The sun., 1899-05-01
THE sLEorIoN I'M BADr1MonE
state Politics In Municipal Spring Cam
paign-Peculiaritio OF the situation.

the first to be held under the provisions pre-
sorihed by the charter OF 1858. will take place
on Tuesday. This election is for Mayor. Comp
trolcr and Councilmen. Baltimore will proba-
bly, be the last Of the important American cities
to run municipal campaign on the plan OF In
fuencng the succeeding State election. The
cities Of New York. Chicago. Boston. Philadel-
phia, San Francisco. st, Louis. Cleveland. New
Orleans and Cincinnati have already aban-
doned that p,an,
Maryland elects Governor and some State
officers In November, The present Governor
OF the State and all the State officers are Re-
publicans. The two United States Senators
from Maryland In Washington are Repub blicans.
Four OF the six Representatives In the Fifty
sixth House are Republicans. President No
ktnlcy came to Maryland for O Postmaster
General in his original Cabinet. The present
Mayor OF Baltimore. Mr. Malster. q candidate
for reelection. is a Republican. and the local
administration Of this city Ia at present In
Republican hands.
When II Is considered that for thirty years.
before 1895. Maryland was strongly Demo-
cratic State. that even In the most exciting
contests the Democratic control was 80 over
whelming that II could be maintained by cleo
tion laws aud practices which practically made
the Republican minority powerless. and that
supreme effort was required. less than three
years ago. to wrest control from the dominant
party and put Maryland In the Republican
column for Mckinley and Hobart. It will be
seen that the Republican leaders OF tho State
are deeply apprehensive OF the dangers whcn
might attend the defeat OF their Mayoralty can
didato in May In this city. which casts nearly
one-haf OF the total vote OF the State. They
have sought therefore. to make Tuesdays
municipal election State affair. and they ap-
peal to the support OF many Republicans on the
claim that the May contest has really direct
connection with the important November eiec-
tion following.
While the reasons for this policy may be
sound. and are certainly creditable to the
party loyalty OF the Republican leaders OF
Maryland. 1t seems very clear TO q dispas-
sionate observer that the practical effect OF
this line OF political action 10 to throw the de-
termining Independent" or unattached.
vote OF Baltimore to the Democratic candidate.
Thomas g. Hayes. former City Counsellor and
ex-senator. In the municipal election OF 1897
MIR. Malster had the support. generally. OF the
Independent voters Of Baltimore. as we'll as OF
the Republican party soldly. and he was nomi-
mated after an open contest In the Repub blican
primaries. He polled $4,000 votes. and Mr..
Williams. his Democratic competitor. had
47.OO0 At last years election for members Of
Congress the Republican vote in Baltimore
city was 44.S0O against 1920 Democratic.
Mr.. Malster. the present Mayor. enjoys one ad-
vantage as candidate which may be said TO be
peculiar to Baltimore. namely. the willingness
OF its voters to continue q Mayor In Office:
Ferdinand c. Latrobe was chosen Mayor OF
Baltimore seven times.
Under the new Baltimore charter the Mayor
elected on Tuesday will not enter upon the dis
charge OF his duties until Nov Is. but the other
officers elected will take their Offices on May 10.
The newly elected Mayor will have q consid-
cradle number OF appointments to make In
February. 1900. but his SUCCESSORS will mako
their appointments in the Septem ber following
the May election. Among the new Mayors ap-
pointees will be two unsalared Commissioners
OF Finance. City Tax Collector for a four years
term. partly paid by the State in fees and partly
by the city: City Solicitor for four years at
$4,000. three Fire Commissioners. q Health
Commissioner. Street Cleaning Commits
sioner for four years. q City Engineer for four
years. and Park Commissioners and School
Commissioners In addition. In every board or
commission. except the School Board. com
posed OF more than one person. the new char
ter requires the selection Of one representative
OF the minority party. and for this reason per-
hnps. some Republicans look with equanimity
on the outcome OF Tuesdays election. feeling
assured that they will have at least some voice
In the Government. whether the Mayoralty
candidate OF their party wins or is defeated.
To an observer. two considerations connected
with the probable workings OF the new charter
present themselves: The long distance term"
OF appointees whereby a Mayor elected in
May 1899. Is to have the appointment. in Feb
ruary. 1900, OF officials whose terms will In
many cases not expire until March l. 1904. is
peculiar. second point OF interest in the
practical workings Of the new charter Is to be
found in the meagre salaries to be paid to
public officials. Tho Fire Commissioners, for
instance. are to receive 81 900 year each, the
Street Cleaning Commissioner $2,5Oo and the
Superintendent OF Public Buildings 81 800. A
number Of the heads OF departments are TO
work gratuitously for the city. Baltimore Ia a
thrifty and wealthy town. Its credit Is high.
It's business Ia brisk. it's resources are abund-
ant. The net debt OF the city including rail-
road guarantees. Is less than 500. .0OO. 900. and
the assessed value OF property is In excess Of
$3.50. 100000. In view OF these circumstances
It will seem probable to most persons that the
city OF Baltimore ought to be able to pay moro
liberal compensations to its chief public off,
cials. The fact that many Of them have long
terms does not seem to be Of much impor-
tnnce In view Of the fact that so many OF them
will get no salaries.
An element Of weakness In the Republican
campaign this year arises from the fact that
1.-THE color line." always q dangerous one for
the Republicans In n Southern State. has been
injected into the present canvass. and will aid
IN making many votes for the Democratic nom
inee. Mr.. Hayes OF the 100000 voters OF Bati-
more $4,000 arc white men and $4,000 ere
colored. There is only one "colored ward" the
Fourteenth. in the city. So long as the Demo-
cratic party was In control in Baltimore the
colored voters were satisfied with a subor-
dinatc position in the Republican minority.
With Republican lead in tho city and State,
however. the colored Republicans have de.
manded what they consider fair share OF the
Offices, and as many OF the white Renu blicans
OF Baltimore are opposed TO any such rec0e-
milton there has been clash. Some OF the
white Republicans have objected to the recoe-
milton OF the colored vote. and many OF the
coored Republicans have objected. on the
other hand. TO its inadeauaey. The Democrats,
who have little colored support. lose nothing
from this controversy they will gain. perhaps.
many votes through II. though their chief de-
pendence Is upon Republican defectons from