Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-01-05
THE LEGISLATURE OF 1912.


dent Of the Senate, defeating Senator Lee
of this county. To do this work, the or
ganization had eleven votes against Mr.
Lees eight.
Senator Goslin, of Caroline, made an i'm
pressive address in placing the name Of
Senator Lee in nomination. In % years
Of service in the General Assembly, said
Senator Goslin, he never had taken as
much pride and satisfaction in any action
as in offering the nomination Of Senator
Lee, of whom he spoke, with great feeling.
Strong Endorsement of Senator Lee and the
progressive policies also were voiced by
Senator Benson, of Baltimore county.
ut is my firm belief" said Senator j..
Frank Harper, of Queen Annes. that if
our constituents were empowered to in
struct us at this moment they would direct
us to vote for Senator Lee as President of
this branch Of the General Assembly"
Senator Dobson. of Talbot, closed the
speeches with loyal tribute to Senator
Lee and the element of which he is the
acknowledged leader.
James Nice, Trippe. of Baltimore city,
was elected by the organization Speaker
of the House. Henry A. Osborne, progress
sive, of Hartford county, was the opponent
who was defeated by At to 10 votes
All four of the Montgomery County Dele
gates voted for Osborne.
A full set of organization men were
elected desk officers, among them Chief
Clerk A. j. Almoney. of this town.
Mr.. Cummings, of this county, placed
Mr.. Osborne in nomination and sprang
surprise with vigorous and direct at
upon the leaders Mr. Cummings made it
plain that he intended to stand by Sena-
tor Lee and his progressive friends, includ-
ing Mr.. Osborne.
we have had the spectacle in this State
during the last month Of men elected to
the Legislature to represent the people
standing idly by while party bosses with
deals and dickers threw their votes any
way they desired without consulting the
delegate and giving him any opportunity
10 exercise MS own chOlce.
Before the last election, when after
primary campaign the people of Maryland
unquestionably manifested how they re-
garded the progressive Democracy in this
State, Senator Lee went into the general
election campaigning for the Democratic
ticket, and the party people said that there
was nothing too good for him.
Immediately after the election, when
his friends and the men who stood for his
principles aspred for position in this Leg
islature. efforts were Immediately made to
stop them. The county bosses conferred
and conferred. One day they were with
Mr.. Cook, another day with Mr. Marbury
Delegates were told on different days to
vote different ways.
Finally on "a hours notice, when the
parasitical bosses of Baltimore city, who
feed on the people and the taxes of the
city, coerced the county bosses, then every
body had to switch. | want to warn you
gentlemen that while you can pump oxygen
into a dying man it cannot long keep him
alive, and those in politics today who see
their end near are playing desperate
game.
Mr.. Osborne has had previous expert
ence in this House he was educated prac-
tically at the home of Thomas jefferson
he is Democrat out and out 1t is an
honor to nominate him."
Arranging a program for the Annapolis
caucus, the organization leaders had a row
among themselves in Baltimore on Tues
day last, Mayor Preston running the steam
roller over the whole gang.
Over the PROSTATE, not TO say writhing,
forms of United States Senator John Wal
ter Smith, Arthur Pue German and Sonny"
Mahon, his erstwhile ally. Mayor Preston
stepped into complete control of the Demo-
cratic State ring, and laid all his plans for
the capture of both branches of the Cen
eral Assembly. II was reported that not
only does he propose to dominate all leg
islation for Baltimore, but also contem-
plates running for Governor four years
hence.
This coup was achieved by threatening
Senator Smith with retirement from the
Senate, by frightening Mahon ano by sim
ply taking from German the Baltimore city
delegation. in which lay German only
hope of influence. The story is int eresung
and may be told briefly,
To Senator Smith, Mayor Preston is said
to have asserted that he would destr1, his
power in the State and would back senator
Lee for the Senate two years hence uvrr
Mahon he waved the club of city patron
age. which he long has withheld To- Tins
purpose. To German he said that tn, lre,
city Senate votes would be cast for s.ae. iu
event OF German proving recalcitraui
The steam roller was set at wor rd
continued its course at the Rennert Eotel
Tuesday morning promises were distrib-
uted regardlessly, and all the Dele gat1s
present and the bosses Of those absent
were cajoled or coerced into voting for j.
McC Trppe, whom the Mayor had selected
for Speaker of the House.
Under the delusion that Senator Smith
still has the dictation of the Congressional
nomination on the Eastern Shore, Congress-
man J. Harry Covington was set to work
to bring the Eastern Shore Delegates into
line and performed his task nobly. To
some Delegates promise was given that
w. Mason Sheehan should be Insurance
Commissioner Others were notified that
they need not look for places on commit
tees. and still Others received hints that
cherished Legislation would be held up UNI
less Delegates came across as ordered.
So, too, in other sections similar areu-
ments were used to corral votes for Trppe,
who incidentally, stood in the Amen cor
ner Of the Rennert under the watchful eve
OF Bob" Lee, Preston's secretary. and
Joe" Kelly" Sonny" Mahons son-in-law
and the official baseball umpire of the