Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-06
CR0THERS NOT BOSS
Maryland Democrats Follow
Smith and German.
IN CHARGE OF LEGISLATION
All Public Measures Must Have O..
K. of Leaders.
OPINION OF PARTY WORKER
State in the Grasp of Relentless
System-Legislation Controlled
by Lobby.
IN CHARGE OF LEGISLATION
OPINION OF PARTY WORKER
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, February 5. 1910.
One-third of the session of the Mary
land legislature of 1910 has passed into
history, and that one-third has demon
strated clearly that Gov. Crothers Is not
the boss of the democratic party, as he
had fondly imagined he was. The real
bosses at Annapolis and elsewhere in the
P. German. and they are the ones upon
whom responsibility must rest for the
legislation enacted at this session of the
general assembly. In discussing the
situation today in the democratic party,
democrat who enjoys the confidence Of
the leaders said to The Star CORES
pendent:
Gov. Crothers occupies the same posi-
ton, on entering the second year Of his
term of office. as did Gov. Warfield-he
is dead one. When Crothers took a
hand in the fight over the speakership
of the house and won out, he thought by
that coup he had landed in party leader
ship.
'Crothers was on very good terms with
himself because he had occupied a great
deal of newspaper space and had grown
to believe that he was bigger than the
party and the newspapers. He never
knew that while newspapers could make
men leaders. they could also iunmake
them, when the occasion required. After
CrotherS had reached what he considered
high pedestal, through the publication
of his views and plans on this and
that commission, he began to forget the
men behind the pencils and typewriters
who had made him a prominent figure
in the daily news events.
Governors Initial Fiat.
This, then, was the situation when
the legislature convened. The governor
sent forth a fiat that the strictest
economy must be observed in the matter
of appropriations and that the number
of employees of the senate and house must
be kept down to minimum. He made
play TO the galleries for an economical
administration, and he got some publicity.
but it was not strong enough to carry
him to victory.
In this connection" said The Stars
informant. 'let me call attention to the
fact that great mistake is being made
in scoring the leaders Of either party
for what is termed extravaganza in the
matter of legislative employees. The
whole trouble rests with the system
which has been in vogue at Annapolis
sor half century. Legislation is con-
1 mean the good will of the men who
occupy seats toward those who are look
ed up to as the party leaders.
Each member of the legislature for
decades past has always promised prior
to election job paying s. per day to a
bailiwick, and these pledges have in.
variably been kept. Should the big chiefs
of the party repudiate these pledges by
the members of the legislature there
would be but one course open to the
senator or delegate, and that would be to
balk every legislative bill espoused by the
state leaders.
THE cost of this lobby does not exceed
$4,000 a session. and this is a very small
sum when it is taken into consideration
that big corporation like the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company years ago
considered itself lucky when the lobby bill
did not go over 100000.
Gov. Crothers will go out Of ONCE two
years hence, but Smith and German will
remain the party leaders, and ii is only
reasonable to assume that. desiring the
democratic party to remain In power. they
will endeavor that legislation shall be for
the good of the whole state.
Will Prevent Extravaganza.
81 feel confident that every man in
Maryland who takes the slightest inter
est in politics will concede that Senator
Smith and President German are toe
good politicians to stand for an 'extrava.
CANT legislature And l also wish In this
connection to state that Gov. Crothers is
powerless to have passed in either house
any legislation that does not meet with
the approval of Smith and German.
The members of the legislature know
now who is in conrtol at the statehouse
and few. indeed, take the trouble to cast
a shadow on the threshold Of the gov
ernor's house.
The woman suffragists are working
hard these days preparing for the hear
ing at the statehouse on the equal SUI
frage bill. The woman suffragists will
be accompanied to Annapolis by large
delegation of the members Of the Mems
League for Equal Suffrage. The Balti-
more City Woman's Suffrage Association
has planned for a big mass meeting here
next Friday evening. Among. the speak
ers will be Belva Lockwood of Washing.
ton. Mrs. Emma Maddox Funck. the
president of the association, Is also max.
ing an effort to secure the presence here
at the same meeting of Mrs. J. Ellen
Foster. At another meeting. February
%. the speakers will be Miss Belle Keat-
ing of Mississippi Mrs. Ellen Spencer
Mussey of Washington and Rev. Olympia
Brown. the Universalist preacher Of wis.
cOnsin.