Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-06
HARD FIGHT EXPECTED
Baltimore Democrats Prepar-
ing for MayoraIty Contest.
A GIVE-AND-TAKE POLICY
Rasin Will Respect the Wishes of the
Independents.
THE REPUBLICAN SITUATION
Regular Organization Opposed to Rep
resentative Wachter-Timanus Con-
fedent of the Nomination.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


cratic managers have decided upon policy
of give and take in the making of nominal
lions for the spring campaign. In other
words, the desires of the Independents are
to be respected by the city boss, I. Free
man Raisin, who realizes that the party
has before it a strenuous fight to get con-
troll of the city government. On one point,
however, Rasin will insist, and that is that
the strongest men shall be nominated in
the wards controlled by the independents.
1t seems most likely that there will be a
locking of horns between the Independents
and regulars over the mayoralty nominee.
Raisn is reasonably sure of being able to
nominate tried and true organization men
for both branches of the city council, who,
in the event of their election, would give
to the "old man. the control of the legs-
lative branch of the municipal government
Rasin, therefore in view of recent events
within the party, is disposed to meet his
od-tme enemies half way. The indepen-
dents, however, not in a mood to give
an inch. They insist that all nominations
shall be made by the people in direct pri-
mares and will not countenance any deals.
Problem for Rasin.
This, then, is the problem which
fronts the head of the democratic city ma
chine From a source close to Rasin The
chieftan is in no mood to listen to any
plan looking to the nomination of a silk
stocking democrat for mayor. He has not
forgotten his experience of four years ago
with Mayor McLane. He espeused the
didacy of McLane as against that of Mayor
Hayes, put in some strenuous work in the
primaries and succeeded in defeating the
most bitter enemy of the 'old man who
ever occupied the mayoralty chair. When
he had put Hayes out of the running Rasin
n g a M 70,
the independents: Now, gentlemen, elect
your candidate On the other hand, Rasin
marshaled his forces and took most
active part in the fight for the entire ticket
and succeeded in electing McLane and one
branch of the city council.
When McLane became mayor the boss and
his machine were ignored in the shaking of
the plum tree. not an Office of Importance
being bestowed upon a regular Rasin
knows that history will repeat itself if he
aids another silk-stocking candidate, and
hence his holding aloof in the present game
and deputizing his trusted lieutenants to
start booms for this and that man. He is
still feeling the public pulse In an effort
to find man who, while not allied with
the organization, he feels that he can con-
troll at least in some degree.
Among the Republicans.
The formal announcement by Representa-
tive Wachter during the week that he
would enter the republican mayoralty pri-
maries, although partly expected came
somewhat as surprise. Certain influences
had been brought to bear upon Wachter
to induce him to forego battling for the
honor, and in some quarters 1t was thought
that he would in the end withdraw. The
regular organization. headed by Collector
of the Port Stone. is dead set against the
representative, and Wachter today faces al
most the same situation as that which con-
fronted him four years ago. He has, how
N
ward of the city. and his leutenants assert
that he has captured many of those whom
the organization believes to have in con-
troll.
There is no gainsaying the fact that
Wachter is strong with the masses-the
rank and file of the party-and will be able
to give the organization hard fight in the
primaries next spring. Whether he can
rout the organization again. as he did in
1903 remains to be seen. At that time he
had behind him certain elements which are
now inimical to his candidacy, while certain
other elements, formerly opposed to him,
are now rallying to his support. 1t is this
complex situation which must make very
problematical the result of the primaries
Timanus Confident.
Mayor Timanus and his friends do not
appear at all worried over the candidacy
of Wachter, except for the fact that it
will cause strife, which may be carried into
the general election. The mayor has all
the powerful influences of the city organi-
cation at his back, and the claim is made
that there is no detection among the ward
leaders, the men who can hold the rank
and file in line. The organization all along
has proceeded on the principle that every
effort be made to avoid a primary fight,
and although confident of success the lead
ers deplore such condition. They claim
that had McLane served out his term as
mayor, then Wachter would have been the
logical candidate, because of the claim that
he had been counted out. But McLane,
having died in Office, and Timanus succeed
ing to the chair~at most trying period in
the city's history, the mayors claims
greater than those Of any other man within
the party.
They further assert that Timanus, II
elected, will place only republicans on
guard in the city hall, something which
he could not in honor have done in the
past, owing to the peculiar conditions under
which he became the executive head Of
the city. J. M. D.