Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-03-30

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prevent a resumption of the riot that
occurred in the House early today.
The almost free fight in which some
blows were exchanged occurred when
Speaker Wooden arbitrarily adjourn
ed the House to prevent a majority
combination of Democrats and Repub-
licans from forcing a vote on whether
the House should recedc on its demand
that the munificient salary of $4,000
per year for Johnnie" George, assist
ant chairman of the State Roads Com
mission, be cut from the budget
Action OF the Speaker and some of
the Delegates who have been stand
ing out in the battle against the Sen
ate and the Governor was almost un-
precedented. Never before have the
walls of the House contained such a
scene as when the combination fight
ing the Speaker and his forces at
tempted TO lock the doors and hold a
majority of the body within the cham
ber in order TO continue the session in
| defiance of the Chairs arbitrary rul-
ing
The situation occurred so quickly
that many members got out of the
room before the doors were crashed
to, but 43 members remained to try
to complete a reorganization and de-
pose the Speaker at once. Failing in
this for a lack of a quorum a reso-
luton, signed by the 43 members, was
adopted scoring and censuring the
Speaker, and an effort will be made to
present this as soon as the House gets
down to business today.
An extra session will not be neces-
STATED by failure of the Assembly to
pass the budget last night despite
opinions to the contrary. Governor
Harrington may today extend the
session three days from next Monday
night if he deems this necessary to
pass the budget but constitutional
lawyers here say the matter is op-
tional with the Executive and it is un-
derstood that Attorney General Rit-
chic has held likewise.
The budget battle was only an in
cident in last nights affairs The out
break was in realty the result of long
standing on the part of some Demo
Gratis and Republicans who feel that
the Speaker has been unfair and
biased in his rulings on legislation in
which he was personally interested,
such as prohibition and several other
questions.
The adjournment of the House by
Mr. Wooden in the early hours with
40 men on their feet demanding a roll
call made it physically impossible for
anyone to tell which way the House
was deciding by a viva voce vote was
the match that exploded the charge
As the Speaker crashed down his
gravel amid the widest confusion and
adjourned the House with a skip of
one calendar day, Carville ID. Benson
rushed toward the rostrum shouting,
Mr.. Speaker, | protest against this
unprecedented action. A roll call has
been demanded You cannot adjourn
this House"
The Speaker merely stared at Ben
son and continued to pick up his bill
files preparatory to leaving the ros-
trum. Chief Clerk Robinson, antici-
pating what did follow. was at the
same time grabbing his books and the
mace and with them he scuttled out of
the chamber and into his office.
Ignored by the Speaker, Mr.. Benson
climbed the rostrum stairs continu-
ing his shout of protest. For mo-
ment. with gravel uplifted, the presid-
ing officer attempted to block the Bal
timore Countian, but the latter
brought his shoulder into play and not
in any gentle way pushed the Speaker
aside Once on the platform Mr.. Ben
son appealed to the House, demanded
that the Speaker be deposed and that
a new presiding officer be elected with
reorganization Of the House to fol-
low
Then the widest scene of all came.
Republicans were appealing to one
another 10 leave the chamber and a
rush for the door followed, while the
-Woodenites hurried to the doors
and attempted TO close them. 1t was
at the exits that several blows were
struck Given. of Baltimore County,
though a man of age. brought his body
into play on one door and as several
Delegates attempted to jam past him
he swung right and left. David G.
Mcintosh, of Baltimore County, was
at another door and fighting just as
hard 20 block the exit. Other volun-
teers manned the other doors and for
time the House Chamber resembled
meeting of the Russian soldiers and
Workmen's Congress with a session Of
the SOVIET and a Bolsheviki meeting
thrown in.
Finally with those in who desired
to stay and others out, attempts to
re-organize were made, but the plan
was abandoned after Mr.. Fisher, of
Prince Georges, Republican, had been
placed in the chair and a roll call
showed quorum not present.
The delegates attending then resolv-