The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1915-01-08
CHANGES IN POLITICS

In a political way, the year 1914 was
rather lacking in excitement and yet
was marked by number of events
that will be far-reaching in effect. The
legislative session during the first three
months was notable and, on the whole,
constructive; the primary fight in the
Democratic party developed two facts:
that the organization was not to be
-outdone by the original progressives in
extolling and supporting President
Wilson, and that, maintaining that at
titude, it established its dominance; and
the general election demonstrated that
the Republican party had recovered
much of its strength, while the Bull
Mcosers showed a corresponding col
lapse.
Upon the adjournment of the Legis-
lature, the question of Senatorial and
Congressional nominations doomed up
in both the Democratic and Republican
parties Each of the parties had an
interesting time. In the Democratic
party Senator Lee and Mayor Preston
made strenuous efforts to bring out a
candidate against Senator John Walter
Smith for the Senatorial nomination.
Their friends approached Judge N.
Charles Burke, former Mayor Thomas
G. HAYES and number of other we'll
known men, and, at one time, there
were indications that Mayor Preston
thought seriously of becoming candi-
date. Mr.. Hayes considered the mat
ter of running for some time and then
declined; Judge Burke declined quickly
upon two occasions, and Mayor Preston
let the question drop gradually. The
decision of the men mentioned left
Isaac Lobe Straus as Senator Smiths
only opponent. Straus had no organ
lied support from any element and
Smith won the nomination easily, car
rying every county in the State and
every ward in Baltimore city.
Among the Republicans the Senator
ial question centered around the candi-
dacy of Edward c. Darlington, Jr. He
had lead the Roosevelt fights of 1919
and the opposition to him on that &C
count was strong, Notwithstanding the
leading part he took in the amalgama-
ton movement of 1918 and his support
of the Republican candidates in that
year. Friends of Governor Goldsbor-
ough took the lead in trying to bring
out candidate, and finally determined
upon DR.. J. Mcpherson Scott, Mayor
Of Hagerstown.
Efforts were made to have William
P. Jackson join in the fight for Scott,
but he declined, and about the same
time Scott announced that he would
not go into the fight for the nomina-
ton. Darlington then got away with
the nomination without primary con-
test and received general recognition
as having beaten the old liners upon
sheer nerve.
The Democrats had primary contests
for the Congressional nominations in
the First and Fifth districts. In the
First district Jesse d. Price was the
candidate for the short
term, the vacancy being caused by the
to the bench of J. Harry
Covington, and for the regular term,
which will begin in M arch. He was
opposed for the short term by James
I. Bright and for the long term by
Albert w. Sisk. Neither Bright nor
oisk made really organized fights.
Price won both nominations. In the
Fifth Congressman Frank o. Smith
was opposed for denomination by Rich
ard A. johnson and was defeated by
him. Johnson is a brother-in-law of
Arthur P German and had the organ
zed behind him.
The Republicans had primary con-
,ests for the Congressional nominations
n the Fifth and Sixth districts. Both
we're settled before the day of the pri-
nary, however. In the Fifth, were
he fight, was warm, Sydney E. Mudd,
4 son of the late Congressman of that
lame, was nominated after a fight
against him by Oliver Metzerott, back
I'd by friends of the State administra-
Ion, collapsed. The candidates elected
n November were as follows: Senator !
j Ohm Walter Smith. Congress-1st |
District, Jesse d. Price, short and long |
erms; End District, J. Fred C. Tai
'ott; 3rd District, Charles P: Coady;
tn District, j. Charles Linthicum; 5th
district, Sydney E. Mudd, and 9th
district, David j. Lewis. At the cleo
ion, the voters in the State adopted
he Sheriff amendment to the State