Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-22
SOLONS WORK SLOWLY
Little Time Left for the
Maryland Legislature.
ONLY TWO THINGS DONE
Disfranchisement Law and Smiths
Election as Senator.
MANY BILLS CROWDED OUT
Corrupt Practices Act and the Pri-
mary Election Law Are Left
Untouched.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star
BALTIMORE. Md March 81, 1908
A great deal of criticism is being heard
here over the do-nothing policy in the.
legislature regarding the redemption OF
pledges made IN the party platform.
About the only things accomplished by
the general assembly have been the
passage OF the Acknowledgement and the
election of John Walter Smith United
States Senator. Only seven working days
remain before the session must close.
and the corrupt practices act and the pri-
mary election law for senator's are very
much in the background. The charge
is being openly made that the demo-
Gratis were insinceTe III their promises,
and the prediction is freely made that
the session will end without either OF
these important measures upon the
statute books. If such should come to
pass it may be confidently predicted that
the Acknowledgement amendment will
meet with overwhelming defeat when SUBJ
united to the voters for ratification.
Every one al all cCgniZant with political
conditions in Maryland today knows
that the disfranchisement amendment,
without the corrupt practices and pri-
mary election law. would convert Mary
land into a oue-party state
Record of Broken Pledges.
The record of the democrats regarding
They have in the past had opportunities
to pass such a bill and have deliberately
sidetracked the measure. The record of
their deliberate failures is an interesting
one.
The first bill to prevent corrupt prac-
tees at elections in this state was intro
duCed by the late Senator GustavuS A.
Dobler, republican, FEBRUARY 9, 1876 1t
was referred to a committee of which
Senator Carrico of Charles county, a
democrat. was chairman. and that COM
mittee never reported the bill. AT that
time there was no general agitation for
law of this character and the necessity
for it was not then realized. In the re-
publican platfronl or adopted in this city
September IT, 1889. the party pledged it
self to prevent the use of money in brb-
cry at elections. When this piatfrom was
adopted the republican party was in
power. but the election in November re-
suited in a democratic governor and a
legislature democratic in both branches.
On January 0, 1900. to carry out strong
personal belief and TO redeem the pleoge
given in the party PLATFORM, Senator
Lewis Pntzel, republican, introduced in
the senate the reform league corrupt
practices act.
Second Bill Killed.
The bill was reported by the committee
to which 1t had been referred February 81,
1900 and was made the special order Of
the day for March 1 at o'clock. On that
day Senator Moore, democrat, of Worces-
ter county moved to indefinitely postpone
the bill. the effect of which would have
been to kill it then and there This mo-
ton was defeated. and the bill was again
postponed until March Z. On that day it
was recommitted TO the committee by the
votes Of fourteen democrats and two re-
publicans, eight republican senator's vot-
ing in the negative. 1t was again re-
ported to the senate March IA and ordered
engrossed for third reading The big
ne TO ND do
feated in the house for want of a consti- |
tutional majority April by vote of Is
yeas and 80 nays. At the session of 1900
the senate was composed of fifteen demo- |
Gratis and eleven republicans and the |
house of sixty-four democrats and twenty |
four republicans.
Democrats Ran Away.
At the extraordinary session of 1901 Sem
ator Putzel again introduced the Reform
League corrupt practices act on the first |
day, March Z. 1t was passed by the SEN |
ate March %, but was again defeated in |
the house the day following for want of
constitutional majority, the vote being 81
yeas and 16 nays Senator Putzel wit
messed the scene in the house when the
bill was slaughtered. There was a STAN
pede of members to get out of the cham
Der in order to escape the vote. The pO
litiCai composition of the senate and
house was the same as in 1900. The re-
publican platform adopted by the state
convention in this city August g. 1901
pledged the party to the re-enactment of
the Reform League election law of 1886.
which had been emasculated for political
purposes at the extra session. and further
declared: 1t will enact the corrupt prac-
tees bill prepared by the same organiza-
lion and thereby decrease or prevent the
bribery of voters
Fate Of Fourth Bill.
AT the beginning OF the session OF 1902
Senator Putzel again introduced the Re-
form League corrupt practices act The
bill was reported March 10 by the COM
mittee TO which it had been referred but
was Hot finally acted upon by the senate.
The house of delegates was almost equal
~ divided politically at that session, ana
the few democrats who We're acting indie
pendently controlled it. The house passed
the bill, but Il was defeated in the senate
by a vote of 10 yeas TO II yeas four
democrats voting in the affirmative and
nine in the negative. The composition
or the senate was seventeen democrats
and nine republica rs. and the house was
composed of fcrty-fCur republicans and
ffty-one democrats
Therefore il Will be seen that while
the democrats are always the Hrst in
every election TO cry ''fraGd'' ana "brib-
cry in certain sections of the state, they
were responsible for the defeat Of every
corrupt practices bin ,hat has been intro
duced in the genera! ass mbly during tie
past ten years.
Senator Whyte's Successor
The death OF Senator william Pinkney
Whyte removed from! Maryland one OF
its noted figures and almost before tie
breath was out of the body os the grand
OLD man" the politicians at Annapolis
were busy Sossipng about his successor.
o. course, his successor viii nc Col. John
Walter Smith. who will DC appointed 10y
Gov. hers ! the event tnat the
United tie decides this election
&c s. is not in accordance
with { don. y prominent in
depcnueI 1t u--.-4tlat in discussing the sit
uation Wisl The Star correspondent TO-
day said: III the democratic managers
want to do the graceful thing they should
agree upon former Gov. Waraeld 10 III
out the uuexpired term OF Senator Whyte.
Smith has already been elected for the