The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1920-10-22
Senator John Walter Smiths
Record Of Usefulness and Service
His Achievements Tor His State It's People, His Party And
The Country AZ Governor and Senator Have Not Been
Surpassed By Any Other Maryland Man Who
Es FILLED These Offices and Entitle Him 7ff
TO Reelection.

r.
follow the papers closely, or who hay
ing read may not remember, but, more
than all, as lab0r-aaYing device by
way Of making one fairly comprehens-
i've answer to the many inquiries |
daily haze as to the specific record Of
Senator John Walter Smith, shall ask
you to publish the following
was Senator Smiths private score
tary from 1899 until 1904. and as one
devoted to him, and closely associated
with him for over twenty years, / feel
can justly claim an intimacy Of
knowledge Of his career not available
to all. as well as a license to put be
fore the public some achievements we
have been unable to Induce him to
mention IN his own behalf.
Every school child should learn, as
the older generation knows, that as
State Senator from Worcester County
after six years struggle Senator Smith
put the Free School Book bin through;
and was well-night written down rev
olntionist
AS Governor he put through ,legisla-
ton to reorganize the public school
system and strengthened it immeas-
urably; to reorganize the Police De-
partment of Baltimore. and to rebuild
the oyster navy and the House Of Cor
rection, to add to the State House, to
build the Court OF Appeals Building,
the Fifth Regiment Armo5y, to finish
the improvements to the Penitentiary,
to add to Springfield Hospital for the
Insanes and doated so State bonds at
a premium and left the STATE Treasury
virtually out Of debt.
Two other significant acts stand out
He signed the original Werkmen's
Compensation Act for Maryland, one
of the first acts of its kind passed any
where; and upheld by the progressive
doctors Of the State, he started in 1902
the long, long fight for the State care
OF tuberculosis that at last developed
fruit in the magnificent State Sana-
torium at Sabillasville. of which he is
president, and housing AS patients;
and total appropriation recently
made Of $4,000 for a colored T. B.
Sanatorium designed ultimately to
house 22O patients.
Aided by Samuel M. Shoemaker and
Redmond c. Stewart and their asso-
ciates, he passed and approved the
first good roads law enacted in Mary
land, and appointed Walter w Crosby,
q scientific roads engineer, Roads En-
gineer for Baltimore County. That
was the beginning Of Maryland's good
roads system begun twenty years ago
Senator Smith perhaps owes the
President no heavy debt for personal
favors. but he has recognized the Pres
ident's patriotism and ability and has
done full share in living up to all the
Democratic platform pledges. He has
supported President Wilson'S admin
istration consistently.
The record Of the Democratic party
when in control Of Congress was bril-
liant. Senator Smith was fully in ac-
cord with most of the legislation pro-
posed by the party leaders during that
unique period, such as the Federal Re
serve Act, the extension of the Parcels 4
Post and Free Rural Delivery, the
Farm Loan Banks Act, laws to restrain
gambling in cotton, grain, etc. the
Federal Good Roads Act, the Child
Labor Law, the act effecting the re-
establishment OF our Merchant Marine,
etc.
Senator Smith did not share with
Senator Lodge and some others, the
opinion that the United States should
declare warren Germany hastily in the
heat Of passion when the Lusitania
was sunk. He felt. that every effort
should be made to avoid war, but when
the war did come, and even before,
when his sound judgment told him war
was inevitable, he ardently supported
every measure designed to aid in pre-
pairing for and prosecuting the war,
In a word, every war measure passed
had his assistance.
He has also supported acts to pro-
vide War Risk Insurance, Vocational
Instruction and every other act that
properly recognized and rewarded in
the right way the Army and the Navy
and the civilian personnel, who did
the real work of the war. His war
record is without flaw.
Senstor Smith voted and worked for
the ratification OF the Treaty of Yer
sailles with the Covenant of the
League Of Nations. He accepted res
ervations in the hope. that concessions
would insure the lnaI adoption of the
Covenant by the Senate, and on the
theory that part OF a loaf is better
than no bread, though preferring the
whole loaf.
He urged the return Of business en-
terprises taken over during the war as
well as the railroads, telegraphs, etc.
20 their owners as soon as the stress
and necessities Of the war would per
NIT, and opposed the Government go
ing any deeper into business that COM
petes with private enterprises than
was necessary
Senator Smith is a Bigger Navy
Man, has served for years on the
Eavai Affairs Committee. has fire.