The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-06-18
Lee Campaign Opens in Baltimore

The Baltimore City campaign in the
interest of the selection of Hon. Blair
Lee as the Democratic candidate at the
Primaries next September opened on
Tuesday night when Mayor Preston
took the stump, and told the members
of the Concord and Fairmont Clubs, OF
that city, why he preferred Mr.. Lee for
the nomination. The Mayor made a
very interesting speech, and said he be-
lieved that Mr.. Lee would be fair to
Baltimore City, and also being from one
of the largest counties in the state, he
could not fail to represent the wishes of
his rural constituents. There was a
large crowd present, and the city end Of
Mr.. Lee S campaign started off with a
bang. Speeches were also made by City
Solicitor s. s. Field, and State Senator
William Mines Maloy, who is candi
date for the nomination for Attorney
General. The interests of the people of
this section is centered more on what
Mr.. Lee is to represent than what the
politicians of Baltimore think of him OF
say about him in speeches, and in his
reply to Mayor Preston's endorsement,
he outlined in brief the following things
that he favored in hisplatform
He stated he was III favor of an or
derby and intelligent method of making
appropriations by what is known as the
budget system. This system has been
adopted by number Of states in the
country, and as applied to municipali-
ties, has been in successful operation in
Baltimore city for number of years.
He said that it was largely due to this
system that Baltimore city has been en-
abled to spend money intelligently upon
new Improvements without very much
increase in the city tax rate, and that
dollar for dollar value had been given for
every cent spent. He referred to the
! fact that the tax rate for the state had
increased from l6 cents in 1910 10
32 l-3 cents in 1915, and will result in
4 tax rate vi So cents for 1916 unless
some reasonable method is adopted. He
stated if elected Governor, he would
recommend to the legislature that it
commit itself to this system until the
same can be made obligatory by a con-
stitutional provision if necessary. He
advises consolidation Of all the state S
legal business under the Attorney Gen
eral, thus doing away with number of
unnecessary salaries for counsel to vari-
GUS boards and insuring more effective
administration of the state s legal bust
ness. He also favored adding additional
territory to Baltimore city. He also
favors home rule for Baltimore and the
counties alike, and he stated that Balti
more city is entitled to have such form
municipal government as the majority
of its people desire. OF course these
things pertain particularly to Baltimore
city, and are not especially paramount to
the state interests, although the interest
of the people of Baltimore he said was of
vital interest to the people of the state as
well, as in Baltimore was the centralza-
ton of all their business interests and
progress. He also favored the incorpor
alton Of the harbor of Baltimore CITY
into the city. Baltimore city's com
merce is second only to New York, and
everyone anticipates great increase
from the opening of the Panama Canal.
Later on Senator Lee will appear in this
section and stump the county for him
self, at which time he will take up mat
tiers pertaining to the counties and dis.
cuss them with our people.