Evening star., 1920-03-14
MARYLAND VOTERS
FACING WET ISSUE
Developments in Sixth Dis
trict Partly Responsible for
Campaign Prediction.

BALTIMORE. March 13 (SpeciaD.-
Increasing evidence that the wet"
issue is to play not unimportant
part in the coming campaign in Mary
land came this week with the an
nouncement that State Senator Arthur
w. Mish of Washington county is
willing to enter the field as demo.
cratic candidate for Congress in the
sixth district, republican stronghold
which is now represented in Wash
ington by Fred N Zihlman. The sig
nificance of Mr.. Mish's willingness to
enter what ordinarily would be a
hopeless fight attaches to the fact
that Mr.. Iihiman has dry" record,
and that Allegany county. which
-Cumberland-is reputed to be pro-
nouncedly wet in it's sentiment.
Represents "Wet" Element.
Mr.. Mish is yielding to the wet"
element in his district. as well as
elsewhere in the state. in his willing
ness to enter the race. He is one Of
ten state senators who signed a
of the general assembly to stand by
the two Joint resolutions which have
been introduced and which have the
Endorsement of Gov. Ritchie. one pro-
Viding for resembling of Maryland's
vote of two years ago in favor of
ratification of the prohibition amend
ment, and the second instructing the
governor to join Rhode Island and
other states in proceedings before the
Supreme Court to declare the Vol
stead enforcement act unconstitu-
tional.
Mr.. Coblentz of Frederick county,
a democratic member of the house of
delegates from Frederick county,
| which also is in the sixth district,
has declared his willingness to sup
Wood of Frederick is not candi-
date. w. j. Grove. another Frederick
county democrat, who has been men,
toned for the nomination, also is
ready to step aside in favor Of MIR.
Mish.
Want Norris for U. s. Senate.
Another product of the increasing
have President Norris of the state
senate become candidate for the
democratic nomination for the United
States Senate against United States
Senator John Walter Smith. who has
dry" record. Mr.. Norris. who
halls from the third district. has not
yet given a reply. The plan to bring
him out is the first sign of primary
opposition to Senator smith, VINO up
to the time of the election of Gov.
Ritchie was regarded as the undls-
puted democratic leader of Maryland.
A third wet development of the
week came in the shape of request
from New Jersey for information as
to the date for the closing Of the
presidential primary. lists in MARY
land. This was regarded as coming
from friends of Gov. Edwards and
was followed by reports that the
Jersey executive has promised to de-
liver an address in Maryland IN the
near future.
Situation ON Eastern Shore.
An interesting situation is develop
ing on the eastern shore. where Col
A. W. Sisk Of Caroline county Was
the first to announce his candidacy
for the democratic nomination Tor
Congress. 1t now appears that T.
Alan Goldsborough. also of Caroline
is not without hackers for the noml-
nation. and that former Gov. Har-
rinyton also is in a receptive mood.
On the republican side it looks as
il Representative Andrews viii be
unopposed. =.
AS the presidential preferential pri-
mary lists close on April ~. and not
single candidate Of either party
has yet filed papers. the impression
is growing that Maryland's -delega.
tions to the national conventions VIII
go uninstructed. The movement Tor
Gen. Wood, which was wen organized
of spreading apparently has not made
the progress it's hackers expected
The Wood executive committee heid
a meeting recently. hut took no deh-
mite steps toward placing the gen
erals name on the Maryland ballot.
The Wood hackers indicated. how
ever. that they had not entirely
aba 1doned such an intention. me
belief that prevails is that the Wood
people will be content to do mis-
sionary work.
Favor Uninstructed Delegations.
The leaders of both parties are
known to favor the sending of unin-
structed delegations to the conven-
tions. Eight years ago, when the
presidential primary election law was
in force for the first time in Mary
land. and again four years ago: the
republican state conventions did not
instruct their delegations. In 1912
the Maryland delegation was instruct
ed for Champ Clark for President
Four years ago President Wilson had
no opposition for denomination.
hence instructions were not neces-
sary. JOHN A. EIAERF.