Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-28
WAKEFIELD IS DEFIANT
Last Message of the Retiring
Maryland Governor.
TO USE VERY PLAIN WORDS
General Assembly Is Anxious to
Discredit Him.
BALTIMORE POLICE SHAKE-UP
Slow Progress Being Made on the
Proposed DISTINGUISHING
Amendment.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

BALTIMORE, Md, December 2S. 1907
On Wednesday next the Maryland gen.
eral assembly will convene and lively
times are anticipated for at least fort
night thereafter. Gov. Warfield is engaged
in putting the finishing touches on his
message, which he has declared will
throw some light" upon certain condi-
tons of which the general public are in
ignorance. Close friends of the governor
assert that the message will hit out
squarely from the shoulder and that there
will be no mincing of words in regard to
reforms which the governor will demand
in the conduct of the legislative branch
of the state government. The message, it
is stated, will border on the sensational
and the gauntlet will be thrown Squarely
down to the legislators.
The composition of the incoming general
assembly is such that the machine" is in
absolute control. Therefore, Immediately
after the message is read the fur may be
expected to fly. The fight against the
chief executive of the state will be LED
by Senator German Of Howard county,
bitter political and personal enemy of the
governor, and no stone will be left I'M
turned to throw discredit upon the out
going administration in general and Gov.
Warfield in particular. The machine mas
the past four years and Warheid's state
ment anent the unfair deal he received
in the senatorial primaries has only adoed
fuel to the flame which was burning
fiercely.
Reform League Plans.
The legislative committee of the Baiti-
more Reform League, in which Attorney
General Bonaparte took an active part
before becoming a member of the cabinet,
has been at work on measures which 1t
will urge before the legislature. One OF
the most important Of these relates to
the election law. 1t will urge the repeal
of all existing statutes relating to cleo
lions and the restoration of the law to
the shape in which it stood as passed by
the republican legislature of 1895. This
republican election law, which was ao-
mitted by all to be the fairest ever passed
by a legislative body in Maryland, was
emasculated in 1901 when the then Gov
ernor of Maryland and now the party
boss, John Walter Smith, called an extra
session In order that the present PERM
cious measure could be enacted and the
return of Arthur Pue German to the
United States Senate made certain. The
Reform League will, however, urge the
retention of that feature of the law OF
1901 which forbids the rendering of as
sistance in marking ballots except in
those cases where the voter is physi-
cally incapacitated. The bill will also
provide for the restoration of the party
emblem at the head of the column, does
away with the "black-line'' ballot and
prevents the throwing out of the ballot
because the ends of the cross-mark ex-
tend beyond the lines of the square.
Corrupt Practices Act.
Another measure which will be urged
by the Reform League is the corrupt
practices act, which has been before the
legislature on numerous occasions and
which has always been effectually put
to sleep by the ring" managers. The
necessity for such an act will also be
touched upon in the governors message.
and will consequently receive black
eye even before it comes formally before
the general assembly. However, it is point
ed out that the democratic state conven-
ton last summer put itself sdAarely on
record to put on the statute books OF
Maryland a law which would do away