Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-07-08
WELLER FAST OBTAINS
PLEDGES OF SUPPORT
Every Mail Bringing Them and
Many Would Surprise, He
Asserts.
ABILITY WINS FRIENDS.
His Efficiency As Roads Chairman Of
MARYLAND Prompts Many Voters
to Favor Him.

When State Roads Chairman o. Z.
Weller reached his Office yesterday
morning he found big pile of letters,
and as he read them he put a great
many in one of his outside coat pock-
cts. Asked why so many letters were
disappearing into his pockets, he ex-
planned:
They are personal and relate to my
campaign. Most Of them are promi-
ses of support, and among them are
some that would prove very surpris-
ing. Every mail brings them, and,
naturally, feel very confident of the
result of the primary. The party men
are lining up behind me-"
This statement, plain and to the
point, is Characteristic of Mr.. Weller,
to whom what appears to be the ma
jority of the leading men in the Re-
publican party are now turning as the
man to lead them as the next nominee
for the Governorship.
Recently the chairman was verv busy
with a meeting of the State Roads
Commission. which began at $50, and
thus he had little or no time for politi-
cal comforting or letter writing. But
he could not conceal the fact that he
was much pleased with the tenor of
his morning mail and reports that
came to him verbally over the tele-
phone or otherwise before the Com
mission meeting began. All indicated
a drift Wellerward as was forecasted
weeks ago when one of the girl stenog-
raphers in the Office wrote on a slip
of paper and laid on his desk this allit-
erative prediction:
I'VE will win with Weller"
Evidently that girl is Republican,
though one of the complaints that a
few Republicans of the bitterly parti-
san stripe make against the chairman
is that he has not done enough for the
Republican party through the handling
of the roads funds. And so far as
can be pointed out there is little evil
dence of politics in his administration
as most of the employees of the Roads
Commission Office were there before
the present administration took hold.
They have held their places on a basis
of efficiency, and that efficiency has
unquestionably been increased under
the Weller administration.
There is no doubt that great deal
of the support that is coming to the
roads chairman is due indirectly to the
fact that he has been roads chairman.
That is, he was little known through
out the State till he was made roads
chairman by Governor Colds borough.
The position naturally brought him a
Il, -
have been the political destruction of
an incompetent man, but which could
not help bring thoroughly efficient
man into high repute. Governor
Goldsborough at the time needed a
man of ability of the highest exec
utive abilty-and to him there is
credit due that he rec 1gnized the ab;l-
ity of Mr.. Weller, say party men. and
thereby brought commentator to his
own administration.
The roads administration, however,
say those who have known Mr.. Weller
Ing. did not teach him anything of bus
mess, as he was an efficient business
man long ago. He was educated in
the Naval Academy and resigned after
a cruise because at that time there
were not enough places to go around.
He was later lawyer in the West, and
after that for long time was connect
ed with banking firm in a line of
business which took him all over the
country. In fact, he is one of the
best travelled men in this State. and
being such has broad views.
Baltimore American.