The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1920-10-22

trict OF Columbia Committee and fer
several years was its chairman. he
is thoroughly familiar with Washing
ton and produced a tremendous i'm
provement in Washington's parks,
schools, streets, hospitals, etc. and
has held to the half and half tax
system. His service on the District
Committee is enthusiastically apnre-
ciated by all intelligent residents of
the District.
Senator Smith, so far as know, has
but two hobbies-pu education and
public health. Experts like DR.. Hugh
H. Young have publicly stated that no
Senator in Washington was more help
full than Senator Smith in putting
through public health measures for the
alienation Of suffering and the proven
ton of disease.
Senator Smith has helped over 5000
Maryland people since the war began.
He was always accessible, always in
defatigable. He rendered them every
sort of helpful. sympathetic service
without regard to their politics or re-
Iigion or color. If they were from
Maryland and needed help, his time,
energy, automobile and purse all was
theirs. Many of these people were
supremely pitifhI. helpless and OBJ
scure.
The business men of the State, the
Gamers, the manufacturers, steamship
men, landowners and others not un-
naturally were subjected to many
hardships when their properties were
taken over by the Government during
the war These gentlemen sought Sen
ator Smith, who usually, by the, ex-
ercise of his energy, force and indu-
ence found some way to help. Such
practical services in a measure homsly
meant stupendous results to Maryland.
Likewise, the Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Association, the Board of
Trade, in fact all the representative
business organizations of Baltimore
and the State, look upon him as their
champion, always ready and willing
and able to serve the commercial and
business interests of the State.
In addition to playing a serious and
important part as member Of the
Appropriation and other dignifed and
powerful committees in the larger
Legislative program, rs I have said,
Senator Smith has sustained an indis
pensable part in the following matters
of more immediate and local interest;
The Act to turn Fort .McHenry over
to Baltimore City for a park; to ap-
proprtate $550,000 for immigration Sta
ton at Baltimore: to appropriate $751;
600 to erect a Memorial Tin Baltimore)
to Francis Scott Key; to appropriate
s305, $50 to dredge a deep ship channel
through York Spit, SO that Baltimore
could be reached by ships of heavy
draft; to make appropriations for Fed
eral Buildings at Cambridge, $4,000,
and Salisbury, $4,000; to make appro-
priations to build powder plant at In
dian Head, 100000 (and many later
appropriations to enlarge the plant),
and to establish dairy farm for U. S.
Naval Academy, and to erect market
sheds for farmers in Washington; in
securing all appropriations for BaIti-
more harbor and channels and surveys
by the Chief Engineers, U. s. A., inn
provemene- of Crisfeld Harbor, Elk
River, Rock Hall, Eastern Bay at Clai-
borne, Wicomico River and many 9th
er Maryland waters.
The passage by Congress of legisla-
ton authorizing the purchase by the
Government Of the Chesapeake and
Delaware Canal and its development
as an inland waterway
He broke the speed recordsin pass
ing the necessary legislation through
Congress to sanction the construction
by the State of Maryland of a. bridge
across the Pocomoke River.
He succeeded in retaining the Sub
treasury in Baltimore, notwithstanding
strenuous efforts which were made in
Congress for four years to abolish all
the Subtreasuries; but lost out at the
last session.
1t is no longer secret that Baltimore
was in danger of destruction by reason
of the storage by the War Department
OF an enormous quantity of INT and
other high explosives, which had ac.
cumulated in the Government Ord
nance Warehouse at Curtis Bay for
shipment overseas. Senator Smith
prevailed upon the War Department
quietly to remove this stuff and was
instrumental in securing an appropria-
ton of 100000 to provide storage for
these explosives elsewhere, so that
Baltimore will not again be threatened
in that way with loss of life and prop
erty. This death dealing deposit was,
of course, a subject of agonizing con
Germ to the authorities at Baltimore,
and to the business men cognizant of
the danger.
Senator Smith was almost solely re
sponsible for securing proper recogni-
ton and compensation for the civilian
instructors and employees at the United
States Naval Academy at Annapolis;
and also, through Secretary Daniels,
@o, Soo,,ri,o tba oetahIichneD+ of a