The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-08
THE MARYLAND SENATORsHIP.
Situation Complicated by the Victory
of tie Nalster Men.

. VI thc lAaistCt
Annapolis, Md, Jan. Snow that the
contest for speaker of the house Of del
egates is ended the next important
question to be settled by the legislature
will be the election of a Federal Sena-
tor. The effect Of the speakership result
upon that election is now a topic of
conversation. When the bulletins an
nouncing Speaker Shaefer's election
were dispatched to Baltimore yester-
day, Democratic leader here, said:
That will give Major Alexander Shaw
an ovation when he goes to the Mer-
chants Club for his luncheon" This in
dicates the prevailing opinion that the
triumph of the Master eleven is a
Shaw victory
In point of fact the situation is more
complicated than it has been hereto
fore. The first vote for Senator will
be taken on Tuesday, January IS, sep
arately in each house. Failing to give
majority of each house for the same
person, the voting then takes place in
joint convention. Before going into
joint convention there must be a reso-
luton TO that effect passed by each
house. The question is whether the
slender Republican majority of the
house will agree upon a candidate and
whether both factions will be willing
TO go into joint convention without any
agreement.
In reaching this conclusion il seems
unlikely that the Democrats will give
any aid, for they have nothing to gain
by. going. into convention and all to
lose, for if a Republican deadlock
should arise and continue through the
session, the Democrats would have a
chance of electing the next legisla
ture. In the meantime Mr.. Germans
term extends to March 4, 1885,? and
about one month after the Congress
meets in December of that year the
legislature of 1900 could elect his sue
cessor.
On joint ballot the Republicans have
d majority of seventeen. Nine mem.
bers of the house have il in their pow
er TO defeat the choice of the majority
of the party, just as eleven members
defeated the caucus nominee for speak
er. The feeling of antagonism among
the Republicans of the house today is
bitter and most of the Republican Sen
ators are taking sides on way or the
other
The friends of Judge McComas are
unquestionably alarmed over the sit
uation and the position which the elev-
en- Malsterites have taken against the
Sixth Congressional district.
One Republican, in discussing the sit
uation. said: The election of Schaefer
is without doubt a Shaw victory. as
Shaw is the Malster candidate for
United States Senator, and the MAJ
ster people have won. But Major Shaw
cannot be elected without the vote Of
the Democrats or of the McComas peo-
pie. The Democrats have nothing to
gain by going TO him and the humor
of the McComas people will have To
change radically before they go to
him. Neither do the Shaw people
seem disposed TO go to Nc
Comas. Between these two there
is an apparent deadlock.
John V l.. Findlay is also in the
field. but his strength will have to de-
velop later. | believe that Governor
Lowndes will come back into the fight.
Ii Is not likely that he viii make any
Of his appointments To office now be-
for the election Of Senator. Many of
the members are applicants for places
police magistrates, liquor license COM
missioners and what not. 1t is not
impossible that some of these appli-
Cants will show their good will for the
governor by electing him to the Sen
ate and then claim their reward"
The election of police commissioner
and State treasurer will also play q
part in the contest In the meantime
four Republican members of the house
can block any election by combining
with the Democrats and refusing To
go into joint convention.