The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-01-13
HOUSE GIVES DIRECT
SLAP To GOVERNOR
Power Taken From Speaker BY Major
ity-COmmttee Retains Right
To Appoint.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, Jan. 11.-All An
napolis is agog today over the direct
slap given Governor CIothers in the ac-
ton taken by the House of Delegates
last night in putting through the report
of the Committee on Organization over
the head of Speaker Peoples. Can vile
D. Benson led the fight, mastering 81
votes, while the opposition, which in
cluded all but few of the Republicans,
could count only "a. Benson made his
fight as a declaration of the ability of
the House to attend to its own business.
Resentment has been strong on the
part Of the older members at the part
Governor Crothers took in organizing
the House by selecting the Speaker. 1t
was the first opportunity formally to
resent this interference. In order to
accomplish the end he had in view it was
necessary for Benson to muster two
thirds of the members present. The
move on his part was, therefore, bold
one. Its very holiness seems to have
been factor in carrying it through
despite the fact that an effort was made
by Delegate afro, the Republican floor
leader, to beat the movement Pairo
could not hold his forces in line.
Linked with the slap at the Governor
is the declaration on the part of the
House that it does not propose to stand
for too much economy in the conduct of
the Legislature. Strict economy is one
of the pet hobbies of the Governor.
That the Governor was beaten so had
ly in the skirmish was due in great
measure to the fact that Spea er Peoples
had so managed his part in the play as
to indicate that while economy was an
excellent thing it was not intended to
apply to him and to Cecil county. In
the report of the Committee on Organi-
cation that was read out in the House
last night provision was made for the
selection Of 81 employees. Three Of
them came from Cecil and one was
Adam NJ Peoples, the son of the Speak
err. The Speaker as the chairman Of
the Committee had previously approved
this report.
As soon as 1t made its appearance in
the House he moved that it be referred
to the Committee on Rules that he had
just announced. His reference was not
an inconsistent one, as the report also
provided that such additional employees
as should be named should come before
the House with the recommendation of
the Committee on Organization. where
as the Iules require that all appoint
ments shall be made by the Speaker.
This move was construed as an effort
on the part of the Governor to have the
report sidetracked with the 81 employees
provided for.
1t was then that Benson came boldly
to the front with his declaration that
no one had proftted more in the matter
or employees than the Speakers himself.
that he had signed the report, that the
House could consider It's affairs without
outside influences. He moved to sus-
pend the rules in order that the report
of the Committee should be immediate
ly adopted.
T. Leigh Marriott has with the Com
mittee on Rules a resolution designed to
accomplish economy. He also has a
grievance with the Governor for the
part he took in selecting the Speaker
He forgot his grievance, however, in
the interest of his resolution and of
economy by supporting the Speaker
with the hope that when both resolu-
tons were in the hands of the Commit
tee he could secure an amendment to
the report of the Organization commit
tee fixing the number of people who
could be employed. He said he could
give bond to run the House with fewer
men than the report named. He asked
that the report be allowed to go to the
Committee so that some adjustment
could be made. Henderson of Mont
gomery urged the House to stand with
the Speaker because adverse action
would be accepted as a direct slap at
Governor Crothers.
Benson had spoken of ''outside infu-
ences" and big ST. Cummings of
Montgomery had urged the members to
assert their independence of such infu-
ences, but the rules do not permit the
mention of name on the floor. This
slip on Henderson's part gave Benson
an opportunity to have him called to
order under the rules. This, however,
was only an indication of the determine
ton of the Baltimore county man to
lose no point in the fight he was max
ing. His knowledge Of parliamentary
proceedings saved him a moment later
when the vote was announced, for the
Speaker first ruled the motion lost, act
ing under the impression that two