The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-12-27
TO
PLAY new ROLE
In Minority in House for First
Time in 20 Years.

For the first time in twenty years the
Democrats will be III the minority IN
the next House of Delegates. Hence
they will be called upon to play 2 new
role.
When the Republicans were in the
majority in the House in 1898 thew
were also in control Of the Senate. A
Republican, the late Governor Lloyd
Lowndes, was in the Executive Mansion.
Upon the Republicans rested the entire
responsibility for legislation, whether
good, bad or Indifferent.
During the coming legislative ses-
sion the Democrats will have a pre-
ponderance of power. They will be IN
the majority in the Senate, though by
narrow margin. They will have a
governor with veto power. The Dem
ocrats officially in the State House and
those unofficially on the outside. will
not therefore, be in position to duck
and Dodge the unpopular part, nor will
they be able 20 point the accusing finger
at the Republicans.
When the Republicans were in con-
troll at Annapolis, from 1896 until 1900.
they were Handicapped. In 1896 a deal
was made by which w. Cabell Bruce,
an Independent Democrat Of Baltimore.
was elected president of the Senate. 1t
has been suggested that similar deal
shalt be carried through in the next
Senate. Such deal would be possible
if the Republicans would get behind
Democratic senator and elect him
president, but the Republicans have
served notice that they will tolerate no
deals.
In the House, IN 1898. the Republi-
cans were handicapped by an mex
perienced speaker. On the floor the
Democrats had such live wires as
LLOYD wilkinson, the late John S. Writ
and the late Alonzo Miles, all quick on
their feet and all alive to any question.
While the Democrats will not be lack
ing in capable material during the ap-
preaching session Of the House, they
will find themselves confronted by con-
ditions entirely different from those in
the House 20 years ago.
For these long 20 years the Demo-
Gratis have played up and exaggerated
the record of the Republicans in the
House as campaign material. They
will be up against conditions in the
coming House far different from those
of 1898. The Republican majority will
be under strict discipline No tactics.
no movement, no politics tending to
impair the integrity of the Republican
party as a whole will be tolerated.
Democrats will discover this when they
begin their disrupt.Eg tactics.
The first loss. which the Democratic
minority will feel and which will fall
heavily upon them, will be the score or
more desk officers, doorkcepers, pages
and other minor ofiicers. Henry Hasen-
kamp and John Wagner, who have
been important factors in running the
machinery of the House for several
years, will be missed. During the last
session the Democrats. no longer able
to withstand an awakened public
opinion, reduced the number of minor
places to- minimum. The reduction
was then regarded as only temporary.
They looked forward to the session now
at hand when they expected to restore
the regime under which there were
nearly as many places as there were
Democratic members.
The Democratic leaders will find
themselves facing dilemma when call
ed upon to vote upon Republican
measures which will be framed for the
welfare of the state If they vote for
these measures they will believe they
will be open to the charge that they
are aiding the Republican cause. If
they do not vote for them they will on
the other hand, be liable 20 the ac-
cusation that they opposed the mer-
ltorious measures because they were
of Republican origin. By such a course
they would retard progressive legisla-
ticn, by which the advancement of the
states interests would be possible.