Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-24
PRINCE GEORGES POLITICS
MARYLAND COUNTY GIVING DEMO-
Gratis MUCH CONCERN.
Factions Arrayed in an Apparen
Fight to a Finish-Repub-
licans Are Confident.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star

LAt REL, NIL, July -t-N III tie dp-
proach of the democratic primaries, which
are to be held on the 9th of this month,
the factional strife in this county shows
little signs of abating. Every effort is be-
ing made by the leaders to avoid contests
wherever possible, but their efforts are
not meeting with the desired success. The
situation in Prince Georges Is known to
be giving ex-senator German considerable
concern, and he is using his pacific powers
wherever he can to bring about harmony.
It is hardly likely that he will be able to
heal the bad feeling which will result from
the victory of either the Wilson of Griffith
faction in it's fight for control Of the
county.
Mr. Joseph s. Wilson, who Is also can
didate for the state senate, is the leader
of the faction which bears his name, and
which has the support of Messrs. Fillmore
Beall and Aquilla T. Robinson, the mem
bers of the state central committee Ar
rayed against him Is DR.. L. A. Griffith of
Upper Marlboro, leader of the Griffith fac
ton. Griffith tried to g:lin control of the
county two years ago, but was unsuccess-
full He made the race for clerk OF the
court on the democratic ticket, but was
defeated by Mr.. James b. Belt, now chair
man of the republican state central COM
mittee in this county. There is no special
man running an out and out Griffith
candidate for the state senate, although it
is stated that that faction will have no
difficulty. If successful, in finding a nomi-
nee for the senate.
Min Thing mt Issue.
The victory of the Griffith faction will
mean the retirement of Messrs. Beall and
Robinson from the state central commit
tee, and the placing of DIR. Griffith and
two Of his friends on that committee by
the state convention. The present state
central committee in Prince Georges is not
in good standing with a large number of
the democrats of the county by reason of
its management Of the primary meetings
in the county recently. 1t has selected men
in the past, according to one of the demo-
cratic county papers, who have conducted
the primaries In manner extremely dis
tasteful to fair-minded democrats; the case
of the primaries in Marlboro a year ago,
where one Of the factions was kept in
entire ignorance of where the primaries
were to be held, being especially cited in
support of this.
Supporting the state central committee
and Wilson are two of the democratic pa
pers, the Marlboro Gazette and the Prince
Georges Enquirer, both published at MARI
bCro, while the Laurel Democrat Is with
the Griffith faction.
This Round Went to Griffith.
In issuing it's call for the coming pri-
maries the state central committee named
three judges instead Of two in each dis
trict one to represent the Wilson faction,
one the Griffith and the third the state
central commit e. In view Of the fact
that the state central committee sympa-
trize with the Wilson faction. it is con-
tended by the Griffith followers that It
was simply case of giving the Wilson
faction two judges, or majority. The
Griffithites fought this point strongly and
carried it to the chairman of the demo-
cratic state committee in Baltimore. who
has agreed that the judges themselves shall
not pass upon the qualifications of those
who present themselves to vote at the
primaries, but that they must receive and
count the ballot of every one who Is regis
tered or entitled TO be registered before
the fall election, and who declares his in
tention to support the democratic nomi-
nees In this way the Griffith people claim
they have won victory, as the judges
have no authority to refuse to receive the
vote OF any one who IS challenged as to his
politics, provided he declares his intention
to support the democratic nominees. There
is, consequently jubilation among the
friends of Griffith at this victory over the
central committee of the county.
Darr and Dallam Compromise.
In the Laurel district, however, what
promised to be a very bitter primary con-
test, has died out. About month ago Mr..
Charles W. Darr announced himself can
didate for the state senate, and shortly after
ward Mr. Frederick Dallam came forth as
a candidate for the house of delegates. The
entry of these two gentlemen in the field
meant repetition of the old primary con-
test of two years ago, which resulted in a
victory for Mr.. Darr, who was afterward
placed on the ticket and went down to
defeat 1t was realized by the democrats
of the district that renewal of this fight
would cause the legislative ticket the loss
Of a large number Of votes at the election.
Ex-senator German was appealed to, and,
through his aid, both Messrs. Darr and
Dallam have decided to avoid a contest
and a delegation from this place will go
to Marlboro pledged to Mr.. Darr for the
state senate, and IL it Is impossible to Sc
cure that position for him, to Mr.. Dallam
for the house of delegates. Both Dallam
the delegation from here will likely con-
sist of two Darr delegates, two Dallam del
egates, and one delegate partial to neither
side.
1t is hoped, for the sake of harmony, by
many of the democrats, that DR.. Charles
A Fox Of Evansville district, will be NOM
mated for state senator, as in him, they
think, the man could be found around
whom both factions could bury their diff
ferenceS.
Republicans May Reap Benefits.
Harmony, however. does not seem to be
one of the objects sought for by a great
many of the democrats in Prince Georges
and it Is more than likely that the repub-
licans. will be the first ones to derive any
benefit from Prince Georges increased rep
representation In the legislature, which now
gives her five votes on joint ballot, instead
of four.
The republicans nominated their ticket
more than a week since, and in almost
every quarter of the county among repub-
licans satisfaction is expressed over the
composition of it, The placing of Editor
James P. Curley of the Laurel Leader upon
the ticket is very gratifying to the repub-
licans in this district and it is expected
that Curley will poll very large vote The
republicans are very confident of carrying
Prince Georges this year, in view of the
split in the democratic ranks, which they
feel will not heal even after the convention
is held.