Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21
POLITICS IN maryland
Democrats Anxious to Keep
Baltimore MayoraIty.
READY FOR SACRIFICES
Independents to Be Urged to Give
Aid to Machine.
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION
Ex-Gov. Brown Advocate of Plan
for City-Election Contest in
Queen Anne County.
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
BALTIMORE. Md. November ~. 1909.
The city democratic machine. just re-
covering from severe drubbine three
weeks ago. IS already casting. about to
get deep-sea soundings for the fall cam
paign next year.
At that time there will be an election
for city councilmen and representatives,
in Congress. The city machine is in
such condition that overtures are al
ready being made to the independent
democratic element to furnish a number
OF candidates
This is in pursuance of plan to keep
the city government democratic whether
the machine controls or not The Mahon
So:ces are willing to lose their grip on
the city council next year if they can
keep the regular and independent demo-
crafts in line for the mayoralty plum
! fifteen months hence. 1t is doubtful.
however. that the game will work for
the little tricks practiced by the present
powers that be in city politics are too
transparent and the delicate fineSse that
marked the regime of Rasin is entirely
lacking.
One thing that is worrying the poll
ticians is the charter revision committee.
| They don't know Just what that body
will recommend in the form of a bill to
be presented to the next Legislature.
Brown for Commission
There has been a great deal of talk
recently about governing Baltimore by a
commission. and the latest convert to
; the commission idea is former Governor
| Frank Brown, at present city collector
| and close political adviser of Mayor
| Mahool In discussing the subject with
| The Star correspondent today Mr.. Brown
said:
Il am in favor OF abolishinE the city
council and having a commission form
OF. government. What the city needs to-
day is a business administration. and
therefore I say. let us get down to some
thing by which We can save the taXpay-
ers money.
Let the democratic party take up mat
tiers of business for the city and not con-
tnue to indulge in a lot OF political clap
trap. If this is not done. and done quick
~. too. the jig will be up with the demo-
cratic party in Baltimore city. The re-
suit of the last election showed very
plainly that the voters here are not go
ing TO stand for any more foolishness.
Baltimore can be one-party city and
Maryland one-party state If those at
the head of the democratic party in city
ard state do the right thing. but the
democrats must first win the confidence
of the people il they want to stay in con-
to meet. and therefore, I say, let the
democrats propose something worth while
for the city and state. Let the leaders
work for charter revision and sewers and
taxes and cut out clap-trap talk about
forming political committees for this, that
and the other thing. What the people
want is a little less of politics and more
business
Collector Brown it will be recalled, is
the man who took over the leadership of
the democratic party in Baltimore when
Mr. Rasin practically relinquished con-
troll. on account of ill-health. few
months prior to the last mayoralty cleo
ton 1t was Brown who managed the
successful Mahool mayoralty campaign.
and when that was over Mahon stepped
in and took over the reins of political
power In this city.
In Mahon's first fight in this city
against Brown he won hands down. In
his second hght-that on November = last
he suffered sort OF an uppercut, and
his enemies claim that he was counted
out so far as party leadership in Balti
more is concerned. Now the political
wiseacres are saying that Brown will
again enter the arena in Baltimore and
give Mahon a run twelve months hence.
Contest in Queen Anne County.
The independent citizens party in Queen
Anne county is going to contest the cleo
ton in that county by recourse TO the
courts. This information came today
from James Bright. prominent attorney
Of that county, who was formerly demo-
crat, but who Joined the forces in Queen
Anne which stand for good government
and clean elections.
Concerning the contest which will be
made in the courts. Mr.. Bright. who is in
Baltimore on visit, said to The Star
CORRESPONDENT today:
'The independent citizens party has de-
cded to take the matter into the courts
and make a contest. because we have at
least thousand more votes than the
democrats and know that the election No
vember was stolen from us. There
were direct violations of the election law
which cannot be overlooked.
1.-The better class of people in the coun-
ty are indignant at the fraud perpertrat-
ed by the democrats, and even if we
should fail in our contest, l don't believe
the democrats would dare attempt such
frauds again.
Queen Anne is one Of the Wilson law
counties where the republican state CEN
trail committee is preparing to prosecute
election law violations.
Oyster Culture Law.
1t is announced that the shellflsh COM
mission will continue its fight at the
next session Of the legislature for amend
ments to the oyster culture law. These
changes provide thirty acres instead of
ten as the maximum for one individual
in the tributaries OF the bay and 500
acres instead of 100 as the maximum in
the open bay; reduction of the rental to
one dollar an acre for six years. pro-
visions for forcibly collecting such rem
tails as may be charged, permissions TO
lessees to take oysters whenever they
choose. setting aside of ground for Gull
tivation Of plant oysters, and reduction
Of time which riparian owners have to
decide whether or not they will take
up the land to which they have first
claim
Although tie oyster law has been in
operat ton for several years, the good that
was expected to come from it has not
materialiZed to the extent that was an
ticipated In the opinion OF the commits
sion these hopes will be attained more
rapidly if the changes recommended are
put into effect.
The Maryland Federation of Woman
Suffrage Clubs will omen it's annual con-