Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-12-30
LAIRD TO Be
SPEAKER Of HOUSE
Member From Montgomery to Get
High Honors.
CAMPBELL PRESIDENT OF SENATE
Lee People Attack MIR. Laird's Loyalty
Denounce His Party Record, Hit
at Vandiyer.


House of Delegates at a conference
yesterday of Smith Harrington lead
ers, and. it is expected. will be the
choice of the party caucus.
There is little doubt that State Sen
ator Peter ]. Campbell, of Baltimore
city. will be chosen President of the
State Senate. Last night, after the re
suit of the conference of the Smith
Harrington leaders became known,
Brooke Lee. a son of Senator Blair Lee
who has opposed Mr.. Laird very bit
terly brought TO Baltimore statement
from the three Lee men in the Mont
gomery delegation in which they pro-
tested against being bound by the
choice of the caucus.
The statement of the three Lee men
from Montgomery contains an attack
upon Gen. Murray Vandiver, the State
Treasurer. 1t is alleged that General
Vandiver. more than any one else. is
responsible for the condition of the
publict reasury 1t also alleged that
the supporters of Mr.. Laird are try
ing to cover the reelection of General
Vandiver by the fight and the argu-
ments made by Mr.. Laird.
The conference at which it was de-
termined to back Mr.. Laird was held in
the office of Senator John Walter Smith
in the Union Trust Building, Baltimore
and was attended by the Senator. Gov
ernor elect Harrington, Congressman
Talbot, Dr. George Wells and a few
others. Afterward, Mr. Harrington,
. beginning, said:
Il hope and expect that Mr. Laird
will be the Speaker of the next House.
From information which has come TO
me as to the sentiment of Democratic
members of the next House, and from
what | have learned today. I think the
matter is about settled. am very glad
it has worked out in this way
The Democratic members of the
House include a considerable number
strong men and our party had plenty
of Speakership material but | think
Mr.. Laird is the best man for the place
at this time. AS much as any other
man in the State, probably more than
any other man, he represents the issue
| upon which our party fought and won
| the last campaign-the issue of econ
| omy and efficiency II seems to me
| to be fitting and eminently desirable
that he should be at the head of the
! House of Delegates.
| "It is understood that Mr. Talbot
! went into the conference supporting
David G. Mcintosh. Jr. of Baltimore
county. For days past Mr. Talbot
has been backing Mr.. Mcintosh as his
| first choice, and Howard Bryant, also
of Baltimore county, as his second
| choice. Dr. Wells. who has been re-
| garded as definitely against Mr.. Laird,
tok the position when he went to Bal
/ timore that he would fall in line if the
| State leaders wanted Mr.. Laird.
Senator Smith, who has been re-
| garded as willing to take either Mr..
I, Laird or Mr.. Bryant, is said to have
TO have made up his mind that il
would be better to make Mr.. Laird
These leaders were in conference
some time before Mr. Harrington ar
rived in Baltimore. When he reached
the city he went at once to Senator
Smiths office It is understood that
all of the leaders who were there ex-
| pressed their views and asked the
Governor elect whom he favored. He
replied that he thought Mr. Laird
should be named and that his infor-
nation was that public sentiment was
strongly in his favor. The other lead.
ers doubtless expected that and were
ready; they Immediately agreed tc
support Mr.. Laird.
The leaders in the conference rep
resented 32 of the Sc Democratic vo-
ters in the next House, or three more
than the majority of the caucus, which
is 90. They, therefore, should be able
to nominate Mr.. Laird in the caucus
regardless of any action of the city or.
ganization forces and the Lee people
But, as matter of fact, it is improb-
able that a stand will be made agains
Mr.. Laird by the Baltimore city people
The statement of the Montgomery
county delegates is as follows:
I'VE, the undersigned members-elect
of the House of Delegates for Mont.
gomery county, have observed the
movement now ON foot and strongly
urged by certain prominent Democrats
and newspaper influences to make Mr.
Philip d. Laird Speaker of the House
of Delegates.
I'VE are opposed to Mr.. Lairds elec
tion for this position and protes
against being bound to support hin
by Democratic caucus, and feel tha
you should be advised of some of tn,
reasons for our opposition"
I'VE do not think that party eau
Gus should be invoked in behalf of
man for Speaker with such a part,
record as Mr.. Laird is known TO have
we heartily endorse the pledge!
contained in the Democratic platform
and give assurance that neither Mr.
Laird nor any otter member of thl
Legislature will go further than ",
will to see that those pledges are full
l hl1ad in hofh laffar and cnir;t