Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-12-28
SENATOR LEE INTERVIEWED.

ocratic leaders in the State, "Blair Lee will
be invited. He's Democrat and a State
Senator"
When the subject of realignment oil
the Democratic forces is up nowadays, Blair
Lees is name not infrequently mentioned
as one likely to play more prominent part
In State politics for the next decade or two.
Lee went to the Legislature last winter as
Senator from Montgomery county. He him
self says that he was very green specimen
OF the genus legislator, but his honesty, his
traighttorwardness, his effectiveness OF
speech, together with his attractive person.
ality, won him many friends, nor can II be
denied that he rendered good service to the
State.
Two or three things lend plausibility to
the suggestion that he will take bigger
part in State politics hereafter. He Is In
the prime of life; he likes politics; he is
well informed on public questions. More
| important than these, he is representative
of the "new force" in politics. Reputed to
be we'll to do, he is strong advocate of all
measures looking to the control OF public
service corporations. Most important Of all,
possibly, from the practical standpoint, he
has shown that he can carry his county. II
was with these things In mind that report
er for The Nesos cornered Senator Lee In his
| Washington office last Saturday and put to
him variety of questions concerning State,
national and party politics.
"What do you think of Frank Browns
proposition to call q conference Of Demo-
cratic leaders," was the first one.
PARTY AFFAIRS In CHAOTIC CONDITION.
"The Ex-Gov. is unquestionably right"
said Mr.. Lee, Sin saying that party organ.
ization affairs at present are In chaotic
condition, and the object OF his move is
/ Ansr hi lana Nlnk an
| looking the fact that an organization already
exists TO do the work he proposes to dor
| "One- man power In a party has It's ad.
vantages, but 1t also has its very obvious
disadvantages. Party conventions for so
long time have been cut-and.dried affairs
that we almost forget the theoretical func.
ton of a State convention. That is sup.
posed to be body composed Of representa-.
tives of the people met for discussion OF and
action on State affairs. Now, In place OF
Mr.. Browns informal conference, why not
hold genuine party convention, with dele.
gates really elected by the Democratic voters,
who should actually come together for de.
bate and with minds open to argumentP
That would be a startling change from late
conditions, but why shouldn't 1t be prac-
ticalP
ROBUST AND PATRIARCHAL DEMOCRATS.
at all comes back to the q uestion whether
the people really want to govern themselves
and have the ability to do 1t. At Annapolis
last winter suggested that there were two
classes OF Democrats-robust Democrats and
patriarchal Democrats. The robust Demo-
Gratis are those who have the will TO govern
themselves and find the way. The patrl-
archal Democrats are those who have TO
rely on some one else to do their thinking
and governing for them In all stages of
civilization where the people have been too
weak to govern themselves some form OF
absoutlsm has developed. In a pack OF
wolves the strongest rules, and 30 1t Is with
men. If the latter are in the majority In
Maryland, then sooner or later We shall re-
turn to the oman power in party organi.
cation. If not, the people will govern them
selves, TO the much greater benefit OF the
State.
Follow The WILL OF THE PEOPLE.
81 do not know whether / shall be in.
vited to the conference of Democrats called
by Elk. Governor Brown or not; or, II in
vited, whether or not shall attend. because
l do not know what attendance on such
gathering would imply. | shall have to
learn more about 1t first. Bringing these
men together might result In much good.
1t might result In few men forcing their
nominee for Governor, say, on the party,
with the result that their man would be
nominated and then beaten disastrously at
the polls. The one essential thing In no M
mating candidates and making party plat.
forms Is that the will OF the people be as
certained and followed"
Mr.. Lee is a hold-over Senator and will
serve again In the next Legislature.
"What special work have you marked out
for YOURSELF" he was asked.
REFORM LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE
81 was very green hand at the last Leg
islature," said the Senator, "but l think L
will be q little more knowing next time
The chief thing that was impressed on me
at Annapolis was the necessity for some re-
form in our Legislative procedure that will
make crookedness and manipulation hard
instead of easy. Take our ridiculous meth
cd OF engrossing bills by hand, for instance.
The bills are engrossed on paper two or
three feet long and wide, and there is no
effective way OF fixing the various sheets of
q bill together. There Is every possible
chance for error and many opportunities
for crookedness In this method.
THE VERB "To CREEP IN"
al am particularly interested In this mat
ter, because had some personal experience
with it and because Montgomery county has
suffered. Our primary election law passed
by the 1904 Legislature had two or three
things inserted without the knowledge Of
the House or Senate that totally changed the
intention OF the law and caused II TO be up
set by the Courts. We have made 9 new
addition to the English language In Mont
gomery county-the verb TO creep in. In
our county that phrase has special sgnif-
canoe; it means ito make entrance into O
Legislative document by nefarious means
Now this method OF engrossing bills under
which unintended provisions creep in ought
TO be stopped.
BILLS SHOULD BE PRINTED.
az am aware that the present Constitution
requires bills TO be engrossed, and | am In
favor Of the calling of Constitutional Con-
ventlon next year to change this, as well IS
the suffrage requirement and other things.
But until that 70 done | BEE no reason why
bills should not be printed a. we'll AZ en-
crossed. Let the one go along with the other.
When bill 10 an amendment Of an existing
statute, all changes from the old law should
be printed In different type md all succeed
ing amendmen u should be priu.ed as welt as
the bill itself. | regard this as reform Of
very great importan ce.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY PRIMARY LAW.
speaking of the prim airy election law
reminds me that we now have 10 Montgom-
cry county what think IL the best primary
election law In the State. There has been
much discussion recently regarding bribery
and the remedy therefor, and the consensus
of opinion seems TO be that in order to max e
Q law against bribery effective 1t is necessary
to provide punishment for the purchaser Of
the vote only and not for the man who sells
bis vote. This is one of the features of the
Montgomery county law.
As TO BELL RINGERS.
"There are other methods in vogue at An
napolis which really seem to have been
adopted to encourage graft. Did 1t ever Occ ar
10 you that most Of the best legislation in
troduced there. comes in the form Of bell
ringers2 Isn't it rather sad commentary
on our politics that the bell-ringer that hap
pens TO slip through represents the highest
aani rations of our neonle and onr beat achieY-