Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-24
DEMOCRATS AT ODDS
Hot Primary Fight Menaces
Prince George County.
JUDGESHIP Is AT ISSUE
Clagett Organization Has Deter
mined Opposition.
ALLEGED SCORE TO SETTLE
Endorsement of Fillmore BeaH as
Successor to Circuit Court Bench
by Convention Is the Plan.
.LLEGED SCORE TO SETTLE

Special Correspondence "f The Star
UPPER MARLBORO. Md. May -, E">
Unless negotiations now pending looh-
ing to the adjustment of a perpleSlhs SIT
uation which is disturbing harmony
among leading democrats III Prince
George county are speedily brought 10
successful termination one of the most
stubborn primary contests in the mstors
of the county will take place Decoration
day.
MANY collateral considerations enter INTO
the controversy. 1t is generally agreed
however that the real object OF tile
fight is to down the county organizations
headed by State Senator " Imam D.
Clagett Of this place, chairman or me
county central committee. The Eead anu
front of the opposition TO the senator Is
conceded to be George s. Dove OF Spauid-
ing district. regarded as one OF the
shrewdest politicians in this part OF the
state. Doves antagonlSm TO the seha.oi
ii is reported. results from the ialtei ;
failure to secure Dove appomlmelil do
tobacco inspector for southern Maryland.
The senator does not deny he promised
to use his influence in Dove S hehan- SUI
seuuent events he declares, made II I'M
possible for him to secure the appoint
ment for Dove.
Local Option Defeated.
During the recent local option contest
| in the county when Senator Clagetts Dill
submitting the question as to whether or
not intoxicating liquors should be sold In
the county after September l. 1908, was
voted upon Spaulding district gave a
majority for liquor of 1o7. Local option
was defeated In the county by majority
| of 266.
1t was through no fault of Senator
Clagett, who made determined fgnt LOT
| his bill. The defeat in no way lessened
| the senator's influence. it is contended,
but rather served to strengthen 1t.
| When the senator secured the passage
| of the local option bill at the last session
| of the legislature he also had a law
passed creating board of nquor incense
| commissioners for Prince George county.
| The power of this board to issue Or re-
| ject licenses is practically unlimited. The
| bill named members of this board ana
| they are Senator Clagett's friends
1t can. therefore, be seen that the liquor
people who desire to renew licenses are
in no position to make a fight against the
senator in the coming primaries Ihey
will not do SO is assured On the other
hand the temperance element would. 1t Is
commended. be ungrateful if they did any
thing to injure the senator. in the Hght
of his efforts to secure the elimination OF
the saloon from the county.
That the senator has n reasonably good
chance to secure the support of both the
saloon and anti-saloon people in the
county is therefore admitted.
Plan of Instruction.
The next development in the situation
was a meeting of democrats in Washing
ton 1t was there decided to make a con-
test in the primaries with view to Sc
cure Endorsement for Fillmore Beall of
Evansville district by the county conven-
ton for Judge of the seventh judicial cir
cult to succeed Judge George {. Merrick,
who reaches the age limit of retirement
next spring.
1t being generally reported that Sen
ator Clagett favored the appointment of
T. Van Clagett of Marlboro. the natural
Inference was drawn that the real con-
test was against the organization headed
by the senator; and that Dove and his ad-
herentS were mainly responsible for bring
ing on the contest and hoped by placing
Mr. Beall in the vanguard to muster the
support OF Mr.. Beall and his host of
friends in tile attempt to down the organ
iZation
The friends of Senator Clagett are in
sistent that this is no time To bring UP
the matter of the appointment of sue
cessor to Judge Merrick; that the con-
vention on june next is for the sole pur-
pose of selecting delegates to the national.
state and congressional conventions. and
that no one should be indorSed for the
tiudgeship at this time. The followers of
Mr. BealI contend it is perfectly proper
for the convention to express, by reSolu-
ton its preference in the premises. and
that the probabilities are Gov. Crothers
will be guided in his appointment by the
action of the convention.
Governors Attitude in Doubt
This opinion, however, is not shared by