Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09
BOSSES IN CONTROL
Maryland Legislature Organ
ICES as Slated.
BUT ALL IS NOT HARMONY
State Finances the Rock Ahead for
Gov. Crothers.
MR.. GORMAN'S AMBITION
President of the Senate Credited
With a Desire to Succeed to
the Governorship.
Special Correspondence OF The Stal.

Special Correspondence OF The star.
BALTIMORE. Md, January :. 1910.
The opening session of the Maryland
legislature was brief indeed but the
proceedings, which lasted only a trifie
over an hour, were enough to convince
those conversant with Maryland politics
that the legislature Of 1910 is going to be
u boss-ridden assembly. The selection Of
presiding officers for the two houses did
not vary III manner one iota from that
employed III years past. The slate was
all fixed up at the Rennert Hotel in this
city by tile big three-Smith. German and
Crothers-and the Representatives of the
people" did the rest at Annapolis. OF
course the usual caucus was held in the
state house and the candidates for presi-
dent of the senate and the speaker of
the house were nominated. The general
public was aware weeks III advance that
Mr. German would preside over the
senate and Adam Peoples of Cecil county
would WELD the gravel III the house
Mr. German has had experience in the
legislature and will no doubt make an
able presiding officer, but Mr.. Peoples is
taking his first peep into the machinery
that makes laws for Maryland. He is the
real thing III the raw material class in the
laWmakinS game, but he can be depend
ed upon 10 carry out the orders of Gov.
Crothers to the letter Therefore. Senator
Smith and young German are in the sad
house. Everything has been cut and
dried and the proceedings of the assem-
bly, ought to move along smoothly.
There is going to be trouble, however.
and that at an early date in the pro-
ccedinss. The big three pulled together
all right in the selection OF pres ding
officers and iii the naming of committee
chairmen, but the harmony seems likely
to end there. The governor in his mes
sage urged the greatest economy and
his speaker of the house. Mr.. Peoples.
made economy the keynote of his speech
of acceptance. There is no disposition on
the part of the president of the senate
to resort to cheeSe-paring policy.
Has Aspirations.
The president of the senate is an astute
and far-seeng young politician Gov
Crothers is on the job and does not want
a second term. Young German has guber-
natoril aspirations and he is not likely
to allow anything like "cheap skate"
policy in the senate TO mar his chances
for reaching the gubernatorial chair in
1912. German has played the game and
he knows that the men behind the bal
from Howard county it must be said that
he has personally put up large sums of
money TO aid the party in its fight and
naturally he looks for some return in the
way of political honors.
Gov. Crothers knows full well that the
condition of the state treasury is not
such as he had expected it to be this
year, and the situation is due to his good
roads policy. Bonds bearing 80 per cent
are never good as those bearing Az
iaI
Maryland cannot be expected to sacrifice
l per cent interest on any proposition
even If 1t does mean good roads and the
carrying out of the cherished plans of the
governor The men who control the
financial world of Maryland-the bankers
have not got bit of sentiment in their
makeup III 50 far as ii concerns the
earning capacity Of their institutions
ana no one can reasonably expect them
TO jump at 3la per cent good-roads bonds
when there are gilt-edge investments at
AZ. per cent at hand. This is the sitAa-
ton today in the finances of the state
The good-roads building Gov Crothers in
tends shall go on, the payments shall be.
promptly met, and the treasury condition
must improve. Therefore, economy is the
Slogan from the Crothers camp.
Not in Accord.
Now the Smithsonian combine-and 1t
is the all-powerful one in the last ANALYSIS
because 1t furnishes the "snews of
war in the campagns-is not staying
awake at night worrying over the econ
omy plans of Crothers. The combine is
anxious 10 sec Crothers on the judicial
circuit, because young German aspires to
the glbernatorial chair before the term
of the present incumbent expires. 1t is
we'll known that Crothers has not been
the good boyi' that Smith anticipated he
would be III the governor chair. He has
shown unmistakabe signs that he is still
something of boss himself, and Senator
Smith does not relish the idea of boss be-
ing spelled with a hyphen.
1t Is. therefore, only natural to assume
that Smith and German will play the
game To put in a hole the governor Of
Maryland on the state finances question,
and when Mr. crothers sees u loophole
through the judiciary to escape from
bad financial situation lie will yield
gracefully and send iii his resignation,
thereby making the presiding officer of
the senate. Mr.. German, the governor of
Maryland, and giving the young man
chance to improve the machine that will
land him in the chair at Annapolis for a
term OF four years
An Able Politician.
Young German Is today the abiest
politician in the democratic party. He
possesses all the political cunning OF his
distinguished sire. but he lacks the broad
Craftsmanship that made his father ia
nous in the nation He yearns for power,
and hence can be relied upon to aid the
governor to frame another diSfranchiSe-
ment amendment and to force its passage
through the senate and house.
The governor in his message has urged
such Il measure, and German and Smith
can be relied upon to put forth their best
efforts To secure its passage at this ScS-
sion.
RANDLE HIGHLANDS.
feature Of the meeting of Randle