. Nc
Master D. Worcester. a member of the last
house OF lslegates, ex-COntrOller j. Frank
Turner OF I bot, States Attorney Marionde l.
Smith Of h snt and Secretary of State Z. W.
lie Compile o: Dorchester are the leading ones
OF these Senator Brattan seems to be on top of
the heap.
Southern Maryland puts in a claim for clerk
of the court of appeals with DIR. George Wells
Of Annapolis and the eastern shore would like
Col Luther II. Gadd of Caroline county to have
that place should Col. Spencer c. Jones be
transplanted across the street to the executive
mansion.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAIsHIP.
The dignifed Office of attorney general is
hOlA4Lt ia OdCASIOuIQ anu tue
only candidate who is now seriously considered
Is estate Senator John p. Poe of this city The
name Of Mr.. Philip ID. Laird Of Montgomery
county, several times a member of the legisla-
ture, has also been spoken of.
REARRASGING OLD LINES.
OF late years there has been a sort of rear
rangement of the state offices and the lines
which seemed to mark them distinctively as
belonging to the western or the eastern shore
have been broken down. In all the years since
the time of Governor Hicks. whose term ex-
pired in 1863 the eastern shore has had but three
governors, and only one of those Governor
jackson, was elected by the people. Governor
Groome was elected by the Legislature to nil out
the unexpired term of Governor Whyte, who
was elected to the United States Senate and
Governor Lloyd president of the state senate
succeeded Governor McLane when he was ap-
pointed minister to France by President Cleve-
land 1t was for years the complaint of the
eastern shore that it not allowed
governor more frequently, indeed that it did
not receive an equitable proportion Of
any Of the offices. and that il only got one
United States Senator by constitutional re-
quirement.
On the other hand while the governorship.
which the western shore has held on to so
long. has gone for two successive terms to the
eastern shore. the controllership, which had
been filed uninterruptedly by the eastern
shore for years. came across to this side of the
n
Almost contemporaneously with these other
changes have came The treasurer and the
commander Of the oyster navy have been taken
from the western shore, where they have been
continuously, and credited to the other side Of
the bay. and the tax commissioner hitherto
exclusively given to the eastern shore, is now
In the hands of a western shore man, ex-Con-
gresham Frank t. shaw
TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
All these things will be carefully considered in
making up the lines of the coming fight, and
all other Offices will be largely dependent upon
the gOvernorship.
II Brown or Jones il nominated for governor
Baltimore will again name The attorney general
and II Hodges should be the choice Of the
democratic convention for governor or some
other city man. the attorney general will come
from the counties As the governor will in
any event come from the western shore and
Controller Baughman does not want to succeed
himself, that ONCE viii probably swing back TO
the eastern shore There are some things
though, which may keep either the eastern
shore or MIR. Brattan from getting this place
IL now has the treasurership and will seek to
hold II Ii can hardly expect to control both
ends OF the treasury department. and more
over, Brattans county, Somerset, now has the
Congressman from the first district and has
had more offices proportionately in recent
years than any other county on the shore. The
tendency seems to be to give the eastern shore
the controller and take the treasurer again
from the western shore. where il was when
stevenson Archer defaulted and Edwin H.
Brown was brought from the eastern shore by
Gov jackson to MI out the term for which he
had just been elected by the legislature.