Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
'WARF|ELD'S LAST Def
Falls Flat SO Far as Arousing
Any Sentiment.
HAS SEEN HIS BEST DAYS
Downfall the Work of the Old
Guard.
BEGUN OVER A YEAR AGO
Message to the Legislature Bristles
With Charges, Facts and Figures.
Food for Democratic Thought.
BEGUN OVER A YEAR age
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
| BALTIMORE. Md, January 4, 1908.
| The message of Gov. Warfield to the
| legislature in which he turned on the
| light" as he termed it, has fallen fiat so
| far arousing public sentiment is con-
| cerned- 1t is regarded in the light of a
| parting shot. last fling at the democratic
machine, by a man who has been perma-
nently retired from public life in Mary
| land and who will never again be a fac
| tor in politics in the state. In justice to
| Gov. Wartield it must be admitted that
| he gave the state a good admins ira ton,
but his expose of the extravagances prac
ticed by the Legislative branch of the gov
eminent was ill-timed. Had the governor
| taken this stand two years ago he would
today be in a much stronger position with
the people and the leader of a new era in
1 politics in Maryland. Even his best
| friends and admirers concede that he al
| lowed the democratic machine to make a
| tool of him, and on his shoulders must
rest the responsibility for again intrench-
ing the machine in favor in all branches
| of the state government.
Planned His Downfall.
Over a year ago the "old guard began
work on plans to bring about the retire
ment of Warfield as factor in state poll
| tics. The governor had consistently re-
fused to recognize the party organization
| in the distribution of patronage and had
made enemies right and left among the
machipe leaders and henchmen. And the
| press and public rallied to his support.
| When he sent his famous message to the
| Legislature declaring that all lobbyists
| must be driven from the state capitol
| his action was warmly appauded and
| heartily Endorsed by all good citizens.
| When he fired a broadsde against the
| proposed Poe dsfranchisement amend
ment he led the way to victory with
| 80, COO voters in Maryland furnishing de-
c!sive majority in support of the courage
| Gus stand he had taken. At this time
| Warfeld was in the zenith Of his power
| with the people.
| So strong was Warfeld believed to be
last summer that The Star correspondent
can authoritatively state that had War
| field made fight for denomination and
been successful Mr.. George R. Gather
| would not have accepted the republican
nomination.
Fell Into Trap.
| The beginning of the end of Warfield in
| Maryland politics occurred last August
during the state convention. The gov
ernor aspired to the United States Senate,
and when he introduced the resolution
providing for a direct vote for senators
the maCnlno was not SLOW 10 see us
| chance. The resolution was made part
of the party platform, and Warfield i'm
agined he had scored a great victory for
the people. The old guard however,
only smiled realizing that Warfield would
| be a candidate and that he had set up a
| plan by which he could be easily beaten
and without any hue and cry being raised
against the machine. The democratic
state central committee named the con-
ditions under which the primary should
| be held, and specifically stated that only
| those who voted the straight democratic
| ticket could participate in the primaries.
Then came along formal charge that
trick ballots were being printed in Somer-
set county, and a hearing was given be-
| fore the governor
Warfield decided that these ballots were
all right, and this action on his part lost
| him the support of thousands of indie
| pendents, who charged that he was play
| ing with the organization in order to land
the senatorship. The governor then made
tour of the state and urged his follow
ers to vote for Crothers and the entire
democratic ticket, thereby lending his in
dorsement to machne-madc ticket. Had
| Warfield held aloof and made his cam
paign along Independent lines the demo-
cratic machine would have gone down to
defeat last November and this result
| would have been the best Endorsement
that Wartield could have received.
He Stated Facts.
In his message to the legislature the
governor made a specific charge of graft,
and backed up his charge with facts and
figures. He showed where the president
of the senate paid out S41, 7S6 to employees
not provided for by law; by the speaker
of the house of delegates $46, S25 without
a constitutional warrant; by order of the
senate S4,S25.9O: by the house SS,S75. As.
The governor also showed where it cost
| S23, 1873 in cleaning the halls, corridors
and committee rooms during the fifty
nine days of the actual meeting of the
| legislature, and this in addition to the
amount paid the superintendent of public
buildings and the five charwomen and
janitor who keep the state house in |
order during the whole year. The gov
ernor holds that an appropriation of
$1,000 is sufficient to pay all labor for
cleaning the statehouse, thereby infer
| entially charging that over $4,000 is
| divided as graft among party heelers.
! The message of the governor certainly
furnishes food for thought, even coming
as 1t does at this late hour. AS a panacea
for this evil of eXtravagant appropriations
Gov. Warfield suggests that law be
passed requiring the publication of the
name of each employee, his compensation
and the services rendered.
Other Recommendations
Other features of the governors message
are: Favors a constitutional amendment
to regulate suffrage in Maryland with
| both educational and property quail
| fications and with a grandfather's clause.
but protecting naturalized citizens of
| foreign birth; favors an inheritance tax
such as is now imposed in thirty-seven
states and territories insists that the
legislature pass a corrupt practices act
and primary election law for the direct
nomination of party candidates. including
those for United States Senate; recon- |
mends higher salaries for public school
teachers, fair and clear civil service rules
for their employment and adequate pro- |
vision for their retirement. approves work
of shellfish commission; urges building of
good roads; ample funds for state board
of health; says governor should be I'M
restricted in appointment of supervisors
of election; asserts that corporations pay
mora than one-half of the general rev.
enues of the treasury; urges creation of
banking department and the passage
| of d bill revising corporation laws. and
| urges reorganization of the states sys-
| tenn Of tobacco warehouses.
Plans for Inauguration.