Evening star., 1920-01-04
SOON
TO STAGE CONTEST
Politicians to Decide on
Presidency of Senate and
House Speakership.

BALTIMORE, Md, January (Spe-
ciaD.-The contests for president of
the senate. speaker of the house and
the general assembly in Maryland,
which meets next Wednesday in An
napolis in biennial session, are crys-
tallizing. Senators George Amos
Fyick and William I. Norris of Bal
timore city seem to have the advan-
tage over the field in the race for the
presidency Of the senate, while Col.
Millard E Tydings of Hartford county
appears to be the best bet for the
speakership of the house.
Reports have been af1oat that Sena-
tor Orlando Harrison of Worcester
has shown new strength in the past
week. but it is expected that the sue
cesSor to the late Senator Peter j.
Campbell of Baltimore city as presi-
dent of the senate will also be a Bal
timorean. With United States Sena-
tor John Walter Smith holding aloof
from the legislative organization
fights it now appears that Gov.-elect
Ritchie, as in the case of Tydings for
the speakership of the house, will be
asked to name his choice for the
presidency of the senate. The caucus
will be held next Tuesday night.
There is some talk that bitter fac
tional opponents of Tydings in his
own county are organizing a bolt
against him. This gossip has revived
discussion of Emory L Coblentz Of
Frederick and Clarence NJ. Roberts Of
Prince Georges. The men on the in
side, however, believe that Tydings is
not in serious danger
Taking Nothing for Granted.
The democrats are taking nothing
for granted in the state senatorial
election to be held in the second leg
islative district next Monday. when a
successor to the late Peter ]. Camp
bell will be chosen and they have
made a campaign with as much en-
ergy and system as though the con-
troll of the state depended on it and
the district was the closest one in
Maryland.
Senator Campbell. having been one
always ran strong in the district. and
in November he carried it by little
fewer than 5000 votes. though the
drift was admittedly toward the re-
publican party. 1t is hardly to be ex-
pected that in a special election any
ger plurality than did Senator Camp
bell, yet the district should be safely
democratic. Robert Biggs. the demo-
cratic candidate. has made vigor-
Gus campaign.
Will Serve Four Years.
While the state senate has fourteen
democrats and twelve republicans, de-
spite the vacancy in the district. the
Sc nator to be chosen on Monday will
serve for a full four-year term and
will be a member of the senate of
1922 as well as that of this year. Con-
sequently, a failure to elect a demo-
crat as the successor to Senator
Campbell might result in republican
control in 1922, which will be in the
middle of Gov-elect Ritchie's term,
as the republicans gained a senator
in November in the democratic coun-
ty of Montgomery and elected in all
six senators. who will be holdover
senators in 1922
In addition. there are now held by
the democrats two senatorships that
normally go to the republicans, and
where new members will be chosen
next year. So every democratic vote
will be needed in the states upper
house this year if the democrats are
to be sure of control two years hence.
Gov.-eleot Ritchie will be inaugu-
rated Wednesday. January IA. There
will not be any pageant. but a quiet,
unostentatious ceremony.