Evening star., 1917-10-29
FACT|0NAL FIGHTS
SPLIT BOTH PARTIES
Result Of Maryland State EIec-
ton Doubtful, Leaders
Admit.
BALTIMORE WOULD EXTEND

Special Correspondence of The Star.
BALTIMORE, October 29.-With the
Maryland political campaign entering
it's last week. party managers ana WORK
ers and the voting public are absolute
ly at sea as to what the actual results
will be. There is not a party manager
who will predict what will occur either
within the state or in Baltimore city a
week from tomorrow. when the oallot
battle will be decided at the polls
Further, the leaders cannot honestly
tell real conditions within any part OF
the state, and in uncertain counties are
hoping for the best.
Not for many years have political
conditions been SO mixed as they are
throughout Maryland in the present
campaign, and never before nave voters
taken so little interest in a statewide
campaign consequently it has been
largely colorless. Party conditions are
bad among the democrats, due to many
causes, and this phase gives the re-
publicans much hope of being aole 10
overcome the normal democratic state
and city majority of thousands this
year.
Election of State Officers.
The prizes to be won at next week, s
election are the state controllership,
state treasurership. the latter official
being elected by the joint ballot OF the
two branches of the general assembly:
control of the state senate and house
and control Of the state board OF pubic
works These are the statewide prizes.
In addition the major parties are con-
testing for local offices both In Balti-
more city and in all the twenty-three
counties, largely for sheriffs. court
clerks and county treasurers in the
rural sections and for the clerkshlp OF
the city court, a member OF the su-
preme bench and surveyor in Balti-
more city There are two places to be
filled on the bench in the first judicial
circuit, comprising the counties Of Wor-
cester. Wicomico, Somerset and Dor
chester A fifth district, judge is also
to be elected by voters of two southern
MARYLAND counties. Anne Arundel and
Howard, but the republicans there are
not contesting against Judge Robert
Moss democrat. who was named acting
Judge by Gov. Harrington.
Baltimore. that is the city itself, is
interested in a greater prize than any
of these state or local offices. The rank
and file of the city voters. or at least a
ma jority of them. are deeply concerned
in extension of the city's limits. There
are also two other proposals before the
city's voters exclusively, a proposal
that a charter board be created to
formulate and propose a new city
charter with a possible change to COM
mission form of government, and
$4,000 900 improvement loan enabling
act. The latter subjects are of minor
consideration in comparison with ex-
tension. generally referred to as an
nexation.
Moreover, the majority of the city
voters are supporting a single annexa-
ton measure, a bill drawn by the
Greater Baltimore Non-Partisan Exten-
sion Leagues special legislative COM
mittee. The latter Is composed of some
of the most prominent men of the city
and state, including two ex-governors,
several former Judges, a group of
business men, one or
two tax experts and former members
of the state senate and house. The
includes representatives from
Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties,
the two units into which the boundaries
of the city are proposed to be ex-
tended.
1t is claimed by the democrats of
these counties that the majority senti-
ment there is against annexation, or
at least against the particular measure
that Baltimore city will seek to have
passed by the general assembly of 1913
and which does not provide for
referendum on the subject by either
city or county voters affected.
Republican Votes Sought.
I1I