Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-18
AFFAIRS IN MARYLAND
GORMAN PLANS THWARTED BY
ANTI-MACHINE DEMOCRATS.


calls for thirty-days' probe into the roads
affairs and not for a two-year investigation.
as was desired by the Sage of Laurel. The
republicans in the legislature were not
slow to realize that with such a club over
the railroad in the election two years hence,
when a seat In the United States Senate is
at stake, the German state machine would
be in a splendid position to secure cam
paign funds and likewise renewal of
the German lease upon the seat in the up
per house at Washington.
The anti-machine democrats in this fight
have demonstrated that the German crowd
cannot at this session ride roughshod in
the legislative halls. but the fact cannot
be overlooked that these same independents
did not play good politics was possible
under the existing conditions. Had
straight combination been formed with the
republicans. the German machine could
have been fioored completely and the in
dependents would then have been in posi-
ton to dictate certain terms to the machine
men during the remainder of the session.
AS a result of the Baltimore and Ohio
tanele. the session is half over with much
important work ahead. It was generally
expected that oyster legislation would be
well under way by this time. but present
Indications are that little. if anything at all,
will be accomplished at this session. The
oyster question has been thresbed out so
thoroughly that people seem TO have tired
of hearing about oysters and are simply
waiting for this legislature or another one
to pass planting law that will pant and
u leasing law that will lease.
AS to Ballot Reform.
Another important matter is the proposed
ballot reform measures now slumbering in
committees. These bills were introduced
IN the house and senate over a month ago,
and up to date not one has been even con-
sidered by the committee on elections. and
it Is pretty safe to assume that these bills
mil inn n, sin in ,ie-a hn1n
until such time as the legislature stands adj
jourEed sine die. That there is a crying
need Tor fair election law in Maryland has
been set forth fully IN these columns, ana
democrats as well as republicans agree that
the present emascuiated law is a disgrace
to the state The law was framed for the
sole purpose of eectng a legislature which
would return Mr.. German to the United
States Senate, and it did. Now is it rea-
sorablc 10 assume that the state machine
would favor the amending OF such d law
wien United States senatorship will again
be at stake in 1905? The same conditions
that prevailed within the party machinery
and ranks in 1901 prevail today and the
election law passed in that year IS Just as
eCcSsdry-perhapS even more So-for Ger
tain purposes in 1907 as it was in 1901.
That this law was passed for the purpose Of
giving the democrats the advantage at
elections was admitted by former Repre-
sentative Miles, democrat, before the COM
mittee on elections Of the House of Repre-
stntatiVeS at the hearing in the Smith
the legislative committee on elections is that
the bills will not be taken up until the con-
tested election cases now before the house
of delegates are disposed Of And If such
program is adhered to il is a safe 1oQ-to-I
shot that report on the elections bills in
trCGuced at this session Will never be made.
Against Labor Bill.
The leading commercial bodies of the city
arc up in arms against the Jones and Daw-
kins bills now before the legislature to pro-
hibit the employment by the city of nom
residents of the state in the building of the
sewerage system, the laying of improved
streets and other improvements planned at
cost of S5O0OO000. The Merchants and
Manufacturers Association and the TraV-
elers and Merchants Association, two of
the most powerful bodies IN the city and
representing millions OF capital IN the COM
mercial and mercantile circles of Baltimore,
will send committees to Annapolis to enter
vigorous protests against the passage OF
either bill
Secretary Forrest of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association stated today
that strong letters bearing on the undesir-
ability of the bill will be sent TO each MEM
Der of the legislative committee having the
bill in charge and to the several senators,
the latter having the fate of the measure In
their hands. 1t is argued that should
the impression get abroad that Baltimore
will not have nonresident labor in the
service of the city, all the effort that has
been made in the past two years to build
The trade OF the city will also suffer IN
discussing this phase of the case President
Tregor of the Travellers and Merchants
Association said today:
IF we propose to throw a fence around
Baltimore we may as well give up all idea
of our progressing, for so sure as the ban
Is put upon labor from the outside Just so
sure will the improvements to the city he
retarded We must have more labor in
Baltimore. As a matter of fact there are
not enough men who work on certain lines
a -F.FlF wa
want to progress we must have an open
door as far as labor is concerned. We
must have competition in this and other
lines If we would succeed
The labor bills now pending i'm the legiS-
laturc are favored by the local labor or
CARNATIONS and the fight NJ Annapolis Will
be in effect one OF capital arrayeC against
labor.
To Grade Intercity Line.
The first step looking to the resumption
OF active work in building the Washington.
Baltimore and Annapolis railroad was taken
this week, when the company asked pro-
posals for grading the roadbed from Wash
iugtop 10 Baltimore 1t IS expected that this
work will be well under way in the early
spring. Two gangs will be placed at work
one grading toward the Washington end
and the other toward this city, and the
work VIII be rushed with all possible facil-
ity until the building Of the road Is COM
p!eted. There is a hitch in the plans of
the company regarding tracisage in this
city owing to some opposition 20 two tracks
on German street, a short distance from
the iuteruTban terminal here.
A new ordinance viii be presented in
the city council on Monday granting the
Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis rail
road entrance TO the business section of
the city and while nothing definite could
be ascertaiued regarding the route it 5
said that q solution of the Pre- lem may be
reached by giving the interUrb8u lin fran
chse TO operate tracks on Lombard street.
one block south of German street. Officials
OF the railroad decline To discuss the hitch
In the granting of the franchise to enter the
cry. bat at the same time express every
confidence that an arrangement satisfac-
tory alike TO the city and the railroad viii
1be reached. The engineers of the road
have their work practically completed and,
as one official OF the railroad put It TO
The Star correspondent today, I'VE are
only waiting on the city council TO act
The facilities asked by the railroad on Ger
man street are regarded as most reasonable
ana the failure to grant the franchise az
asked has caused much uufavorable COM
ment among the more progressive citizens.
who are anxious for the Development of
closer relations between the TWO cities by
an electric line and the consequent upbuild-