Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29
ATTACKS SENATOR SMITH
Isaac Lobe Straus Opens Fire on His
Political Record.
REPUBLICANS PLAN TO UNITE
First Step Toward Rehabilitating
Party in State Is Lincoln
Day Dinner.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Speclai correspondence of The Star
BALTIMORE, Md, December 2S, 1912.
The senatorial situation has been en-
livened during the week by the attacks of
Isaac Lobe Straus on the political record
OF Senator John Walter Smith, to whose
seat in the upper house of Congress Mr..
Straus aspires. The metaphorical javelins
hurled by Stratus have thus far failed to
disconcert the even tenor of the life of
the senior senator, who says that at the
proper time he will reply to the Straus
charges of reactionarism and republican
ism. and until that time he believes that
the people will not form snap judgment.
Mr.. Straus is wearing his war paint. and
his friends assert that he will go it ham,
mer and tongs after Smith from now on
until after the primaries.
1t Is now generally admitted that Smith
and Talbot will pool their political for
tunes in the coming senatorial primary,
and this combination will force Blair Lee
and Straus into an offensive and de-
fensive alliance. 1t is also generally con-
ceded that should Smith and Talbot make
common war upon Straus, the former at
torney general will have about much
chance of winning as the Sultan of Tur-
key has of regaining conquered territory.
And it may be accepted as an assured
fact that Smith and Talbot will fight
The senator and the representative
have each had an experience with Straus
which they are not likely to forget. In
1902, while a member of the house of
delegates, StrauS went after Smith, who
was then governor, and handled the chief
executive of the state without gloves.
Despite this experience with Straus, the
senator some years later acquiesced In
his nomination for attorney general, al
though he made wry face when he did
So When Straus wanted to be dele
gate at large to the national convention
last June he appealed to Senator Smith.
who was pOwerless to help him In at
tanning that aspiration. Representative
Talbot was likewise unable to aid Strauss,
as he had promised the quota of dele
gates from Baltimore county, where
StrauS then resided to other democrats
before Straus had asked his assistance.
Gus fight against Talbot for the congress
sional nomination in the second district
and was showed under by big major
ity.
Not Strong in Counties.
1t is evident that Straus has little hope
from the leaders in the counties, where
ne must develop his greatest strength if
he hopes to cut any figure at all in the
senatorial primary. There is nothing at
all for him in the city, except few wide
ly scattered leaders who are at odds
with the powers that be i'm the politics
of the city. The city leaders have not
made move nor will they until Mayor
Preston announces his intentions in re-
gard to the sehatorship. 1t is known
that the mayor looks longingly upon a
senatorial toga. and his close friends
have asserted that he will make the
fight for the seat now held by Smith
lie has not made formal announcement
Of his candidacy, but there is a well de-
fined impression abroad that his hat Is
in the ring and that he will make an
aggressive fight for the nomination. 1t
is stated upon good authority that should
he decide to enter the contest he will
make a statewide stamping tour and
will handle certain elements within the
party in no gentle fashion.
The mayor had an ambition to become
governor upon the completion of his
present term but is said to have realized
that he would meet with too much op-
position from a certain element, and for