The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-01-13
GOVERNOR HARRINCTON'S
GOOD RECORD. WILL LIVE
\ Country Lawyer Who Made Good
A Clean-Cut Administration
With No Suspicion OF Graft.

recalled that MI. Harm gtOn'S tern
IS near an end. L think it is my
duty to pay this tribute to the Gov.
errors record continued Mr.. FuTst
| for during the early part OF his ad.
miniStratiOn | am frank to confess
he did not measure up to my eXpec-
tatiOns. When he first appeared as a
candidate for nomination for gov
| eTnOr | was not enthusiastic for hun
| L believed thdt Il Baltimore Dem
| Ccrat was enuLled TO the nomination
| and | stated so at the time. When
however 40 city Democrat was found
| who fitted the situation and when the
| state organization, headed by Sen
a;or Smith, reluctantly, 1 must con-
| TESS. turned 10 Mr.. Harrington
| went along with the organization
| with some misgiyings. If a city DEM
| Ccrat who could have measured up
| 10 the responsibilities of the govern
! orshop, had come forward he would
have received the support of the
| Mahon and Kelly organizations. l
| should have Joined them with pleas
| ere. However no such Democrat APP
| peared and l threw my support TO
| Mr.. Harrington. He was nominated
| and elected by the city's vote.
\ BAD CHOOSEH
Il would not be true to myself if l
| did not say that after his Inaugural
| lion l was disappointed in Mr.. Har-
| riDgtOn. l told my friends that l
WAS a bad chCoser.' L mad made
promises il behalf of Mr.. Harring-
| ION on my Interpretation of the party
platform for annexation of the popu-
lous suburbs OF Baltimore by the
General Assembly of 1916, the first
| session during Governor Harrlngton's
administration. Upon the shoulders
Of the Governor fell the blame for the
failure of the annexation bill. /
Joined in the elamor against him.
IF the inside history of the city
annexation fight of 1916 should ever
De written and Governor Harrington
Knows it, though he will not reveal
| 1t, the fact will be brought out that
ne was not responsible for the defeat
If the bill. l learned this later. He
WINGED under The harsh criticism di-
ected against him then and later.
cut he sealed his own lips. The
plank of the Democratic state plat
form Of 1915, as originally drawn,
split hairs on annexation. Governor
Harrington objected to the plank
and clarified in his speech in new
bohemian Hall at the opening of the
campaign. He said that he was in
.dyor OF the annexation by the city
0f the entire waterfront. II he had
reen fundamentally opposed TO city
annexation he could have vetoed the
annexation bill of 1918.
He signed that bill and thereby
40 fTi.A Hch N of
lie late Fred Talbot of Baltimore,
county, and of the late DR.. George
Wells, of Anne Arundle, who had
GCen far more instrumental in mis-
domination and election than many
Baltimore Democrats who had made
city annexation their fetish. He
could not expect to gain their friend
ship, never has, and perhaps never
sill. We secured annexation through
he Willingness of Governor HarrIng-
,on to sign the bill.
CLEAN-CUT ADMINISTRATION
4 am not tardy in paying this
tribute to Governor Harrington.
after following his acts and after
close study of his high motives L
oecame convinced that he was dong
all in his power to give the state
clean-cut administration. That ad-
1linistration has been without a sus-
0icion of graft without a single scan
lal. 1t has been marked by progress
:ive legislation and this man, this
GOVERNOR has sat silent with CULVER
ng lips while he has been assailed.
lie loved state above his party and
or the sake of his state he has not
eplied in kind to the epithets which
lave been hurled at him. He was
Naryland's governor. How we'll he
JilOted the state through those
Troublesome days is an open book.
ie appointed the draft boards and
he war surgeons. Those boards and
nose surgeons performed their du-
les so honestly that no charge of
Gyoritlsm was ever entered against
nem. He appointed a Council of
1 Defense, headed first by Carl r.
Tray, whose other duties compelled
lin to relinguish his public duties.
He was succeeded by Gen. Francis
/. Waters. Here was an organiZa-
ion with ramifications throughout
he state and city composed of men
md women, with an auxiliary coun-
ii of colored citizens, an organiZa-
ion credited with tremendous re-
possibilities and with most tempt
ng opportunities for graft and yet
here is not the slightest suspicion
of a wasted cent. Governor Har-
ington, by traversing the state
~ appeals and public speeches,
| Toused the Council of Defense to
is duties and weighty responsible
| les. How well the council responded
| S demonstrated by Maryland's war
| 'ecord, a record which is unsur-
1 passed by that of any other state.
RETURNS $1.OOO.OOO
And yet despite the expensive
| burden which this council had to
Gear. it will turn back over $1,000
! 900 to the state treasury.
Il am not advised regarding Gov
arnor HarringtoI's political plans for
| the future, if, indeed, he has any
other plans than to return to Cam
oridge and make living for himself
and family by the practice OF his pro-
fession. If, however he has political
plans for the future he can rest upon
his own record for success, a record
which he has created alone in spite
OF obstacles and which he can justly
claim as his own. In my humble
opinion Governor Harrington is a fan
bigger man at the close than at the
beginning of his administration"
| This tribute to Governor Harring
ton by Mr.. Furst is shared by others
who have a close view of his admin
istration, and who have looked into
ms executive and political acts. Ht
fell for zine d victim to the cIamol
for annexation. On his shoulders va:
placed the responsibility for the fail
ure of the annexation act of 1916. L
was at this period when he stood il
llost urgent need of the support o
| his party and party leaders, tina
Senator John Walter Smith, who Wa!
not originally III favor of his nomIna
ton was lukewarm in his attitude
Mr.. Smith had encouraged the can
didacy OF Mr. Harrington for gov
e1nor as a rallying point for hi
forces on the Eastern Shore. Fou
: years earlier in 1911 he had procras
: tinated with the late Col. Buchanan
Schley as forlOrn hope. While de
laying Senator Lee came near cap
, 1 4. 1.