The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-12-07
CAT-AND.CANARY PROGRAM
IN MARYLAND.


isn't laughing these days, it must bs
horse with less humor than the old
gang of Democratic "leaders" possess
We think too well of horses TO- believe
there is such.
When after election the leaders
awoke to the fact that a Republican
governor had been elected, they pro.
posed an immediate extra session Of
the old Legislature, to grip" the State
government, and take all important
powers from the governor. The in.
coming governor, of course, wouldn't
sign acts to dehorn himself; they must
be rushed through at an extra session
before his accession. Fine!
But there was protest, Governor
Crothers wouldn't call the extra session
to pull the job, and the Headers" have
plugged a new one. List:
The old Legislature will be in SEES.
sion six days before the new governor
is sworn in. During those six days
the ripper" bills are to be introduced
all cooked, primed, and agreed upon,
rushed to passage, and signed by the
old governor!
No real debate, no publicity, no air
ing, no excuses except that I'VE need
the jobs"
Then the Democratic kitty will sit
back on its launches, wrap its tail
about its toes, lick its chops, and
smile grimly when the new governor
comes in and looks around for his pa.
tronage canary.
The arguments for doing all this are
even more naive and insinuating that
the program itself. ,- H. 49, r..
For instance, the governor has large
authority, appointive and otherwise,
over the State roads commission. That
was all right when the governor was
a Democrat; but when he becomes a
Republican, it will be different. So it
is the announced intention to "take
the roads commission out of politics.
by passing an act perpetuating the
present commission and depriving the
governor of his powers over it!
For, say the "leaders," the roads
work is important; it should not get
mixed in politics; the Democrats start
ed it, and must finish it. Another loan
of $5,0O0yOOO must be voted to COM
plete the campaign, and-here comes
the most naive thing of all--the "lead
ers' gravely fear that if the work
got into politics, the incoming Legis-
lature would refuse the loan!
Just think of that! The "leaders"
confess that the machinery which they
themselves invented for spending the
good roads money is SO bad, so wicked
ly political, that they would rather
discontinue bodybuilding than con-
tinue it under this system-with Re-
publican governor!
Was ever confession more frank?
Then there are the schools. We
read that Maryland is proud of it's
school system, which has become alb
solutely non-political. The governor
appoints the members of the county
school boards. That system, we gath.
er from these astute leaders," is nom
political when the governor is a Demo.
crat. but it is dangerously political
when the governor is Republican! So
law must be passed that will take
the power from the incoming governor.
Isn't that keeping the school sys-
tenn out of politics" with vengeance!
Ever since election the political mem
bers of political school boards have
been Logging up and down the State,
plotting and planning, and setting and
Matching in the effort to save their
jobs, to keep their Democratic fingers
on the school management. They have
succeeded, in connection with the roads
lobby, and the rest of the small bored
political interests, in getting the 'lead.
ers" to take up this scheme.
And then, they call it taking the
schools out of politics!"
But the biggest guffaw eomes when
We turn to Baltimore's police and
liquor situation. 1t is tremendously
important for the machine to keep its
grip on the saloons and the police force
of the metropolis. They must be kept
"out of politics" at any hazard; that
is, safely in control of the old State
and city machines.
So, it is announced, the first six
days of the session will also pass a
bill "for the creation Of a one mai
police board for Baltimore, and the
merging of the board Of liquor license
commissioners and the board of police
examiners with this department"
W. s.l..I l.. -. L..