The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1912-11-26

During this time when he was in
the House, Senator Rayner also
was leading exponent of Demo-
cratic thought upon the tariff and
was a leader in the debates which
ragged between giants in the lower
body. That was the time of Thoma:
B. Reed, William L. Wilson and
John G. Carlisle, and the Mary
lander matched up among the best
OF them.
He was defeated for reelection
to the House by Judge Henry Stock.
bridge in the early nineties, much
to the surprise of his opponent as
well as all others.
For several years following he
held no office, although he was
tentative candidate Tor the Gu
bernatorial nomination in 1895, the
year in which the Democratic party
was overwhelmingly beaten.
| -Four years later he was pressed
into service by his party in the
great movement to redeem the
State from Republican rule. With
John Walter Smith, who in later
years was his colleague in the SEN
| ate, running as the Gubernatorial
candidate, he was the candidate for
Attorney General and led one of
the most brilliant oratorical cam
paigns known in the political an
nails Of Maryland.
From one end of the State to
the other he talked in every coun-
ty town to overlooking crowds, mad
with Democratic enthusiasm, aroused
by his oratory. The Republican par
ty. its record and its leaders were
daily and nightly held up to de-
vastating ridicule.
Speaking on a vacant lot in West
Baltimore one night, he set wild
the crowd by declaring in his most
satirical manner:
"They (the Republicans)are but
ting their heads against the walls
of Snow Hill (Sen. Smiths home);
they are weeping on the banks of
the Choptank, and they have hung
their harps on the willow tree"
The Democratic ticket swept in
| to office on a tidal wave of rejuve-
mated party strength, and men of
all shades of opinion were unit
in ascribing the great victory large
ly to Mr.. Rayner's. compelling ora
| tory.
His high record of public service
was maintained as Attorney General
| of the State. While in that office
he took the initial steps in the
| action against the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Co. for diversion of
earnings on the States holdings in
| the railroads securities.
Some years later this action re-
suited in the advantageous sale of
the States stock and put the State
Treasury in condition of such
excellence that the real beginning
of the great internal improvements
of the last few years were under
taken with confidence.
At the close of his term as At
| torney General he and the then
Governor, John Walter Smith, be-
came involved in fight for the
United States Senate, which de-
veloped into one of the most tt
tanic struggles for political office
in the history OF Maryland.
Mr.. Rayner won-after months of
effort which racked the State from
Garrett to Worcester. Early in the
fall campaign for Governor and the
Legislature-Edwin Warfield and
Stevenson A. Williams were the OPP
posing candidates for Governor -
Mr.. Rayner publicly announced his
candidacy. Popular sentiment in
Baltimore city forced the Demo-
cratic candidates for the State
Senate and the House to pledge
him their support if elected and
won to him a number of county
| men.
When the party caucus was held
Mr.. Rayner had a strong following,
and with the strength in the hands
of Joshua w. Miles and the late
E!ihu E. Jackson, who also were
candidates, he was able to forestall
the chair of Governor Smith by the
organization forces.
The late United States Senator
German, who was opposed bitterly
to Mr.. Rayner, then attempted to
swing the organization strength to
the late Bernard Carter, and sue
ceeded only in splitting the organi-
cation men, many of whom refused
to desert Governor Smith.
Followed weeks of keenest po-
liticai maneuvering, with Mr.. Ray
ner steadily gaining, owing to the
force of public opinion. In most of
the counties of the State meetings
were held and addressed by leaders
in the professions and the busi-
ness world urging the members of
the Legislature to support the bril-
liant lawyer and orator.
Gradually the sentiment crystal
lized, and with the Baltimore men,
bers of the Legislature standing
firmly for him, Mr.. Rayner added
vote by vote to his county strength,
and finally got the members who
had been standing by Mr.. Miles and
former Governor Jackson, which
gave him the election.
When he took his seat in the
Senate year or two later he
plunged at once into the important
debates that were then centreing
upon The power of the Federal Gov
eminent to regulate the great in