Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-08-25
Patent Facts About Mr.. Gortnan.

The Hon. Arthur p German is wei
known to the people of Maryland. Fo
nearly eight years he has been a member
of the State Senate and has served faith
fully through four sessions For the past
two years. as President of the Senate, he
has occupied the official position next t.
that of the Chief Executive, and. if during
that time there had been a vacancy in the
office, he would have been the Governor Of
the State. II is to that Office he now as.
pires. and he is asking the Democratic
party for the nomination. The only way
in which he can get the nomination is by
the free votes of the members of the Dem.
Ocratic party, and that is the only way he
wishes to get it.
Mr.. German is young man, but he has
a record, and upon that record he is will
ing to stand. 1t is record of achieve
ment and of service to his people in which
any man might take just pride. At the
State Democratic Convention in 1907 the
Democratic party first took position in
favor of great plan for the improvement
Of public roads. The party platform of
that year contained this clause
| The work of construction and improve
ment of our pnblic roads. already so well
begun. should be steadily kept up until, as
the result of regular and judicious expen-
diture, there shall exist in Maryland q
system of public roads as good as that to
be found in any of our sister States
Senator German wrote that plank, and
by his influence it was put into the party
platform. The subsequent work on road
| improvement was its outcome. As chair
man of the Finance Committee Senator
German held place of great power. In
| that place he was ever faithful to his peo-
pie. and stood firmly against all demands
| for appropriations which were not well and
completely justified. And the record will
show it.
More than this, in order to afford relief
to the heavily taxed property owners, Sena-
| tor German considered it no more than
just to put larger proportion of the bur
den upon the more wealthy corporations.
He introduced and got enacted bill which
increased by 20 per cent. the tax upon the
gross receipts of railroads earning over
| 1000 per mile This increase made a
| large addition to the revenues of the State,
amounting to over $4,000 year.
But the largest measure of relief to the
taxpayers of Maryland grew out of the
investigation of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company. The State owned
$500 shares of the capital stock of the
Washington Branch, of the par value of
$550.000. Since the failure of the road
in 1896. the Washington Branch had
ceased to pay dividends. although Senator
German was convinced that dividends were
earned and that the State was not being
fairly treated. He, therefore. introduced
resolutions appointing joint committee
of the Legislature to investigate the earn
ings of the Washington Branch. He took
prominent part in the investigation that
followed, and the result of it was that the
railroad paid the State So, 500 900 for an
unprOductive asset, one which, in view of the
new Washington station and the changes
it made. would probably never have become
productive. That sale cancelled $780,
900 of the States debt, and the people
were relieved of the annual tax for inter
est and sinking fund. They owe that
relief to Senator Germans investigation
In the Senate Mr.. German, being chair
man of the Finance Committee, was natur-
ally more occupied with revenue measures
than with other legislation. Yet. he did
not neglect laws looking to fair elections
and the right of the people to manage their
own affairs. He was the author of the
primary election law of 1908, being the
first law for a legalized primary in the
counties ever passed by the Maryland
Legislature, and also the Senatorial Pri-
mary Election Law.
The best evidence of the value of Mr.
Germans services in the Senate, next to
the record, is the testimony of a careful
and Over-observant eye witness. Such a
witness we have in the Baltimore Suns
Annapolis correspondent We find the fol-
lowing estimate of Mr.. Germans work at
Annapolis in dispatch to the Sun, re-
ferring to the railroad investigation
From the first move in the affair down
to the present time March 20, 1900
Senator German, Jr.. has pursued his
course with admirable judgment and self
pOise, and without any suspicion or i'm
proper motives and without any faint of
politics. One of the conspicuous features of
Mr.. Germans character is his intense earn
estness. When he undertakes anything he
does it with all his might. and with single
ness and honesty of purpose. To this is
to be attributed largely his success at this
session of the Legislature. He has made
some mistakes here but upon the whole
his record is good. His introduction of a
drastic and effective corrupt practices act,
and his advocacy of changes in the cleo
ton law which will eliminate some of the
worst features. show a breadth of view
which has gratified his friends.
"As chairman Of the Finance Committee,
he has given heed to the interests of the
taxpayer without any undue parsimOny.
To all applicants for appropriations he has
been firm and courteous. and above all
things his course here has been clean and
honorable.
In his speech Withdrawing from the con-
test for denomination Governor Crothers
said that the Legislatures of 1908 and
1910 had given the State more progressive
legislation and propelled il further along
progressive lines in four years than any
other State had advanced in the same
time. The Governor named the important
laws enacted at the session of 1908. Mr.
German was floor leader of the majority
and in 1910 he was President of the Senate.
At both sessions he exercised powerful
influence. and he took leading part in all
the great bills the Governor enumerated
and against his opposition - If he had been
opposed to any Of them--they could not
have passed.
The training and experience which Mr..
German gained by his service in the Sen
ate has equipped him admirably for the
Office of Governor.
Candidates adv