The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-04-10
Especial to The Republican,

BALTIMORE, Md, April 8, 1902.
The prevailing topic of converse
ton among politicians of both parties
since the adjournment of the General
Assembly has been the probable effect
of the session on the fortunes of the
Democratic party, and there is but
one opinion expressed by all unbiased
judges, and that is that it will be dis
astrous to the Democratic organiza-
ton in the next State election as well
as in the Congressional election this
fall.
No matter what may have been the
cause the Democratic party will be
held responsible for all the sins of
omission and commission committed
at Annapolis since January /. That
party started the session in full con-
troll of both Houses, as well as of the
executive department. Every officer
named in the Senate and House was
a Democrat. The committees were
all Democratic by large majorities
and the responsibility for all legisla-
ton rested on them. They cannot
get out of the difficulty by attempt
ing to throw the responsibility on the
House after that body threw off the
shackles and got away from them for
the break in their lines did not take
place until after the session was nearly
two-thirds over and the break was
caused by their disregard of the plain
est dictates of political common sense.
Indeed the only thing preventing the
session from becoming the worst and
most corrupt ever held in the State
House was the formation of the COM
bination and whatever of good was
accomplished and evil prevented was
due to the work of the combination
when it had gained control after the
Goth of February. Prior to that time
not one measure of any interest to
the public had been passed by either
House. Subsequent to that time the
House passed the amendments to the
election law and many other bills ora
meritorious character, and whatever
of these became laws were only passed
by the Senate with extreme reluct-
ance and in response to the demand
of a united press and people. Every
effort was made to make the cleo
ton law in an underhand manner by
the insertion of crooked amendments
and that their nefarious schemes
failed was due entirely to the vigil
ance of the combination in the House.
No credit whatever is due the Senate
for what was grudgingly yielded by
that body and no credit is given by
any one who is at all familiar with
the situation. In fact, to sum up the
political effect of the session, the
Democratic organization has lost i'm
measurably in the popular estimate,
while the Republicans and their indie
pendent allies have gained in an
equal degree.
And now as to the special session
which it is understood will be con-
vened in about three weeks. The en-
tire responsibility for it and its re-
sulting expense to the State rests on
the shoulders of one man, and that
man is John g. Rogers, of Howard
county, who was chairman of the
Committee on Ways and Means. 1t
has always been part of the duty of
the chairman of that committee to
look out for such bills and to see that
they were promptly considered as
soon as reported. For any other
member, even the Speaker himself, to
have taken the responsibility would
have been without precedent and
have been considered presumptuous.
Mr.. Rogers simply neglected his duty
in this regard, and the truth, which
is quietly admitted by all Democrats,
is that he failed most signally to size
up as a competent leader. AS chair
man of the Ways and Means Commit
tee he was the official leader of the
House, the representative of the ad-
ministration, and above all else the
man in charge of all the financial
bills. He should have called the tax
levy bill up as soon as it was reported
from his committee and had it acted
upon at once. Such has always been
done in former sessions, and had Mr..
Rogers been awake and alive to his
duty he would have followed the
usual precedents and there would
have been no necessity whatever for
an extra session. AS it is the State
will be put to great expense and