The citizen., 1913-08-22
BALTIMORE LETTER.

De CUllliGQ 10 Ills SGdl Has CduSGu COll-
siderable alarm in Maryland. The Dem
ocrats now have control of the Senate
by very slim majority and now two of
ITS foremost and most distinguished
leaders openly declare that the man
nominated under the present primary
law, and elected in November would not
have any legal qualifications for his seat
and thus neither OF these two men, both
of whom are-lawyers. could be expected
to vote for the man who should be
elected. ust what effect the declarations
Of Senators Kern and Bacon will have
on the Senatorial situation in Maryland
cannot be conjectured. From present
| indications. it Is the intention OF Gov
ernor Goldsborough to stand steadfast
by his writ providing for the Senatorial
primaries and, if he does, the Senatorial
asprants who are planning 10 enter the
race, will unquestionably do so Both
| ScnatosS Bacon and Kern realize that the
| indications are that the next Senator
| from MARYLAND will be a Democrat and
that he will take the place of a Repub-
ican. Thus it can be rightly said that in
taking their stand they are guided by
the law as they see and understand it,
, ane not by partisan Judgment.
| AT the same time, it must be recog-
nized that the great weight of legal au-
thority in Maryland. both Democratic
! and Republican, surtaned the Governor,
| and there IS no evidence that Senators
Bacon and Kern have examined the local
| statutes 1t is very easy for a lawyer TO
! pass a horseback opinion that is not
worth the paper that it is written on.
! The question has been brought 10 the
| front by the death of Senator Joseph +.
! Johnson, of Alabama Governor O'Neal,
| of that State has announced the ap.
| poin'mentment OF Congressman Henry
| -. CLAYTON, Who is conceded to be one
! OF the abest members of Congress and
! the Chairman of the Judiciary Com
mlttee OF the House OF Representatives.
! Governor O'Neal believes that under the
! Seventeenth Amendment to the Consti-
! tuition OF the United States he has the
! power to make the appointment. This
! appointment has brought the question 10
! a head. The LAWYERS OF the Senate were
/ compelled to make full investigation
/ and examination of the laws Immediately
/ and representing the Democratic Senators
! Kern and Bacan have done 50. They
| say strongly that there is no legal reason
/ for Congressman Clavtou's appointment.
! They say that the only thing that Gov
/ ernor O'Neal coul6 do was 10 call the
I Legislature in special session and have
! i passed bill authorizing the Governor
| to make an appointment in case OF
vacancy until the regular Senatorial pr-
| maries and election Cuutd be held If
( This course were pursued and the Iegis-
lature conferred this right upon The Gov
! ernOr, then the appointment OF Con-
| gressmau Clayton could be made. Be-
/ ioIe issuing a call for special session
| OF the Legislature however, Governor
! O'Neal will probably let the United
! States Senate pass upon the legal
/ rights OF his appointment. II il is re-
/ JtCted by the Senate, the probabilities
are that he will immediately can the
/ Legislature lnlO extra session and TO ask
be empowered TO appoint a Senator.
While the discussion over the legality
OF the Maryland primaries is going on.
! Senator Blair Lee. the only avowed
! Democratic candidate for The Senatorial
nomination, IS making a vigorous and
very aggresSlue campaign throughout the
| State Senator Lee has no opposition in
! the Democratic p.rty in the primaries
SO far only one RepuClluan Mr. Thomas
| + Parran has announced himself as a
| Senatorial candidate of the Amalgamated
/ Republican and Progressive parties. The
| withdrawal OF CONGRESSMAN !. +. c. Tai.
| bOlt has given him clear field and it
| cannot be seen where any opposition will
! develop in the Democratic parly Dur
! ing the past week Senator Lee has Wis
! tied number OF fairs and tournaments
IN different sections of the State and has
! made many friends wherever he spoke
| 1t IS his intention 10 make most siren
uouS campaign from now on until after
the election. With no opposition in his
own party the Senator will be able TO
WIN his nomination at not much expense
Some of the Senator's friends are max
ing fights for the control of the organza-
tion in the different counties and these
! men are relying upon Senator Lee TO
finance the bulk of their campaigns
Senator Lee will also have a difficult
fight on hand in his own county and
with no primary fight for the United
States Senatorship he will be able to give
! considerable time te his local fight.
As they have no opposition in their
! own party, State Comptroller Emerson
c. Harrington, of Dorchester county.
and also the Clerk of the Court
of Appeals, Mr.. c. c. Magruder of
Prince Georges county, will not have to
enter in the State wide primaries. The
law provides, that where candidate for
office is unopposed, his nomination shall
be certified TO. 1t is too late now for anv
contestant TO enter the fight against
Messrs. Harrington and Magruder. From
the very beginning these two Democrats
have had the support of both the city and
State organizations, and it was their sup
port which has probably prevented them
from having costly primary fights Like
wise the Republicans will make their
nominations without a primary fight.
Their nominees will be Messrs. Oliver
s. Metzerott, OF Prince Georges county,
and Mr. Augustus N. Bernhard, of Bati-
more City. Both men consented to run
for Office at the eleventh hour upon the
urgent request of Governor Goldsbor-
ough and Secretary of State, Mr. Robert
p. Graham. Mr.. Metzerott was men,
Der Of the House of Delegates at the
sessions of 1905 and 1912. Mr.. Den
hard ran for Judge of the Orphans Court
a few years ago and was overwhelmingly
defeated. 1t is conceded that with their
party solidly and unitedly behind them
and because of their public records,
MessrS. Harrington and Maeruder will be
decisively elected
Another fight has been started against
General Murray Vandiver, who is rap
idly recovering from a recent operation
at his home in Havre de Grace General
Vandiver has probably had more fights