Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-05
NEED IS FOR STRONG MAN
Mahon's Leadership Regarded as on
Trial in Contest.
PUTS HIM IN QUANDARY
Friends Are Insisting That He De-
eide on a Man and Then Make
an Aggressive Campaign.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

BALTIMORE, Md, February 4, 19ll.
The democratic machine" is still with
out a mayoralty candidate, but the in
dioatio today point strongly to the Sc
lection of Col. Sherlock Swami, former
president of the police board and stepson
of the late Mayor Latrobe. Powerful
influences are now at work to bring the
party leaders behind Swami, who has
indicated a willingness to run for mayor,
but who declines to enter any contest
for the nomination unless he Is assured
of the support Of the party organization.
Keen observers Of the political situa-
ton assert that the general drift is
toward Swami in the organization circles,
because it Is believed that he would poll
a very heavy vote among the independ-
ents. There are rumOrs current that
Frank A. Furst, one of the most power
full democrats in the city, is favorable
TO Swami, and that he Will SO advise
sonny Mahon, the city boss, when a
conference is held here by the leaders
in about d fortnight.
1t Is pretty generally known that the
favorite of Mahon for the mayoralty
nomination is James II. Preston, who
was an unsuccessful candidate In the
congressional primaries last summer. Mr..
Preston is very active just now, and has
sent out letters to confidential frlends
and advisers asking their opinion of his
chances and sounding them ON the senti-
ment in their respective baihwicks. With
these replies, it is said, Preston will try
to compel Mahon to openly advocate
his nomination.
Germans for Numsen
Among the various German organiza-
tions of the city there is a general senti-
ment in favor of George n. Numsen, now
vice mayor, and who up to the last mo-
ment in 1907 had been practically set
tied upon for the nomination. 1t Is
currently reported that these. German
societies, which embrace in their men,
bership about 10000 German-American
voters, will make strong demand that
NumSen be given the nomination.
The friends or Numsen asset that un-
less Their candidate is given considera-
ton in the mayoralty race there will be
a large detection In the German vote,
democratic party.
Former Gov Frank Brown, who picked
the present mayor of Baltimore is now
engaged in booming George e. Morrison,
the attitude of Brown is not at all pleas
ing to the machine leaders 1t is def
nitely settled that the good offices of Mr..
Brown will not be called upon this year
III SelecUnS the organization cdn0lQate,
and that the leaders will look to Frank
A. Furst for such advice. The fact is
appreciated, however, that Brown would
be a mighty strong help for the or
ganization, and no attempt will be made
TO read him out of the party councils,
because it is known that he would also
make an influential enemy.
Mahon in ouandary.
AS matters now stand within the party
Boss Mahon is up a tree and his
sole reliance lies in the advice of FIRST
1t is generally understood that he will
follow the lines to be laid down by
Furst and line up behind the man whom
Furst may suggest. With the candidate
settled upon MahOn is to be forced by
his friends and advisers to show his back
bone.
These friends assert that Mahon's weak
ness in failing to declare for q candidate
in the congressional PRIMARIES resulted in
internecine party strife, and that the
wounds sustained in that primary fight
have not all been healed, and some fears
are expressed that these warning lieu
tenants may carry their fight into the
mayOralty campaign.
This is Mahon's first chance to name
mayoralty candidate, and his entire
career and future as the party leader
in the city depend upon his selection"
said one of his closest advisers to The
Star correspondent today. He has got
to get behind a strong man and then
he's got to put his foot down. pick up
a club and be actual leader. II he
names and elects a good man his lead
ership will be undisputed- II he fails
in either instance. then the party will
have new leader
Annapolis Law.
The Annapolis election law cases are
now ready to go before the Supreme
Court Of the United States. Judge Rose
in the United States court this week
assessed damages at $3.50 each against
the election registrars OF Annapolis for
refusing to register three negroes. In
rendering the decision Judge Rose de-
clared that while le did not wish to
minimize the extent of damages to be
strained to consider the fact that the
election officials were acting in obedi-
ence to their duties when the registra-
ton was refused, and as the law under
which they were acting had never been
tested. they had not maliciously yiolat-
ed the law, and should therefore be as
sessed the minimum damages.
The decision of Judge Rose is Sc
auel to the ruling Of Judge Morris
on October Is last, when he held that
the act Of the legislature under which
the plaintiffs were refused registra-
ton was unconstitutional. thus estab-
fishing an opinion in lower court
under which the case could be carried
to the highest tribunal In the land as
a test case.