Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-20
MAYOR HOOPER WINS.
BaItimort's Chief Executive Finally
Victorious over "SpOilsmen."

Victorious over "SpOilsmen."
ANNAPOLIS, MD, November 9.-The
big political fight between the straightout
Republicans and the independent Repub-
Ican Mayor of Baltimore. which has been
in the courts for nearly a year, was de-
cided by the Court of Appeals this morn
ing. The decision of the lower court Is re-
yersed, and Mayor Hooper wins on every
contested point. The effect Of the decision
Is 10 nullify the action Of the Baltimore
city Council in taking from the Mayor his
amounting power and giving 1t TO the
City Council.
Judge Russum. the only Republican
Judge on the bench of the Court of APP
peals. dissented, and was the only dis
senter from the opinion, which was
handed down by Chief-Judge McSherry.
HOOPER SMILES.
BALTIMORE, ND. November 19.-The
circulation of the opinion of the Court
of Appeals at Annapolis was attended
by some exciting scenes in ana around
the Baltimore City Hall. Mayor Hooper 3
face was wreathed IN smiles as his many
friends crowded into the executive
chamber to congratulate him on his vic
tory over the "spollsmen." This de-
cision," Mayor Hooper said, ''is a COM
plete and thorough victory for all the
principles OF good government, for which
the people OF Baltimore voted when they
turned out the Democratic ring and put
the Republicans In power in 1873. Every
good citizen will be happy to know that
the revolutionary grab ordinances. passed
by the City Council, through which 1t
was intended to strip me Of the preroga-
h.axr Ina In rod
Illegal"
The situation between the Council and
the Mayor now that the ordinances
passed by the Council, which take away
the power OF the Mayor to name men to
fill offices in the city government. are
declared Illegal, is that the new City
Council will have to act on the Mayors
nominations. Either they must confirm
them this time, or else the present in
cumbents will hold on until the end Of
Mayor HOoper's term. Because of the
refusal of the City Council TO confirm
the nominations the Mayor made a year
ago. hundreds of Democrats are still in
office.
THE FIGHT.
Briefly reviewed, the fight was this
Soon after the election year ago the
Mayor began to be badgercd by the Re-
publican politicians for offices for the
faithful Mr.. Hooper announced his in
tention to appoint only men who were
ft for the offices for which application
was made This barred out a large mum
ber OF the organization at the start.
The politicians could hardly believe their
ears. but they kept at their work They
insisted. at first nolitev a~d then threat
eningly. that they must have places for
The men. who, they claimed. had made
success for their party possible Mayor
Hooper took the position that the good
citizens of Baltimore were the ones, and
the ones. alone. who had made success
possible. and that they must be recog-
nized. and not the politicians.
The Mayor sent few nominations.
They were reluctantly confirmed by the
Council. Then he sent few more. They
were held up until he would say what he
intended doing with some important posi-
tons. Then came demands the Mayor
aatly declined to accede to.
From that time none of the nomina-
tlons made ~ the Iayor were confirmed
and finally a series OF ordinances were
passed by the Council, stripping the
Mayor of the right to name any officers
~ the city government, except his pri-
vate secretary, clerk, and messenger,
ara yest.ng that right In joint conven-
,,on OF the Council. One by one these
ordinances were passed, and sent TO the
Nayor for his signature. They were al
returned. OF course. with his veto Their
came the tug OF war-passing these ordi-
nances over the veto Of the Mayor.
DEMOCRATIC ASSISTANCE.
For this the Republican councilmcr