Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-05
TO VOTE ON BIG LOAN
BALTIMORE FREEHoLDERs BEGIN
CAMPAIGN TOMORROW.
Election on improvements Ordinances
May 1T-Fears That "Moasback"
Element VIII Defeat Plans,

Special Correspondence OF The Evening Staf.
: BALTIMORE, May ga novel campaign
will be lnaugurated here tomorrow. The
So 900 900 loan ordinance for the improve
ment OF the harbeT and docks win be voted
upon on May II. Mayor McLane and the
progressive element OF the city are fearful
that 1t may be defeated by the ''mossback'
element. as was the case with the ordinance
to widen Baltimore street.
An executive committee to manage the
campaign has been selected, and consists
of Messrs. Thomas J. Shryock. e. Stanley
Gary, John Waters, David Hutzler. Joseph
R. Foard. Francis K. Carey and Frank A.
Furst all prominent In financial and COM
merciaI life. se,. 49,
The campaign viii be conducted along he
same lines as employed In political cam
paigns. and Mayor McLane will take the
stump along with other city officials and
prominent business men, In advocacy OK
the passage Of the loan ordinance.
Dock improvements.
THE dock improvements" said Chair
man Sherlock Swami of the burnt district
commission to The Star correspondent to-
day. as the most important of the whole
rehabilitation plan. The idea has been
carefully developed and has received the
sanction of every member Of the citizens
emergency committee, and property own
ers all along the water front are heartily
In favor of every feature as we have
mapped it out. II there Is any pronounce
ed opposition to the loan 1t has been
brought about by the agitation against
widening Baltimore street.
THE loan will not inflict hardship upon
any one The ordinance provides for the
payment of this loan by tax of cents
upon each 800. This certainly is not q
great Increase in the tax rate when the
great benefits to accrue from improving
the water front are taken into considera-
ton
Arguments Against Widening Streets.
Secretary Clarence NJ. Forrest, In dis
cussing the subject said: "The arguments
brought to bear against the widening Of
Baltimore street will prove dangerous to
the future welfare Of the city and the pro-
posed dock-loan ordinance. I believe that
the people have been misled by certain
newspapers which opposed the wider Balti-
more street project, and which endeavored
to make the public believe that the i'm
provement would delay the rehabilitation
of the city and cause a greatly increased
tax rate. And herein lies the danger to the
dock loan."
If" continued Secretary Forrest, "the
statement that the councilmen who chang
ed their votes on the STRENGTHENING ordi-
nance did so because their constituents
were opposed to an increased tax rate be
bona fide, then logically you have the con-
dition Of those same constituents being
opposed to the dock loan, unless it can
be demonstrated that they think the dock
improvements will Justify their paying in
creased taxes, while the Baltimore street
In provement would not.
Slight Increase IN Tax Levy.
Now, as matter of fact, the Baltimore
street improvement was to be paid out OF
the money in the sinking fund. and would
not have eadded a cent to the tax rate,
whereas the dock loan will require slight
increase in the tax levy to provide for In
terest upon the loan and the creation Of a
sinking fund It is to be hoped that the
people will In the campaign be brought 20
realize the great benefit that will accrue
from modern docks, and that the ordinance
will be carried by good majority.
Ever since the defeat in council of the
ordnance to widen Baltimore street there
have been ugly TumorS af1Oat to the effect
that certain conncilmen were tempered
with and there is some talk of an investi-
CATION"
Councilman Radcliffe in discussing these
rumors today said to The Star correspond
ent:
II am in favor of an Investigation Every
honest man. whether in politics or private
life. should endeavor to keep his name clear
of any stigma, and these rumors should be
proven true or false. If the talk has
reached the stage that 1t is given the slight
est credence, an investigation of the most
rigid character should be made and the
truth be ascertained at any cost"
Favors Investigation.
Councilman Mahool Of the twelfth ward
said: II am thoroughly In favor of a
councilmanic investigation. The people. OF
| course, know who voted for and who voted
| against the ordinance. but 1t is unpleasant
| to think that ugly rumors are abroad as to
| the methods employed to defeat the ordi-
nance. 1t was not measure which should
have been SO voted upon as to cause the
| slightest suspicion that anything save the
real interests Of Baltimore were consid-
cred"
Councilman Bond said: 1T can hardly be-
| lieve that any member Of the council was
| tempered with. but know how weak some
! Of the members are and also know what
| influence was brought to bear upon them.
| The fight was bitter one, but know that
some gentlemen who opposed the ordinance
| would not have resorted to untoward meth
| DDS to defeat 1t. I know also that there
were others who would have gone to any
extreme
THE ANTI-SAInON rEAaTrE