The Washington herald., 1908-01-01
HOLD TAME CAUCUS
Maryland Democrats Have a
"Cut and Dried" Affair.
NO FIGHT FOR BIG PLUMs
Geh. Joseph II. seth to Preside Over
Senate-JameS Enos Ray tn BE
House Cbairman-OnIy Trouble
Arose Over Chief Clerk of House.
Joseph Aimony Il Named.

Special TO The Washington Herald.
Annapolis, Md, Dec 3l.-The opening
scene in the Maryland legislative session
stage was enacted at Annapolis tonight,
when the Democratic caucus got together
and prepared its slate OF officials prior TO
the organization Of the house Of delegates
and senate at noon tomorrow.
The meeting was largely 'cut and
dried" as the Democratic leaders at a
conference held in Baltimore Saturday
afternoon. agreed on the distribution Of
the larger plums. Gen. Joseph B. Seth Of
Talbot County. who served in the same
capacity last session. will again preside
over the senate. The chair in the house
viii be occupied by Mr.. Enos Ray, Of
Prince George County.
The greatest trouble at the earlier con
ference was over the naming Of chief
clerk of the house. Senator Blair Lee, Of
Montgomery County, finally clearing the
deck by consenting to the naming Of Mr.,
Joseph Almony, Of his county.
The other larger offices are distributed
as follows, Reading clerk of the house,
Mr.. II. y. Wolfe, of Howard County,
secretary Of the senate, Mr.. Robert Moss.
of Anne Arundel. and reading clerk of
the senate. Mr.. Walter r. Townsend, OF
Baltimore County.
Sketches of seth and RAY.
Gen. Joseph Bruff Seth was the presi-
dent Of the last State senate, having been
the caucus nominee after an exciting
/ fight I'm which the opposition lined ur
behind State Senator Moore, Of Worces-
i ter
Gen Seth SIS sixty-two years old. He
was born g Talbot County and educated
& by tutoH In early manhood he went
into the oyster packing business. but
abandoned il for the law. He was grad
uated in his profession In 1861. and prac-
ticed in Baltimore for a while but ir
! 1871 he went back 10 Talbot County, re-
( tanning his legal connection in Baltimore
/ City. He was member OF the legisla.
/ tuTes OF -. 81 and IS. having beer
/ elected speaker of the house during the
/ latter session. He was judge advocate
1 general iu 1851
James Enos Ray. the next speaker o
/ the house OF delegates, is lawyer and
native Of Prince George County, where b,
/ practices his profession. He also has
I law office IN Washington, d. g. This il
F. his third term In the house He was
/ candidate for speaker two years ago. b u
was defeated by Mr.. Carviile d. Benson
Of Baltimore County. Mr Benson mad
[ Mr.. Ray the chairman of the ways an,
means committee, the position carrying
with it the floor leadership.
Two years ago Mr.. Ray had the supper
of the friends Of eX-GOv Smith. The ex
governor. however. controlled only a few
votes I'm the last house This year the ex
governors friends are in control Of IN
/ situation.
Members Alone Are New
The menbers themselves are the onl.
real new things In the session. Ever
legislative session erases from the po
litical history Of Maryland l01 member
OF the house Of delegates. Only a few o
/ them are every resuscitated. and OF then
very few ever return to Annapolis. Thi
year is no exception to the rule. Their
viii be a few old members. but tn
great majority are men heretofore un
known outside OF their counties. Ninet
days from tomorrow most of them wi
disappear like mist before the sun. Tn
legislature viii be over
Just for the present the legislators ar
expected To be d0cile Reasons exist 70
this. In the first place, the field is a
new 20 them. Only the tried and tru
wheel horses have been allowed to com
back. Those who are likely 10 becom
] ar Interested in "a ii
ings to devote attention 10 anything elst
Newness VIII Wear of.
After while the newness viii wear Of
As it fades away everybody viii be en-
gaged in pulling at the new governor
for applications viii then be filed fo
the Offices in his gift, and delegation
will be coming to Annapolis from a
parts Of the State in the interest of car
didates for office. The legislators war
TO have say in the distribution Of pat
ronage.
! After the appointments are in III
trouble begins Many of those disay
. pointed in committee assignments hay
concealed their chagrin. On top of tn
p has come the disappointments in ii
{ appointments. Legislators begin to mai
trouble. They organize in little clique
Sometimes the little Cliques and caba
amalgamate into bigger ones.
Troubles Then Increase.
Then they begin to overrun the Speal
2 er. and the floor whip is unable
I keep them in line. Troubles increase an
. multiply. but all the time the end of Il
p ninety days is getting closer and close
. Finally, it is so close that it is no long,
. worth while to bother, so the membe
d all contribute TO a silver service set or
[. chest of silver for the presiding officer
!, ana the session adjOuTns in expression
of mutual good feeling.
4 When the Legislature adjOurns to-mo
8 row afternoon it will. il is said. take
J, recess until the following Tuesday.
. the interval the presiding officers will &
j 20 work on the committees. tt may
= that they will be ready to announce the
? when the legislature reconvenes, a
Il though there is no certainty that a cor
II pete list will then be ready for su
II mission. Membership on the impOrta
II committees will. however, be settled |
II that time.
MR.. HAYES REARRESTED.