Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-01-06
DEADLOCK BROKEN
LAIRD IS ELECTED
Speaker of the House Wins Out
by Only 9 Votes.
OATH OF OFFICE ADMINISTERED.
Speaker Laird Urges Need tor Economy
members Are Sworn in.

The deadlock among the Democrats
election of a Speaker was broken this
afternoon, and Philip ID. Laird. of
Montgomery county was elected by the
vote of all of the members of his party,
with the exception of Delegate Lloyd
Wilkinson, of Baltimore city, who ask
| ed to be excused from voting. The
vote was Laird. So; Metzerott, Repub-
lican, 46
Prior to the assembling of the House
the fact that the Baltimore city dele
gates who had refused to go into a
caucus on Tuesday night and who. with
scattered county members, had cast %
votes for Delegate Tydings, of Hartford
county, yesterday, and deadlocked the
contest, had been won over and would
Join with the Smith Talbot Wells
forces.
Prior 10 the actual vote, however,
there was some farther oratcry which
was started off by Delegate Robert E
Lee, of the Baltimore city delegation.
who Lad been one of the leaders in
the fight against Laird yesterday Mr.
Lee, who had yesterday announced
that he was against Laird and would
remain so until the blue birds came
home to nest" opened his remarks by
saying: Gentlemen, the blue birds
have come home"
He then, after some further remarks,
placed Mr. Laird in nomination This
nomination was seconded by Delegate
Tydings, of Hartford county, by Hall.
of Baltimore city, and others. Mr..
Wilkinson stood just where he stood
yesterday, and would not change over
so quickly. He, therefore, asked to be
excused from voting.
In seconding the nomination of Mr.
Metzerott, the Republican candidate for
the Speakership, Delegate Winbrow, of
Worcester county, one of the Peoples
Party members, said that he thought
the Democrats who said the blue
birds had come home" were making a
mistake; that as a matter of fact, he
thought it was a "crow" which had
walked in.
Temporary Chairman Bryant, of Bal
timore county, after declaring the re-
suit of the balloting, appointed Dele
gates Lee, of Baltimore city, and Met
Zerott, of Prince Georges county. to
escort the Speaker to the chair.
The oath of office was administered
to Speaker Laird by Delegate James A.
Hayden, of Garrett county. the oldest
member of the House.
In taking the chair. Mr. Laird urged
upon the members the need of ecoy-
nomy, and prompt and conscientious
| attention to the work of the House.
| He urged economy even to the point
| Of sacrificing patronage and enolu
! ments and reminded the members that
they were here upon the peopl's
/ businss"
The members were then sworn in,
/ and when the name of Delegate T.
/ Harry Ward. Republican, of Hartford
/ county. was reached, a contest FOR his
4 seat was filed in the name of Thomas
! Hopkins. Democrat, by Delegate Tyd-
4 ings, of Hartford. Mr.. Ward was not
sworn in and the contest against him
was referred to the Committee on Elec-
tions hereafter to be appointed
! While the breaking of the deadlock
and the election of the Speaker was
| going on in the House, the Senate
held brief session, and then took q
recess until the House had com
pleted its organization and is ready fol
the required joint session, at which
will be canvassed the returns in the
gubernatorial election of last fall
which is necessary before Governor.
elect Harrington can be sworn in.
During its short session the mos
important matter considered was the
introduction of a joint resolution By
Senator Ogden, of Baltimore city. pro
viding for the abolishment of the here
tofore routing committee on public
institutions in the State This is th'
committee named each year to gt
around and visit all of the institution;
in Maryland to report to the Legisla
ture upon their needs.
1t and its expenses generally cos
the State about $4,000 or $1,000, ant
its abolishment would be the first rea
step in cutting down legislative ex
penses.
The House and Senate, when the,
adjourn this afternoon, will do so un
til s o'clock on Tuesday night, Jan
nary 18th.