Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-01
MARYLAND POLITICS
OLD SCHOOL WITH .sBoss. RAsIN
IN Is DEAD.
Authorities War on Typhoid Fever
Epidemic in Hampden and Wood
berry-House Fly to Blame.

Special Correspondence OF The stsr
BALTIMORE. Md. June 80. 1906.
The old school of politics which fiourished
In Baltimore for over quarter century
under the leadership OF Boss Rasin Is
doomed In the past every candidate for
office made strenuous efforts to climb on the
organization band wagon and was eager to
have II known that he had the support OF
the old man" In those days the candIS
date with the temerity to oppose Rasin
round himself marooned on the sea OF po-
lttical oblivion. Boss Rasln In his hal
cyon days made mayors controlled city
councils, had absolute sway over the police
department and exercised a powerful in
hnence in ulacing in the guberna-
torial chair and In the United States Senate.
IN local politics Rasns word was law
and so powerful was his influence that even
iaborer In the city could not be appointed
unless Rasin approved of the selection His
dominion over the destiny of the city and
tne poiticai fortunes OF men was absolute
Today Rasin stands as the undls3uted
leader OF the organization but shoru Of
practically all power TO make" men In
the game of politics. At best he can only
defeat the ambitions OF his political oppo-
nents by aiding In the election of repub-
hcans In 1899 Rasin for the first time
during his reign boss was unable 10
stem the tide toward Thomas c. Ha. es for
mayor and, although he brought all In
nuences to bear to defeat Hayes for the
nomination. Honest Tom walked OFF with
the plum Rasin, realizing that he had
been beaten. adopted new tack He sun
ported Hayes in the campaign that fol-
lowed and Is entitled to credit for having
rolled up big majority for Hayes Upon
being Indicted Into office HAYES at once
served notice upon Boss Rasin that or
ganization" men would receive scant rec
ognition. II any. in the distribution of plums
from the mayoralty office
when Mayor Hayes sent HIS nominations
to the council there not even a luke
warm Rasin man in the list for heads of
city departments. Then came a house
cleaning In the city hall. Rasin followers
fell under the official ak and their places
Were hlled with men OF the anti-organiza-
ton stripe.
During his four years administration
Mayor Hayes devoted himself assduously
toward the building up OF personal ma
chine He made no bones of the fact that
he wanted second term and that incident
ally he desired to crush the Rasin machine
Rasin however. had a trusted ueutenant
Daniel ]. Loden, then a new factor In poll
tcs, IN the west end Loden was clerk TO
the commissioners OF opening streets and a
member OF the Kitchen cabinet of Mayor
Hayes Loden took part in every confer
ence held by the mayor and his closest
ADVISERS. learned the plans OF Hayes and
The possession of this knowledge of Haves'
pan OF campaign gave Rasin the oppor-
tunlty TO circumvent every move made by
the mayor.
When the spring of 1903 rolled around
Rasln began still hunt for a man to beat
Hayes in the primaries. He was fully cogni
zant OF the fact that Hayes could defeat
any regular organization man whom Rasin
might select. Therefore the odd Man" real
izing that he was checkmated turned 10
me SILK restocking element or Independents
ana offered his support to Robert NJ. Nc
Lane, then states attorney for Baltimore
Rasin had no love for McLane, but he
sought man who could beat Hayes for q
denomination.
McLane defeated Hayes by a good ma ior-
ity, was loyalty supported by the organiza-
ton forces, and elected to the mayoralty
Rasin never applied to McLane for any ia
vors he had defeated the ambitious Mayor
Hayes for second term, and Rasin was
satisfied.
The typhoid epidemic in Hampden and
Woodberry. suburbs OF Baltimore is stiIl
raging, and there are as many cases now
as when the epidemic was at it's height six
weeks ago. The officials of the health de-
partment have reached the conclusion that
the house fly is to blame for the spread of
the fever, for 1t is claimed this little insect
can carry on his brush-like feet thousands
Of typhoid germs and deposit them inevita-
bly, on all food that 1t preys upon. AS a re-
suit of this view the health officers are en-
deavoring to have every typhoid fever pa
tient in the infected districts shut in care
fully by fly screens Every other safeguard
has been resorted to in the effort to stem
the epidemic, but to no avail. The wells IN
the district have been condemned and closed
where infected, the general sanitary condi-
tons of the section have been improved by
the cooperation of the residents with the
street cleaning department and the garbage
removal contractors. Despite all this there
are now 300 cases of fever and there are
reports of from two TO four new cases
daily.
The work Of building a sewerage system
for Baltimore is now on in full blast. The
land for the disposal plant has been Sc
lected at a point in Baltimore county near
Back river This plant will soon be under
construction, and when completed the work
Of excavation throughout the city will be
begun. The outfall sewer has been located
and plated This is the main sewer
through which the sewage will be carried
to the disposal plant after having been re-
ceived from the lateral branches. Owing
to the location Of the Back river plant no
force will have to be applied In getting the
sewage there as the natural fall OF the land
is believed to be sufficient to accomplish
this purpose. The cost Of the completed
system for Baltimore will be 100000.
~
There is a general sentiment gaining
ground for the abolition of hanging as a
form OF capital punishment In Maryland
and the substitution therefor of the more
humane method OF electrocution The move
ment Is being conducted by the Prisoners
Aid Society When the next legislature
meets the society, backed by prominent
physicians. will urge the creation of a state
commission to investigate the most humane
method of putting criminals to death and
to report II possible to the same general
assembly, in order to avoid the two-year
delay that would necessarily follow Dr.
Marshall L. Price of the state board of
health has begun the collection of statistics
on the actual physical condition of hanged
criminals. These will afford some scientific
data of great value to present to the next
legislature, and will be used as a basis or
experience upon which the committee could
rely In reporting Its recommendations to
the general assembly. J. ND