The Washington times., 1911-08-14
MARYLAND FIGHT
WILL DECIDE FATE
OF SMITH MACHINE
Issue Clearly Drawn Be-
tween Progressives and
Reactionaries.
GORMAN'S SON OUT
FOR GOVERNORSHIP
He Opposes Blair Lee, Who Is
Making Campaign Against
the Organization.
By ]. FRED ESSARY.

Issues are clearly drawn in Mary
lands goVernorship fight, and the
primary on the twenty-ninth of this
month will determine whether the De-
mocracy of that State is progressive OF
reactionary.
Ihis primary Involves, in addition ia
the nomination of a candidate for gov
ernor, two seats in the United States
Senate and the fate of the present or
ganization," headed and dominated by
Senator John Walter Smith
Blair Lee, of Montgomery county, is
the progressive candidate for governor.
Arthur P. German, jr., of Carroll coun-
ty, is the reactiOnary All other as
pirants have drawn out of the race.
Back of Lee are many of the lead
ing figures in the party in Maryland
Governor CrOthers withdrew from the
fight and threw his support to him.
Senator Rayner has just authorized a
public statement that he will stump the
State for Lee. former Governor Edwin
Warfieid is already in the field for the
Montgomery county man, and Repre-
sentative ]. Fred c. Talbot is manag-
ing his campaign.
Smith for German.
On the other hand. Senator Smith
has assumed the management of Cor
mans fight. He has carried with him
the State machine and has commanded
the leaders in every county to fall into
line. The Baltimore city machine which
nominated and elected Mayor Preston a
few weeks ago has passed the word
along that German is the man.
Until a week ago this was a three
cornered fight. but it was patent to the
friends of Crothers and Lee that a
division of the progressives would
mean inevitable defeat for them both,
and that German would carry the State
and become the most powerful figure in
State affairs. with the single exception
of Senator Smith.
No one understood this situation more
clearly than did Representative Talbot,
the veteran legislator from the Second
Maryland district. He had come out
for Lee, but in spite of that he ini-
tiated a series of conferences with Gov
ernOr CrOthers. He pointed out the
facts to the governor and finally con-
WINGED him that Lee was the man to
lead the progressive forces. The with
drawal followed.
Almost Immediately thereafter Sena-
IOr RdNnGT declared MS purpose 10 sup
port Lee. There was nothing else left
for him 20 do. He saw that with Cor
man as chief executive of the State
this young man would devote his four
years in office to campaign for Ray
ner's seat in the Senate. Smiths term
as Senator expires before Rayner's. but
German, a Smith-made man, would not
run for the seat of his benefactor.
Jockeying for Senate.
And that is how it happens that the
governorship fight is but a jockeying
process for the Senate. Should Lee win
in the primary and later in the general
election he will provide entertainment
for Senator Smith when the latter
stands for reelection four years hence.
This would still leave Gorn2Rn to make
the fight for Rayner's seat two years
thereafter. But German, a defeated gu
bernatorial candidate, would be far less
formidable than German, the governor.
The next two weeks will see one of
the most vigorous primary campaigns in
the history of Maryland. Baltimore city |
Is expected to divide it's vote about |
equally. The city machine will poll a |
large part of its strength. though 1t !
cannot offer as much to its followers in !
a State fight as 1t could in city cam
paign, where there were more than a
thousand offices at stake.
This leaves the counties to decide the !
issue. The Eastern Shore, the balfwiCk |
of Senator Smith. will. 1t Is believed, |
go strongly for German. A part of |
southern Maryland will do the same
thing. while Lee is depended upon to
carry western Maryland and the group
of counties in the central part of the
State.
Among these is Baltimore county, the
Most populous in the State. This Is con-
krolled bodily by Representative Tai
bott, who promises that it will do its
duty.
The Republicans hold their primary
on the same date, but they are not split.
Collector of Internal Revenue Phillips
I, Goldsborough is the only candidate
aod he will receive the full party vote.