Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-12
maryland RING RULE
Gov. Crothers 0beys the Be-
hest of the Regulars.
PRIMARY ELECTION LAW
Difference Shown Between Platform
Promises and Fulfillment.
AMBITION OF YOUNG G0RMAN
Prospect Of Heavy Tax Rate to
Garry Out the Road-Build-
ing Project.
AMBITION OF YOUNG GORMAN
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, April II, 1908.
| When Gov. Crothers several weeks ago
summoned a coterie Of the state senate
leaders to his office and demanded the
passage of a primary election law in &C
cordance with the spirit of the plank in
| the party platform he aroused hopes in
the breasts of democrats who believe in
fair play. Later he announced in an In
terview that he would rather resign his
office than sign a bill not In accordance
with the pledges made prior to election. 1t
| is now generally understood that the gov
ernor was speaking in a Pickwickian
sense. for during the past ten days he has
signed bills which he openly declared were
| bad and sustained his record for helping
to make vicious laws. AS a prominent
democrat put 1t to The Star correspondent
today, You cannot teach an old dog new
tricks. Austin Crothers." he continued,
has been a machine politician all his life
and he will continue to be machine poll
| tician until the end Of his days. He Is
wholly subservient to the will OF the ring
bosses and can be depended upon to carry
| out their orders to the letter. He knows
that there are no further political honors
| ahead for him and he is therefore, cal
lous to public opinion. 1t is painfully evil
| dent that when Senator Smith picked
Crothers for the gubernatorial chair he
| knew his man.
Robs the Republicans.
The primary election law. which Croth-
ers signed this week. legalizes for both
parties the plan employed by the demo-
cratic bosses last November in the sena-
torial primry. The law lis purely local in its
scope and binds successful candidates for
| the legislature to vote for the candidate for
| the United States Senate who receives a
majority of the votes cast in the coun-
| ties or legislative districts of Baltimore city.
Thus. while half of the republican and
democratic voters of the state reside in
Baltimore, their votes will count In the
aggregate less than one-fourth OF the vote
in the counties. Baltimore has twenty
eight members of the two houses, while
the counties have ninety-nine. The
law does more than prctically disfran-
chise Baltimore voters In the primaries.
1t robs the republican voters in conceded
democratic counties like Worcester. WI
comico. Howard and others Of the right to
express a choice for senator, as that
choice Is generally understood In a pr-
! mary election. In such republican strong
holds as Garrett. Allegany. Charles and
other counties the democrats will like
wise be practically DISTINGUISHED. This
law was favored by Senator Smith. State
Senator German and other county bosses.
And therefore. 1T was good enough for
CrOtherS who Is himself a county boss.
The governor made many promises of a
square deal for Baltimore city, both be-
fore apd after election, but when the bill
came before him, the ring blood welled
up in his veins. and he affixed his sigma
ture without tremor.
For Germans Benefit.
This primary election law. as is we'll
KNOWN Is designed to aid the candidacy
of State Senator Arthur P German for
the United States Senate next year over
Senator Rayner. Young German long
ago made up his mind to capture the
toga. and his first movement in this di-
rection was made last fall. when he es-
poused the cause of Col. Smith in the
senatorial primary. In Howard county
young German has succeeded in displac-
ing all of the old leaders and putting in
their place young blood that will do his
bidding to any extent. The young SEN
ator from Howard Is a keen and sa-
gacious ring politician, having inherited
his political tricks from his father; but
he wholly lacks the quality of statesman
ship which his father possessed in large
degree German, pere. was politician
and statesman, but German. fills. is d
politician. pure and simple, with but one
desire, and that to occupy seat In the
upper house of Congress. In the further
anco Of this ambition he will be aided by
lHc Stdle IsSSS, senator SnlIn. VINO IS
in more absolute control of the party
machinery today than was the elder Cor
man in recent years. Young German. too,
is setting his sails to succeed Senator
Smith as boss of the state when the
man from Worcester shall have passed
from the scene of action.
Economy Of Crothers.
Much hostile criticism of the governor
is heard regarding his use of the veto
power in the interest Of economy. The
veto power thus far has been used princ-
pally to cut down appropriations for
| worthy charities, but not to squelch any
| really big political scheme. Gov. Croth-
ers' power in this respect has been d.
rected against the insane. the blind and
the sick, but to the ringsters and their
schemes he has been very kind Crothers
bases his actions regarding certain worthy
institutions on the plea Of economy. but
this will hardly be accepted in good
faith. because he had mighty good
chance to prove his sincerity by vetoing
the extra appropriation of $4,000 to de-
fray legislative extravagances. During
the session Of the legislature Gov. Croth
ers was continually ranting about econ
omy in the public press ard urging the
legislators to be careful of the public
| moLeys. but the people have come to I'M
derstand that his words were only a
play to the galleries. and he Is nov known
at his true worth. The governors econ
omy" has a purpose. The good roads
| law, which is his pet hobby will require
a great deal Of money to meet interest
payments and sinking fund requirements.
There is a prospect that an increase in
the state tax rate may be necessary two
years hence to meet the drain upon the
state treasury because of the bond issue
| for good roads. This increase, the gov
ernor foresees, will not aid the demo-
Gratis In their campaign In 1911. Hence
he is looking ahead and is piling up a
surplus In the treasury with which to
meet payments and thus avoid an in
crease In the tax rate.