Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1913-01-10

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IF, then, the progressive Democracy Of
Maryland wishes to keep in touch with the
movement in the nation led by Mr.. Wilson
= and at the same time advance and sus-
tain the movement at home, II is up to il
to keep open an unrestricted avenue OF
approach to the national administration
through which the President may extend
his aid and counsel. The people of Mary
land need no explanation Of the force and
meaning Of Senatorial courtesy In these
circumstances some one should be selected
to lead the fight in Maryland who in his
public service typifies the cause itself.
LAS was SO aptly said by Hon. Joshua
W. Miles in his recent interview:
"Blair Lee, by reason Of his record in
the Maryland Senate and his entire career
in politics Of the State is more thoroughly
associated in the public mind and from
the viewpoint of the average voter with
those great popular reforms. the advocacy
of which have brought Woodrow Wilson to
the Presidency, than any other public man
in Maryland
But for Senator Lees presence in the
State Senate and his uncompromising ad-
vocacy Of direct legalized primaries, in
season and out Of season, we would at this
critical juncture have no Statewide pri-
mary system.
He introduced and passed the bills
which gave us, besides many other i'm
portant features
"First-The county autonomy plan. I'M
der which, by reason of its division into
Legislative districts, a progressive fight
was for the first time made practicable in
Baltimore city.
'Second-The vital recount provision.
"Third-The second choice provision.
"Fourth-The plan for placing the pen
atty for vote-buying on the vote-buyer
alone, which puts the buyer at the mercy
of the man who sells his vote.
THE fact that at present this is a one
party State, and a Democratic nomina-
ton is equivalent to an election, makes
more applicable than ever the aphorism
that the selection of candidates is more
important than the election
But for this Statewide primary law
the progressive Democracy would be help
less in this critical situation while this
Constitutional amendment, to be voted on
next fall, extends this plan to stop vote
buying to general elections. | consider
this the most advanced and effective pro- |
vision ever proposed to prevent bribery
and corrupt practices.
Senator Lee, from the beginning of his
Legislative career, set his face against
lobby control at Annapolis. He initiated
the movement for the printing of local
bills. where the lobby often got in its fine
work without the knowledge of the public
or even of the members themselves.
Though not the author of the measure,
he stood at the forefront of the fight for
Public Utilities bill. and it was his cool
head and fearless course at critical juno
ture which forced its passage. This largely
removed from the Legislature matters of
corporate regulation and struck a body
blow at the lobby.
by his own bill, in the session of 1912,
he put teeth in the Utilities law by COM
polling the assignment of peoples counsel
to defend the public interests and to give
to the consumers the use of the commits
siOn's experts and facilities.
THE full publicity intended for these
investigations of rates and service could
not be had without Lees amendment. 1t
made possible gas investigation, which
will enable the commission to make the
law effective.
THE ramifications of the lobby led into |
the very organization of the Legislature
itself
"A fruitful source of irreeularity and
graft was the use of public funds as sala-
ries to employees and purported employees,
whose names never reached the light of
day and whose appointments were made
by star-chamber methods, without the
knowledge of the public or the members of
the General Assembly as to who were ap-
pointed and what, if any, services were
rendered 10 the state.
Senator Lee earnestly supported, from
its inception, the movement to destroy
this evil by substituting a roll open to
daily public inspection and the publication
in the Comptroller's report of the names
and addresses Of the employees, the amount
of money they received and the duration
of their services. This definitely fixed the
responsibility for the appointment of every
man and enabled the members themselves,
the press and the public to know exactly
who was being appointed, their affiliations
and the services required of them.
in State as well as national affairs
Senator Lee has consistently stood AGAINST
special privileges of every kind.
Like the President-elect. Lee regards
compensation for employees injured or killed
in the perilous industries of importance to
all classes. particularly the laboring classes
and their families. At the last session of
the Legislature the Judicial Proceedings
Committee, of which Senator Lee was
chairman, held many hearings on this sub
ject, and finally reported and the Senate
passed positive compulsory compensation
law, which failed to pass the House
ITO protect the health and safety of
employees and to save the public from rail-
road wrecks, he secured the passage of the
Eisht-Hour law for telegraph operators
and earnestly supported the law requiring
full crew on railroad trains.
He led the fight to pass the resolution
giving Maryland's assent to the Income
Tax amendment to the Federal Constitu-
ton, as pledged by the national Democratic
platform.
Senator Lee supported the Corrupt Prac-
tees act and amendments, the automobile
. tax and REGULATION law The lnu,s for tho