Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-02-02
ANNEXATION SEEMS To-
HAVE WON IN HOUSE
Nationwide Prohibition Advanced
In Senate After AIl-Night Session.
G. O. P. STEAM ROLLER
Unfair Effort Of City to Grab Best oi
Anne Arundel and Baltimore County
Taxable Basis Forced Through
by the Republicans.

After one of the bitterest and most
acrimonious legislative days in the
recollection of some OF the oldest fol.
lowers of the game, tive of the biggest
bits Of legislation of the session were
advanced to their third reading in the
face of well organized and fearless
opposition.
Annexation, the unjust effort of Bal
timore City TO scoop up some Of the
most well developed and valuable
property in Anne Arundel and Balti-
more Counties. was finally advanced
in the House BY the safe majority Of
81 to Sc.
On the other side of the corridor the
Federal Prohibition Amendment was
finally ordered printed for its final
reading, only after an all-night ses-
sion. Not until ten minutes past nine
this morning was this battle royal
finally concluded How desperately
the mere handful of vets had fought
was indicated when the final vote TO
advance the measure to third read
ing showed six lone members in op-
position These were President Camp
bell, Senators Norris, Frick and
sproesser, of Baltimore City; Johnson
of Howard. and Eppler of Allegany
Senator Bartlett was absent, and there
were nineteen on the victorious side
On the House side the interest in
the annexation fight kept the galleries
filed throughout the afternoon and
well into the evening.
Baltimore's success in the House,
after the antis had given it a bad set
back by gaining the aid of II Repub-
licans from Allegany, Washington and
Frederick Counties, was due to work
ON the scene of action by former
Roads Chairman O. e. Weller, the
leader of the Republican organization,
State Chairman TAFT, United States
Senator France, Reno S. Harp, Of
Frederick, and other party leaders.
Despite the appeals of the antis, de-
bate was cut off at $50 after Benson,
Bryant and Mcintosh, of Baltimore
County, and Melvin. of Anne Arundel
County, had been given time for
lengthy speeches.
Fisher, Republican. of Prince George
County, replied, and the vote was taxi
en-, the question being on Bryant's mo-
ton to tack a referendum to the bill.
he vote was 81 to SO.
Two amendments came promptly
from Baltimore County, one affecting
the re-adjustment Of the Baltimore
County teachers retirement fund and
the other eliminating from the bin the
tax Of 15 cents front foot upon prop
erty abutting upon paved streets in
the. new territory. These were voted
down quickly by practically the same
vote as on the Bryant amendment.
Behind them came big bunch of
amendments from Melvin, of Anne
Arundel
These led to long wrangle. Dur
ing the afternoon Fisher had offered
an order to cut OFF debate at $50, and
to limit discussion on any amend
ments offered after that hour
This was carried. Its object was to
prevent delay by the antis
The whole day was. taken up by the
antis, and they became more and more
troublesome as they realized that the
Republican leaders had got their
forces in line and were not to be
swerved from their purpose to send
the bin to its third reading, uhamend-
ed. Mr.. Weller was touched up from
| the floor, Senator Frances presence
brought similar comment.
Mr.. Wright said he had been called
a traitor and that there was a repor
that 100000 was in the State House t
| defeat annexation, but that there wa.
not enough money in Maryland TO bu,
his vote. He was applauded.
Mr. Bryant in opening countere,
very cleverly the statement tina
money being used TO defeat annexation
i by talking of the $4,000 appropriated
by Baltimore for the annexation figh
and demanding if the City Hous
+ here. which he declared very few
visited. would cost $4,000, and de
clared that the $4,000 for police in
yestigation would never be hear
| from if this bin were passed.
| Delegate McIntosh's speech was
review OF the entire annexation ques
ton from the Baltimore County stand
point He took occasion to say tha
the city's bill was the worst fraui
ever put upon a people: that th
course of the annexationists in tn
Senate in the 1916 fight was the wors
ever known in the State House Fl
| called Mayor Preston dogmatic AM
domineering and City Solicitor Fiel
the greatest trickster who ever cam
over the pike and laid at the latter
door the paternity Of the annexation
idea, which, he said, had been con
ceived in iniauity