Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-08-02
FIELD
SHAKEUP THROUGH
ANNEXATION PLAN
Bib Democratic Majorities In
Both Anne Arundel And
Baltimore Counties Cut
BIG FIFTH DISTRICT
VOTE TO BE MISSED
Likelihood That Organization
Forces From This County
Will Line Up With Kelly

Local statesmen both in Baltimore.
Baltimore County and in Anne Arun-
del. too, are continuing to discuss with
great interest the decision of the Court
of Appeals sustaining the validity of
the city Annexation Act and smiled
grimly when their attention was di-
rected TO a published statement from
Mayor Preston to the effect that his
next fight would be TO get control of
the police force and election machin-
cry. The grim smile in each instance
seemed to say:
And well be thar"
The political effects of annexation
may be big. and on the surface the
Republicans seem to have far the best
of it, Take Baltimore County The
sections that are taken are largely
Democratic. and the result will be that
the enormous Democratic majority
that for years has discouraged the
Republicans will be cut down very
much and the Republicans will have
a good chance of carrying the county.
1t is the same thing. exactly with
Anne Arundel County. The Brooklyn
Curtis Bay section, which is taken in
to the city, has been saving the Wells
machine in elections for years. With
this elimination the anti-Wells people
have a better chance of winning in
the primaries and the Republicans will
have a far better prospect of winning
in the general election.
AS to the Mayor getting control of
the Police and Election Boards, that
is a matter that requires both a friend
ly Legislature and a friendly Cover
nor So the State crowd members
have a strong position behind the
breastworks and will give the Mayor
quite a battle before they are beaten
on this point. For they do not fancy
giving the city executive any addi-
tional power to be used in breaking
their skulls, even though some of
these skulls are so thick that it might
take a sledgehammer to break them.
Annexation brings into the city
some of the practical county poll
ticians and leaders. Among them are
Charles J. Fox. one of "Marse Fred
Talbott's right-hand men, who lives at
Orangeville. just beyond Bayview
Junction. He likes being annexed as
much as a duck loves a drouth.
Then there's Eddie O'Mara, the spe-
cial tax assessor of Baltimore County.
He lives out of the southwestern sec
tion Of the new Baltimore. He is re-
puted to be the best paid county official
in Maryland, as he gets fees. His job
is to spot millionaires and make them
pay taxes on their stocks and bonds.
Eddie" and about 200 other O'Maras
out that way will be taken in. Ed
die" is a Talbot man from the ground
up.
Then there is Jim" Rittenhouse,
County Commissioner He lives near
Westport. He, too, comes in. and will,
I like the others, have to choose be-
tween Frank Kelly and John Mahon
as to whom he will serve. And How
ard Bryant legislator and gentleman
with the shrill voice, who always be-
gins a speech by asking himself a
question that is easy to answer He
abides out West Arlington way. How
ever, he doesn't mind it a bit. And
/ there are others taken in, including
I Jack" O'Connor, long the uncrowned
king of Highlandtown, while spot"
I Mitchell stays out and laughs.
Over in Anne Arundel John E. Potee,
/ local boss and police justice, will be
taken in and the wise ones are al
ready guessing that he will line up
with Frank Kelly. He is one of DR.
+ Wells right-hand men. He will here
after be a ward boss and will have TO
report to the City Hall sooner or
later, when the jobs are given out.
And talking this over and comment
ing upon it the State crowd members
are saying:
Next thing the Baltimore papers,
knowing that they and not Preston
are the real winners of the annexa-
ton fight will start a new agitation
for enlarged representation in the
Legislature. and then there will be
Hades all over again. It's worse than