Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-07-09
Lee Replies To Furst.

A. rurSt, referring 10 MN as "ueXterOu
demagogue" and characterizing him as
Senatorial failure.
Senator Lee said:
1.-THE very respectful questions which
| asked Mr.. Furst in speech at the Eight
Ward Democratic Club seems to have beer
very effective. judging by the heated at
tack which he made on me in the inter
view published few days later. He re
sorted to the method of attack Away:
adopted by special interests when some
body begins to make inquiry. He calls me
a demagogue. 1t may be safely said thai
in all the history of democratic government
no man who ever tried to faithfully serve
the people escaped being called dema-
gOgue.
1.-THE main object of Mr. Furst's inter
view was to try to organize an opposition
to my candidacy in the hope of carrying
one or two districts in Baltimore city and
also of arousing sentiment in the counties
But the publication of the committee, which
Mr.. Furst, after two weeks hard effort. has
succeeded in organizing. shows the utter
collapse of the movement.
81 am very glad to hear that Mr.. Furst
supported Mr. Bryan during the three cam
paigns, and also to hear that he was in favor
of the Primary Election law, Public Service
Commission bill. and other progressive
measures which supported in the State
Senate.
81 am willing to agree with him that
the passage of these measures was strongly
advocated by former Attorney General
Straus. We all knew at the time these
measures were being urged that Mr.. Straus
was supporting them, though not men,
Der of the Legislature. But how many
members of the Legislature. or voters OF
this State, knew upon which side of these
questions the weight of Mr.. Straus influence
was cast, until his very recent declarations
$50 far as the Primary Election law is
concerned. certainly Mr.. Furst close friend,
Senator Smith. was not in favor of the
Primary Election law because he fought
the Primary Election law in the Legisla-
ture, and when he could not defeat it, had
his county excepted from its operation.
81 will not enter into a dispute with Mr.
Furst as to whether he has the right to
call himself Progressive, but leave it to
the candid voters of this State whether
he is not now supporting that element
of the Democratic party which has always
been reactionary.
after all, Mr. Furst is. of course, not a
candidate the candidates are Mr.. Har-
rington and myself; and the question still
remains, and it is one the people have a
right to have the information upon in view
of Senator Smith being director of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company. and Mr..
Harrington being counsel for that company
and in view Of certain persons who are
active in Mr.. Furst's committee being very
closely connected with the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company; and in view of the
further fact that the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company is seeking very impor-
tant franchises in Baltimore city which
might be granted by an act Of the Ligisla
ture, how far is the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company interested in this campaign
1.-THE public respect for the Public Ser
vice Commission. which must decide many
important questions between the people
and the great corporations, is essential to
the future peace and prosperity Of the
State, and the man who. as Governor. ap-
points the members of this tribunal, ought
to have no utilization with the great cor
pOrations which the tribunals are appointed
to regulate.
only people who are very desperate and
who fail to see any hope of success along
a consistent line of argument could posi-
bly, resort to the inconsistent method that
has recently been developed in the Smith
Harrington campaign. In some Of the cOun-
ties their papers came out simultaneously
tomake the Gubernatorial contest fight
between the counties and the city. II was
not long after this that. realizing the fail
ure to get the necessary votes in the cOun-
ties to nominate Mr.. Harrington Mr.. Furst
was suggested as a substitute candidate
in his place. and failing in this and OBJ
viOusly conscious Of weakness in the cOun-
ties. plan was laid under the leadership
of committee headed by Mr. Furst for
the capture of Legislative district in
Baltimore city.
I'VE are now presented with the extra
ordinary spectacle of Mr.. Ryan. the Col
lector of the Port. and acting chairman Of
the city Harrington movement in the alb
sence Of Mr. Furst, publicly declaring that
the city and the counties are injured In
raising the issue between them" when
only few days before Congressman Lewis,
speaking from the same platform with Mr..
Harrington in Frederick county declared
that in the contest between Harrington
and Lee n principle is really presented Of
great Importance to the State. and he de-
fines the great issue as that Of the counties
against the city of Baltimore.
Mr.. Lewis and the Smith-Harrington
county papers are both wrong on the facts.
II is pure fiction to say that have changed
my long held position on the county unit
question. But what is the meaning of Mr..
Hauington's friends preaching one thing
in the counties and the reverse of that in
the city, Does Mr.. Lewis. who spoke with
Mr.. Harrington. or Mr.. Ryan, who speaks
for Harrington. present Mr. Hanington's
true pOsitionY'
VIII Pay No More AttentiOn To
Senator Ice.