The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-03-01

'Ootu against Dy many delegates
through perfectly honest motives, but
there is the pity of it; they did not get
the money themselves, but their names
undoubtedly went down in some lob
byist's book in that category, and the
same lobbyist quietly pocketed the
money. Four ffth's of the honest men
in Maryland who have represented
counties or districts in this General As
sembly have at one time or another,
been sold out at so much per head, in
precisely this manner.
A resolution has been introduced in
the House providing for an investiga-
ton into the sale of the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal; earlier in the session some
thing of similar nature was. presented
to the Senate.
This bears heavily on the Western
Maryland railroad, and is intended to
discover why, if possible, $15O,OOO was
the very highest bid received for this
property, in which Maryland altogether
has spent more than $50, 1000. 1t is
common talk that the reason this absurd
ly low price was the highest bid receiv-
ed, was because the Baltimore and Ohio,
the Pennsylvania and the West Md.
railroad were in collision at the time of
the sale, and that no real competition
whatever took place in the bidding
Some of the best lawyers in the State,
also declare the sale to have been en-
tirely unconstitutional. 1t would not be
a surprise if this were put to the test,
or law passed declaring the entire sale
to be void 1t is impossible to ascertain
who the mysterious would be bidder is,
| but it is rumored that some other inter
estis now very anxious to obtain con-
troll of the canal, and would gladly pay
a great deal more for it than was re-
ceived from the Western Maryland
could it be up for sale once more. This
transfer of the canal has never been
popular and has had much to do with
| the remarkable revulsion of feeling
which has taken place all over the State,
toward the Western Maryland railroad
since the session two years ago. At the
very time that the most favorable sort
of legislation was being enacted in its
| behalf, the Western Maryland people
apparently were plotting a scheme to
deprive the people Of ever a moderate
price for an immensely valuable holding.
If there is any possible way of reopen
ing the transaction, and obtaining for
the State what its interest was worth,
it may, with reasonable certainty, be
| expected in the near future.
Governor Warfeld has made all his
appointments and from tn is time on I'M
til the end Of the session will be able to
devote himself to the consideration of
matters of legislation, unhampered by
the opportunities Of office-seekers and
their friends, who have made his life a
burden since the opening days in Janu-
airy. Of course there are many disap-
pOintments, and several of the Senators
are threatening war on the Governor,
but the list of names has been, as a
whole, well-received, and the indica-
tons are that few will not be confirmed
promptly.
Both houses are tranSacting large
| amount of routine business, very little
of which is of general interest. The i'm
| portant measures are nearly all yet in
| committee rooms, but it is expected that
many of them will be brought out at
once and the interesting general legisla-
ton gotten under way and pushed to a
conclusion.
County people from every section of
the State, from Garrett on the West to
Worcester on the Southeast, have been
here this week in greater numbers than
at any time this session. Nearly all
were politicians and all talked politics,
especially next years politics, on which
the usual diversity of opinion prevailed
The most interesting feature of the
talk was that Ex-Governor Eihu E.
jackson $ friends all seem to think that
he will be a candidate for the guberna-
torial nomination next year, while the
friends Of Ex-Governor Brown and Gov
ernor Warfield seem confident that their
favorites will also be in the running
when the time comes, ready to make an
energetic contest for the Republicans
for their party nomination.
What will be done in regard to a gen
eral primary election law is a problem
Some of the county people want a new
primary law while others are either hos
tile or Indifferent. The city delegation
seems to be divided on the subject and
party lines are not drawn on the matter
up to the present time. The Democrats
generally appear to favor the Crescent
Club plan which will be taken up in a
! few days. 1t is understood that before
the close of the session the Crescent
| Club will invite the Democratic mem
bers of the General Assembly to a meet
ing at it's club house in Baltimore where
they will be given an entertainment, and
incidentally have talk on the subject