The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-02-13
GREATEST POLITICAL
BLUNDER OF YEARS
Winchester States That Politicians
Were Amazed at Lack of Judg-
ment Displayed by Weller. Jack
son And Tate.

Baltimore, Md, Feb. 12.--The
blast issued by Chairman Tate, of the
Republican State Committee, which
was intended 70 drive General w.
Bladen Lowndes out of the running
as a candidate for the Republican
nomination for Governor, seems to
be having the opposite effect. Re-
publicans in all parts of the State are
resenting this effort of the official
head of their party, acting, it is gen
orally believed, as the mouthpiece of
Mr.. o. E. Weller and ex-senator Will
liam P Jackson. Such an unwise
and unprecedented performance new
er before took place in this State.
The late Senator German, when his
power and authority in the Demo-
cratic party was supreme, never
would have dreamed of such an at
tempt to boss his party. And re-
ports from Republicans in all parts
of Maryland, and especially from
the western counties, where General
Lowndes is best known, indicate that
so far from interfering with the
prospective candidacy of the young
financier from Allegany, has only
added to his strength. The shrewG-
est politicians of both parties are
openly expressing their amazement
at this act of colossal folly On the
part of the men who are supposed to
be leaders of their party, and pre-
dict dire results as the outcome of
Chairman Tate's widely advertised
bomb. In the meantime General
Lowndes, smiling, sits at his desk.
says nothing. and enjoys reading the
numerous tenders of support that are
pouring in from all over the State,
and especially from the western
counties aad-s Baltimore city. The
real truth is. Ills proposed candidacy
has upset all the plans of Messrs.
Weller and Jackson to run the Re-
publican party on a gum-shoe basis.
They proposed to hold back the an
nouncement of their candidate for
Governor until after the election of
Mayor. They had planned to have
him nominated without contest,
and it is said that the gentleman
whom they had chosen will not make
ight-that he will take the nomi-
nation if it is handed to him, and
that now he has suddenly become
cold, that his feet are encased in ice.
and that he will have none of it..
Hence the indignation and wrath of
the two distinguished gentlemen who
have recently arrogated to themsel-
yes the direction of the Republican
party affairs Many old time Repub-
licans resent the self-constituted
leadership of Messrs Jackson, Weller
and Tate. They call attention to
the fact that no one knew what Mr..
Weller's politics were until Cover
nor Goldsborough brought him out
of his obscure retirement, and made
him Chairman Of the Roads Commits
sion, and that Mr. Tate himself is a
comparatively recent importation
from Ohio, and that all the Jacksons
are hereditary Democrats. the only
exceptions being the present State
Treasurer and his father, and they
converts of no very long standing.
The opponents of Mayor Preston,
who are supporting Mr.. George
Weems Williams for the nomination
for Mayor, have made some drastic
changes in the personnel Of the man
agement of their campaign. They
have eliminated Governor Harring-
ton and his city officials, and have
placed the leadership in the hands of
Mr. Charles H. Knapp, one of the
ablest and most prominent of the
younger members of the bar. These
changes were brought about by Mr..
Frank Furst. who is the most influ-
entail factor in the anti-Preston
taking a most active interest in this
fight, and is showing every intention
of forcing a fight to the finish. He
seems determined to remove all ac-
cusations that this is a contest be-
tween the city an dthe State crowds,
and is bent on combining it to bat
tie between the city factions, without
any outside alliances and entangle-
ments How far he will succeed is
not yet evident, but there is every
indication that he is doing his best
to make it purely and simply an
anti-Preston fight, in the city, in
which the State politicians are no
more than interested lookers-on.
nIrrr HrTNr1JTEoTED