Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-09-07
CANDIDATE HARRINGTON
DEFINES HIS POSITION
Large and Enthusiastic Democratic
Mass Meeting.
AT EASTPORT LAST NIGHT.
Gubernational Candidate Tells Where
He Stands On Primaries and the
Oyster Question.

I
For the first time. probably. a candi-
date for the highest Office in the State.
in the gift of the people, was present
last night al the Democratic mass
meeting held at Eastport
The Hon. Emerson c. Harrington,
candidate for Governor. spoke at the
Injecting, which was largely attendedand
enthusiastic. II was held under the
auspices OF the faction of the party led
| by Or. George Wells Many watermen
were present Mr.. Harrington paid
| special attention to changes which he
| Suggested in the primary election law
and to the oyster question. Mr. Philip
Barrett, of Eastport, presided
| Mr. Harrington said he believed in .
Statewide primary election law, but
Ethat the present lay should he amended
in certain important particulars. He
said he opposed the envelope system
which had outlived its usefulness, and
| had become the means of corrupting the
! ballot through the use Of money by
| those in position TO spend large sums
in campaigning
/ He also said that he favored the linn
itation Of campaign expenses to a max
/ imum OF the amount of the salary for
| the Office which was sought Abiding
| to the oyster question. Mr. Harrington
said that he has, as a member of the
| Board of Public Works, offered and Sc
cured the passage of a resolution which
! prevented the Shellfsh Commission
from executing further leases OF nat
ural oyster bottoms until the Legisla-
! ture could meet and pass legislation
protecting The oystcrmen from having
such bottoms taken away from them.
w. Thomas Kemp Of Baltimore,was
/ The first speaker. Mr. Kemp told of bis
! interest in the Shepard Oyster Bill be-
! fore the last Legislature as counsel for
the Oystermen's Protective Association.
and of how Senator Lee was the prime
factor in the passage Of the now-abro-
| gated Prices Campbell measure. Mr.
/ Kemp also told of Mr. Harrington's
! freedom from bossism and called him
man unbiased by political influences.
even when he was outvoted in matters
of vital Importance to the State
Mr. Harrington was the next speaker
and his address OF an hour was listen
ed~to with marked attention and was
apLIauded frequently He told the aud
ience of his career from bOyhood, and
in the cours Of his remarks tonched
on subjects of interest to his hearers
regarding State matters, especially the
oyster question. He declared Andrew
lJcCy'o Cummings, who was first with
him in the last Legislature, at the bid
ding of Senator Lee deserted him. Mr..
Harrington told how the Legislature Of
1914 appropriated S1,155, ,000an unprece
dented amount, and how Mayor Preston
4 puts the blame for this on the Comp
troller. who was powerless to stop it,
Notwithstanding his warnings to the
ruling officers Of the General Assembly
in the beginning of the session.
The Comptroller said he was the first
to announce a campaign of entrench-
ment and reform and to advocate the
budget system for the State. He like
wise discussed Senator Lees record
and his advertisements.
From these paid advertisements OF
Senator Lees treasurer" said he, the
people of the State would be made TO
|
Maryland who had ever done anything
for the State. The Senator now preach
es economy, yet as a member of the
Legislature of Maryland he advocated
the increase of payment of the legisla-
tors of 81 500 per annum, the appropri
ton of money for political activity and
the payment Of employees for 80 days
when they had only served 45a until
recently he denounced bossism, and es
pecially the politicians OF Baltimore
city, and yet in this campaign has com
bined with Mayor Preston and locked
TO his bosom the political bosses OF
Baltimore city, whom, heretofore he
has so strongly denounced; he has
heretofore, denounced the State Dem
ocratic organization and inserted in tho
Democratic platform that the Dem.
ocratc organization should be hands
of the primaries and not take sides
and yet doing the whole time that h'
has been United States Senator he haG
mainly occupied himself in hunting fol
offices, attempts to build up a persona
Democratic organization Of his own ant
joine Preston in urging and obtaining
2 the support Of the Democratic organiZa
ton of Baltimore city.
5 He now breaches reform in the fis
cal condition Of the State Treasury, ad
IvOcates the budget system and the do
ing away with aseles Offices, when dur
ing his eight years Of service he at
tempted to constitute no such reform
never thought of hte budget system. II
votes in favor OF the Corrupt Practice
; act and the penalty for its infractiol
upon the buyer alone. while as a can
> didate he spends many times NOR
money than has ever been spent by an
cadidate, either in the primary or at al
election, and distributes as much a
$500 to $4,000 to a county for politca
purposes.
In 1913 he was candidate for Unite
: States Senator and wanted to go t
Washington TO uphold the hands o
President Wilson: in 1915 he desert
the President and desires to be electe