Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-12-29
GETTING READY FOR
MARYLAND LAW MAKERS
Corps of Workmen Busy at the
State House--Everybody Wants
Front Row Seat.
WORK GETTING INTO SHAPE.
Fewer Jobs for the Faithful Since
"Jawn" Sullivan Recommended
the Practice of State Economics

tne rTdCtlCe OF State ECONOMIES
Annapolis is getting ready for the
coming of Maryland's learned law
makers Getting ready with trepi-
dation. and with sadness since her own
son, John Ridout Sullivan, turning his
back coldly upon right, precedent and
the Ancient City's heretofore undispu
ted time of pickings. has recently re
commended fewer jobs for the faithful.
but still she is getting ready.
First the electric lines replaced the
old steam cars and the closer and more
frequent transportation connections
Baltimore. Washington and even their
homes further away. reduced the num-
Der of permanent boarders and lodg-
ers. This was several years ago, and
the blow was felt first in all its crush
ing force during the session of 1914
Since then the Eastern Shore De-
velopment and Steamship Company
has got the really good going and even
the Eastern Shore law-maker, who
had remained in Annapolis own can, if
he wants to, get home quite often dur
ing the session. And now. to cap il
all John Ridout Sullivan has recon-
mended a plan whereby the number of
employees, who also live in Annapolis
during the session, if they be of the
type of legislative worker who is sup
posed to work be materially cut.
But some employees will have to be
appointed, and must work and stay
here. and, too some of the members
will be compelled TO reside in the An
cient City, so things are perking up
and when the gentlemen arrive next
week they will be welcomed. The de
livery Of several new mattresses. the
busting off of the "Boarders Wanted
sign, the worried expression on the
face of Carvel Halls clerks as they
figure on crowding in the lawmakers
on the nights when MILDLY dances are
last. but by no means an unimportant
sign, is the smiling countenance of
more than one bar-keep and the dust
ing off of certain little racks on which
are stacked ivory chips" and packs
of playing cards.
Up at the State House, where the
lawmakers will conduct their learned
deliberations, Mr.. A. Eugene deReeves
and his corps of workmen have been
busy for weeks past getting ready for
the General Assembly's arrival-and
MIR. deReeves has been hearing from
the many members elect Why do they
write to Mr. deReeves? Because he
as custodian of State Buildings, has
charge of the seating arrangements.
There are 101 members of the House
of Delegates, and there are about six
front row" seats on either side of the
main aisle. and about ten aisle seats
on either side. About thirty-two of the
seats are desirable ones, and every
one of the 101 members-elect wants
one of them! How is Mr. deReeves
going to do it?
And with this exciting game OF
scramblings and grabbings going on
he has had by no means small time
with his other work. For some strange
reason. most of the demountable and
detachable things in the way of furni-
ture and furnishings about the State
House are found missing after the final
session of each Legislature They
have TO be replaced, but it is hardly
worth while replacing them until just
before the succeeding Assembly meets
Mr.. deReeves and his assistants have
been busy on this work for some time
now, and the things they have to ere
place" range all the way from broken
chairs and waste baskets and desks
down to the nickeled soap holders anC
the chains and the door latches in the
retiring rooms. 1t has even occurred
that-presumably finding that they
could not get desk or other "set-up'
piece of furniture through the door
some over Jealous fellow has un
screwed the brass handles and Other
fittings of the furnishings.
A large percentage of the members
leaving Annapolis two years ago alsC
took with them at the end or lost while
here their desk key, both for commit
tee-room and floor desk. These hav,
al to be replaced, as have also tn,
burnt-out electric light bulbs around
the lofty ceilings of the State legisla
tive halls. Then, too, each desk-aftel
its occupancy has finally been salts
fied-must have placed on it's from
a neat card containing the member
name (always with an impressive
Hon" as a handle)
However. the work is getting int
shape and everything will be il
readiness when Wednesday night, Jan
parry arrives, and the hosts file into
/ the State House. But in the boarding
houses it is different becaues of tn,
sadness-'.to think that John Sullivan
would do such a trick