Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-06
POLITICAL POT BOiLS
Great Activity Among the Leaders
in Baltimore City,
OPPOSITION TO MAYOR MASTER
Cause of a Serious Breach in Re-
publican Party.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
BALTIMORE. January D, 1899.
The opening of the new year has brought
about a decided turn in politics in both the
democratic and republican parties, and
1899 promises to be the most eventful year
in political affairs that this state has seen
for long time. The echoes of the horns
and bells that ushered in January 1 hat
scarcely died away before the politicians
began to make preparations for the APP
preaching contests. Conferences are now
held daily and nightly by leaders of both
parties, who are endeavoring 10 get mat
tiers Strengthened out so that when the
final struggle comes they may be prepared.
This is notably the case with the repub-
ncans, who, as their party is in control,
are facing more trouble in their own ranks
than their opponents. In fact, the great
problem to be solved by the republicans is
in the city of Baltimore, where the candi-
dacy Of Mayor Malster for denomination
bids fair 10 disrupt their party, and is
giving the leaders more concern than all
other things combined.
Elections During the Year.
The Importance of the year to politicians
can be understood when it is realized that
in May the city of Baltimore Will elect d
full set of city officers, for the first time
under the new charter, which was enacted
by the last general assembly, and that
these officers will hold their places for four
years instead of two years, has been
the case in the past. All the city patron
age, including the offices, great and small,
to the number of seV eral thousand, depends
on this election. The expenditure of large
sums of money, aggregatinS in taxes and
loans over $lo.UN,OOU year, Will be I'M
der the control of the new city govern
ment, which, together with the incidental
advantages to the winning party, makes a
political prize greater than has ever be-
fore been at stake in this city. The poll
ticians, realizing all this, are making prepa-
rations accordingly. and the leaders are
already at work getting matters in shape
for the contest. The republicans. holding
the offices now. are anxious to retain them,
and the democrats looking on with hungry
eyes. are equally anxious to win in order
that they may return to the good things
trey lost by the election of 1885
The contest in the republican party for
the nomination of candidate to succeed
Mayor MalSter has already reached the
boiling point, although no one has been
chosen by the opponents Of Mr.. Master to
lead tie fight against him in the primaries
Despite this fact. however, the opposition
is thoroughly organized. and the Union
League Club with its $50 members, the
moving spirit of whom is Collector of Gus
toms VIM. F. Stone. is the center of an
anti-N lister movement. which is daily in
creasiuE in strength. and is backed by
very large proportion of the leading re-
publican business men of the city. These
gentlemen say that Mr.. Masters renomi-
nation VIII insure the defeat of the party
in the city election and that the moral eff
feet Of such a defeat will be the further
defeat Of the party in the state election next
fall when "a governor. controller. attorney
general and new legislature. with all that
may follow in their train, are to be chosen.
In n TaIS 90 n
as to say openly that should the mayor
he renominated the result will be the prac-
teal collapse and disintegration of the re-
publican party. and that it will take years
to recover from the evils which VIII fali
on that party.
Mr.. NaIsfer in Earnest
The friends of Mayor Malster and that
gentleman himself are however. in serious
earnest. and are working as hard now TO
accomplish their ends as if the primaries
were to take place next week instead of
several months later. They laugh at the
threats and dire predictions of their oppo-
nents. and point TO the fact that the same
people foretold the same things in 1897, be-
fore Mr.. Malster was nominated and elect
ed in that year. They express the greatest
confidence in their ability 10 win at the
primaries. and in support of their claims
point TO the well-knOwn fact that a great
proportion of the men who usually vote at
those who talk. but do not vote. are against
them They also point to the further fact
that they are in full control of the city
committee, that they have all the city Off
ces, that they have with them the army of
men who clean the streets, and repair and
construct the public works, and last but
by no means Of the least Importance, they
have the almost solid phalanX of the more
than 1900 colOred voters to cast their bal
lots at the primaries for Mr.. Malster who
mas recognized the colored people in the
pubic service 10 an extent never before
Known IN this or any other city. Taking
ali these things into consideration they can
well AFFORD to say that they have the in
size track in the race. and unless Mr. NAL
sler can De persuaded to withdraw in the
interest Of party harmony. the present in
dlcations all point to his triumphant re-
nomination. no matter how great the oDDo-
sitlon TO him among what is known as the
election later on. that is problem of an
other and more difficult sort
What the Democrats Are Doing.
While the republicans are devoting them
selves 10 efforts to increase the strength of
the!r respective factions. the democrats
are cemeniins the harmony which resulted
from the selection of Mr.. James p. Gorter
as president of their city convention. and
are quietly awaiting the appointment of the
committee OF seven who have charge of
tHeir nuhicipal primaries. They realize
city from the republicans but have been
sreatE encouraged by the fact that they
had plurality of the popular vote last No
FefnDer III the congressional election They
claim that they will be thoroughly organ
ize1 Tor work In the course of a few weeks
ana that when the real campaign onens in
the spring they will be in better shane for
q hSht than they have ever been before
!Rey also derive great comfort from the
iactlohal contests among the republicans
ana are quietly doing all in their power 10
hdd 10 the dtscord already existing among
Their foes. They say they want Mr.. NAL
Sler rehominated. on the ground that he
can be most easily defeated. and when the
republican primaries take place the MAYORS
Irlencs VIII no doubt be able to secure all
the help they may need from their marty
enemies When the election comes around.
however the case will be different
Gov. Lowndes' Campaign.
Gov Lowndes has started in TO make his
campaign for denomination and is re-
eeiving much encouragement from his
friends Up to the present time no candi-
GATE has appeared in the field against him.
anu should he be renominated and re-
elected. he would be the first governor of
maryland as state who has ever become
MS own successor. But 1t is early in the
= year, and no doubt there will be many