The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-01-25
WHAT IS GOING ON
At MARYLAND'S CAPITAL.
The State House Is Still at Annapolis
But It Is Seldom Used.
LITTLE BUSINESS TRANSACTED
Thus Far During the Legislative Ses-
siOn-NearJy a nOnth Passed and
AS Yet Little or Nothing Accom-
plished.

plished.
STATE HOUSE, ANNAPOLIS, Jan. %,
1906. Slowly the General Assembly of
Maryland is getting down to business.
Both branches of the law making body
took a weeks rest after the arduous
labors of organizing and once more as
sembled after this period of relaxation,
were apparently again overcome by the
memory of what they had been through
for the Tuesday night and Wednesday
morning sessions We're the only ones
held the second week. Last week,
however, there We're four sessions, and
this week there may be five. All this
is apparently in Difference to old but
senseless custom, that nothing of con-
sequence shall be done during the first
half of the biennial ninety days.
The committees are all announced now
however, the organization is complete,
all or nearly all the spoils have been
divided and the State may soon look for
work from these, its servants, whose
good wages it pays every day and Sun
day too, whether they do anything to
earn them or not
Few matters Of partisan nature are
expected to come before the Legislature
this session. There is talk of changes
in the election law but even that is sup
posed to be n-partisan-a reform
which all good citizens will want to see.
Aside from that this ought to be bus
mess legislature, one to 90 down in
State annals as having wasted little
time on politics and partisanship, hay
ing been too busy with business legis-
latiOn.
This is what it should be and what it
easily might be expect for the threat
ening attitude of one wing of the Senate
toward the Governor. Last week there
were abundant indications that certain
Senators are not friendly toward the
Governor and still more abundant indca-
tons that certain other senators are not
only on friendly terms with His Excellen-
cy, but much too ready to take up his
fight. A readiness to cross fractional
swords and wash Democratic linen in the
State Senate may be as harmful to the
interests Of the State as waste of val
liable time in partisan fight.
On the face OF the matter the cause
of trouble last week was innocent en-
ough. Senators German and Brewington
on Wednesday introduced orders, the
first inquiring of the Attorney General
what had been done in pursuance of
Legislative instructions given in 1900
toward safeguarding the States inter-
est in the Washington Branch of the
B. & 0. railway, the second asked of
the Governor full official information re-
garding the sale of Maryland's interest
in the C. & 0. canal to the Western
Maryland railroad. These are both
matters in which the entire state is in
terested and in which it has abundant
right to be enlightened. Certainly too
the Senate has right to the information
which these orders looked to it reciev-
ing, nevertheless, members of the Sen
ate and friends of the Governor, seeing
in both orders, a dub for the Executive
and exercising more loyalty than judg-
ment, threw themselves into the breech,
secured p0stponment where there should
here been no postponment and precipi-
tated discussion where there should
have been no discussion.
Whatever may have been the Interior
motive of Messrs. German and Brewing
ton each denies any motive save the
obvious one Of seeking information
and both. belong to the faction out of
sympathy with the executive their
intention would have failed, but for the
course of Governors friends. The Gov
ernor himself had nothing to conceal and
will lay no straw in the way of the Sen
ate's having all the information it may
desire and he does not himself want de-
lay, buthis friends by their rush to his
support allowed the opposition to Ques-
ton, why? IF everything is all right, "
they naturally asked: why do you OBJ
ject to ourhaving all the details we want.
1t looksas though there is something
to conceal.
And so the trouble between the Gov
ernor and the leaders of his own party
has come out from under cover and has
taken the open. The first clash results
in an even heat, the orders so far as
clubbing the Governor is concerned have
fallen fiat The Governor will give the
information but on the other hand by
the course of his friends they have
thrown an undesirable slur at his name.