Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-17
Maryland Democrats Chatting
Under Smith Methods.
RULES WITH ROD OF IRON
Contrast With the Old German Rasin
Regime.
oTABLE ABSENCE OF TACT
Speculation Over the Seth-Covington
Contest-Eastern Shore
Reputation.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
BALTIMORE. Md. May 16. 1905.
The first fruits of Senator Smith S
reign as boss of the Maryland democ-
racy will be seen this fall. and from the
mutterings heard. even at this early date
there is going to be something doing ir
the line of kicking over the traces. The
Independent democrats are In an ugly
mood. having been wholly ignored by the
new machine. Senator Smith has ruled
and is ruling with a rod of iron. ano
even some of the IRE ulars' don't take
kindly to the crack of the whip as WELD
ed by the new boss. Smith is using ir
state party management the same tactics
he pursued as boss of the eastern shore.
The politics played by the elder German
and Free Rasin were of the velvet kind
and the old henchmen cannot get used &c
the mailed-fst order of things Senator
Smith fails to realize that one cannot
teach an old dog new tricks. and there are
those who have closely watched Smith 5
reign as boss who declare that the SEN
ator is riding for a fan at the coming
election. His pet scheme. the diSfran-
chisement amendment. will certainly fail
of ratification at the hands of the Tot-
eTS next November. because tie Ilue-
pendent democrats are solid against II.
A Congressional Fight.
There is much speculation as to the
course Smith will pursue In the fight now
on between Gen. Joseph B. Seth and J.
Harry Covington for the congressional
nomination in the first district, which is
the stronghold of Smith. The state boss
is said to favor Covington. and IL such
be the case then Covington will win.
Friends of Smith however. claim that he
will be hands off in the contest and allow
Seth and CovlnSton TO settle 1t among
themselves.
AS a result of the fight the democrats
of Talbot county are badly split and
such bitter factional feeling may result
that it will be deemed eXpedient to hand
out the nomination to a third party. No
matter what democrat gets the nomina-
ton. he Will have to lock horns with Rep
resentative William H. Jackson. who has
heretofore. with only one exception, sue
ceeded in carrying off the real prize.
The eastern shore has come to be re-
garded as the hotbed of political corrup-
ton. both parties being admittedly free
in the use of money on election day. II
is thought however, that there will be
very little money used In the coming cleo
ton. because of the passage OF the cor
rupt practices act by the last legislature.
1t Is generally understood that Smith Will
make a great fight to turn the district
over TO the democratic column. because
he feels that the state leader" ought to
be able to carry his own stronghold.
Wachter May Run.
1t is not at all unlikely that Frank
Wachter may enter the political arena
again and go after the republican con-
gressional nomination in the third dis
trict Previous to the election In 1906
OF Representative Wolf Wachter. who re-
fused the nomination in order to get into
the mayoralty race had represented the
third district In Congress for many terms
Prior to 1896 the third district, In which
is included East Baltimore and the down
town wards. had come to be regarded as
a democratic Gibraltar.
The first republican went to Congress
on the political landslide. and then Wach-
ter took hold of the district and kept
control OF 1t continuously. During his
political career Wachter has had stirring
contests with the regular republican or
ganization and particularly with William
F. Stone. the city leader: but a DISPOSE
tion to oppose him on the part of the pol
iticians has never applied to his congress
sional aspirations. Just how they may
receive his candidacy this fall. in case
he goes into the race, remains to be seen.
the last mayoralty primaries engender-
ed intense feelings.
To Form Gray League.
movement is now under way here to
form a George Gray League to boom
the Delaware jurist for the democratic
presidential nomination provisional
committee, consisting of John Z. Semmes,
Randolph Barton, George r. Willis,
James L. Dennis. ]. Southgate Lennon,
C. Baker Ciotworthy and George w. VIII
lams-all prominent as independent dem
ocrats-has sent out letters inviting vot-
ers to form George Gray League OF
Maryland. Mr.. Thomas F.. Cadwalader
who is temporary secretary and who is
taking an active part in the movement
said to The Star correspondent today:
The hope OF the Gray league is TO con-
vince the southern states whose conven-
tfons are yet TO meet that Bryan cannot
win, and to induce them TO send unin-
structed delegations to Denver. The anti
Bryan movement has more than a nu-
cleus in the delegations from New York
Delaware. New Jersey. Pennsylvania
Connecticut. South Carolina. Louisiana
Minnesota and Maryland. all of which
will be against the Nebraskan.
1T is up TO us TO get from the south
ern states a sufficient additional number
TO prevent the nomination of Bryan.
Accuses Roosevelt.
The Taft people know that Bryan
cannot De elected, continued Mr.. Cad
walader, and they are industriously
circulating erroneous reports to the effec
that he has already two-thirds of tn.
delegates to the democratic convention
pledged to him. Press associations con
trolled by the Taft forces are predicting
that it is impossible to defeat Bryan.
nomination. What did Roosevelt NEAR
by inviting Bryan to this conference nov
going on in Washington. Bryan is not 6
governor Roosevelts idea was to brine
Bryan still more into prominence an(
help 10 make his nomination certain. Th,
game of Roosevelt in regard TO Bryar
Is plain 10 those who Will use a littl,
common sense. The Taft people wan,
Bryan nominated because he can be 81
easily beaten I NJ ID