Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
LEE. LIKELY TO WIN
Followers Of Maryland Pro-
gressive Claim Confidence.
DECLARE MEN WILL STICK
Organization Leaders, on Other
Hand, Have Troubles.
REPUBLICANS NOT FIGHTING
Expected to Agree on Minority Lead
ers in Both Houses Without ANY
Party Ructions.
DECLARE MEN WILL STICK
REPUBLICANS NOT FIGHTING

All eyes are now turning toward the
state capitol, which will OCCUPY the
center OF the stage political for the
next three months. Wednesday next
the legislature will assemble, and
week later Gov.-elect Goldsborough
will be inaugurated. The fight that
looms big and overshadows all other
issues is the contest between Blair Lee
and Jesse D. Price for the presidency
of the senate. Both progressives and
regulars are tonight claiming victory
and the indications are that the result,
will remain in doubt until the show.
down comes in the caucus.
The Lee forces appear supremely
confident Of winning out, and 1t is a
we'll known fact that the men pledged
to Lee cannot be weaned away. On
the other hand, the machine leaders
admit that the attitude Of several sem
ators whose support had been counted
for Price Is puzzling and they fear
that at the last moment enough of
them may flop to make Lees election
certain.
Both Counted for Lee.
While supporters Of Price place Sem
ator Frere and Senator Milbourne in
the organization column, unbiased OBJ
servers tonight counted them for Lee.
while Bells of Anne Arundel and Beck
of Kent are also said to be inclined to-
ward the Montgomery senator. In the
primary both Somerset and Charles
counties gave Lee majorities, and the
impression prevails that both former
Representative Miles and Senator Mil
that Senator Frere will also be found
with the Lee men. Only the strongest
kind of pressure from the state bosses,
1t is claimed, could keep some of the
so-called Price men from voting for
Lee.
Senator Lee himself declares that he
has majority of the votes among
the democratic senators and is sure OF
winning. The senator took occasion to
state that he is in politics for progress
sive principles and that he intended to
remain in politics until the progress
sive principles triumph. The senator
has opened headquarters at the Rem
merit and Is being assisted in his cam
paign by Andrew J. Cummings. men,
Der Of the house of delegates, and II.
H. Buck of Montgomery county, who
managed Lees primary campaign The
wiseacres are tonight predicting that
Lee will win and predict that Price
will withdraw just prior to the assem-
bling Of the caucus.
Contest for Speakership.
For speaker of the house the ma
chine leaders appear to have dropped
Ogle Marbury Of Prince Georges and
are now casting about for a candidate
around whose standard they can rally
their followers. The only aggressive
candidate in the field tonight is Henry
A. Osborn. jr., of Hartford county, and
he is an out-and-out Lee progressive
The fact that the regular city and state
leaders cannot trot out positive op-
ponent to Osborn Is regarded as
great point in his favor, wh1ie other
practical help has been found through
the dissemination of his record In the
house at the last session. Osborn, too.
is free from political obligations and
entanglements and is in a position to
give each and every member square
deal
The republican members Of the SEN
ate and house will hold caucus at the
RenEert next Tuesday evening", when
minority leaders in both branches OF
the general assembly will be chosen.
| The Indications are at this time that
| the dove of peace will hover over the
caucus and that 1t will be a most har-
monious affair. The city leaders feel
! thatsthey are entitled to the minority
| leadership in one branch. They point
to the fact that Baltimore city gave
Goldsborough 70 per cent OF his ma
| iority in the city and state.
Claims for Consideration.
They claim that this was accom-
plished despite the fact that there was
heavy majority Of the affiliated and
| declined against the republican party;
| that there was an army of democratic
officeholders from which to draw the
| '"sinews of war;; that the repub-
| lican campaigners had no such
source from which to draw funds and
that the federal officeholders were pro-
| hibited from taking any part in the
| campaign. It is generally thought that
| the county leaders will see the fairness
of Baltimore's claim to recognition and
that the majority leadership in the
senate will be conceded to the city.
The republican leaders here are out
for harmony within tn party ranks.
and from an authoritative source it
was learned tonight that the party
managers will accede to any expressed
desires Of the incoming governor re-
garding the minority leadership in
both branches, and also on any pro-
gram he may have in mind. The gov
ernor-elect is keeping his own counsel.
but the general impression prevails
that he will not take any active part
in the organization of the legislative
branch of the state government.