The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-02-27
THE LEGISLATURE.
A Coalition of Five Democrats and
the Republican Members
Formed.
LOBBYISTS DRIVEN FROM HOUSE FLOOR
Bad Blood Resulted and Fight Ensued
An Effort to Kill Mr.. Ashby's Prohibi-
tion Bill Made-Se5OO Raised For tho
Purpose.
Especial to The Republican.

STATE HOUSE, ANNAPOLIS, Feb. %.
Politics have been booming here for
the past few days, and ON Friday the
crisis in affairs eliminated. The con-
troll of the House of Delegates, for the
time-being, passed from the ring
Democrats to the coalition formed by
the Republicans, Mr.. Straus and the
four Democratic members from Anne
Arundel county. How long this coali-
ton will last is problematical, but the
indications are that it will continue
in force to the end of the session. DR..
George Wells, the Anne Arundel
leader, who is back of his delegation,
is determined to have revenge on the
ring for its treatment of his people in
the way of appointments as well as
on other accounts. He is one of the
most decided men in the State, and
he told your correspondent today that
there would be no peace between his
people and the regulars from now on
to the final adjournment. Mr.. Straus
has held out against the blandish-
ments of the gang for two months,
and there need be no fear as to his
detection. There are some weak
kneed Republicans, whom the Demo-
Gratis hope to secure, but as the Re-
publican leaders on the ground as
well as those throughout the State
are back of the coalition, the proba-
bilities are that it will be permanent
feature of the present session. Most
of the people here look upon it in this
way. Its continuance will put stop
to the completion of the Democratic
plans and can have nothing but good
e effect on the fortunes of the Republi-
can party in future elections.
The scenes in the House on Friday,
when the new combination took mat
tiers into their control, was dramatic
and at times startling. The Demo
Gratis knew what was coming and did
all in their power to avert the misfor-
tune without effect as they were pow
erless. Forty-nine votes will beat
forty-tive at any time, and the forty
nine stood together as one man. They
passed the order ruling the ring
agents and lobbyists off the floor and
then passed an order requiring the
Elections Committee to report at once
the reform election bill introduced by
Mr.. Straus early in the session and
which was undergoing the smother
ing process at the orders of the Dem
ocratic bosses. This bill provides
that the type used in the ballots shall
be uniform in size throughout the
State and that they shall be printed
in large plea capital letters, 1-16 of an
inch in length. The bill makes other
amendments in the election law which
tend to simplify and improve it and
altogether will cause it to be one of
the best statutes in regard to cleo
tions in any State in the Union. Some
OF the Democratic Senators favor the
bill and it may pass both Houses and
be approved by the Governor.
The Democratic bosses and their
henchmen are bitter in the denuncia-
tions of Mr.. Straus and his course.
They would be delighted to attend
his funeral, and nothing would give
them more pleasure than to have
something" to prevent his atten-
dance in the House. They have not
contented themselves with personal
abuse, but have descended to the old
plugugly methods, and on Friday
Mr.. Painter, chairman of the Com
mittee on Elections, assaulted him
after the House had adjourned.
Painter is one of the blind lieuten-
ants of the gang on the floor and
writhed under the scoring he had re-
ceived from Mr.. Straus a few moments
before. He is about twice the size of
Mr.. Straus, and Senator Ravenscroft,
who was close by when the assault
occurred, said it was one of the most
cowardly attacks he had ever seen.
DR.. Ravenscroft says that Mr.. Straus
simply made pleasant and molten
sive remark as he, passed by, when
Painter hauled off and struck him a
heavy blow under the left ear. For
tunately the victim of the assault
was not much injured, and before the
other could follow up the blow with
a urther one, DIR. Ravenscroft and
others interfered and held him off.
The affair created great excitement
at the time and came near resulting
in general rumpus, as some of the
Anne Arundel followers of Mr.. Straus
were in an ugly mood, and it would