Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-03-26
VETERAN WRITER
COMMENTS UPON
WORK OF SESSION
Many Important Bills Still On
File. Says Paul Winchester. Of
Baltimore, But This Does Not
Alarm AS Committees Are Up
To Time
TRIBUTE TO MAJOR
LEE AND H. ]. HOPKINS

Calling attention to the fact tina
The close Of the session Of the Mary
land Legislature is now less than twt
weeks removed, and the fact thai
many of the most important bills
are still on the files. together with
passing reference to State officials
and comment on some of the legis-
lation. Paul Winchester, of Baltimore
who for many years has been com.
ing to Annapolis as a newspaper cor
respondent, and general writer, has
submitted the following review
Less than two weeks remain Of tho
present session of the General Assem-.
bly,, and the most important bills arc
still on the files. or remain unrap0rted
in the committee rooms. This fact is
no cause for alarm or indication thai
the work has not been going on prop
arly, for while the bills are not passed
they are still being carefully consid
cred. and the committees are all busy
examining them and getting them il
shape for action on the floors of the
two Houses. The real work of al
legislative bodies is done in the com
mittees, and while most of the fuss
and controversy over them is made il
open session before the public gaze
the committee rooms are the place,
where all the most careful work i
done. The present session is rather
further advanced in its work thai
most Of its predecessors, and the peo
pie may rest assured that's ali bill
which are really vital to the public
welfare will be passed before the clos
ing ofthe session on. April 9TH
Comptroller Brooke Lee, unlike
most of his predecessors, has beer
here during the entire session. As {
public official he has given close per
sonal attention TO his work, and has
added materially TO his already grea,
popularity. This is an administration
OF young men; all the prominent state
officials are young. and Major Lee has
easily held his own with the other
IN acquiring knowledge Of public mat
ters, and has proved himself to be {
most capable and efficient public serv
ant. 1t is an excellent augury for th,
future welfare of the State to have
such men as Major Lee ready and will
ing to devote. themselves to the irk
some and trying work of importan
public offices, and that the people, gen
orally will appreciate their work will
no doubr-be manifest in the years Il
come. 1t has been the experience o.
all those who have gone into public
life in this state that the people have
not forgotten them. but have promoted
then from one honor to another from
year TO year.
The senior in point of service in al
the official force in the State Govern
ment of Annapolis. is Colonel Harry
]. Hopkins. Deputy Comptroller Col
Hopkins has been in the Comptroller's
office for thirty-six years. A member
OF an old and highly respected family
of Talbot County. he came to Annapo
lis as Clerk in 1884, when his brother.
in-Iaw, the late ]. Frank Turner, O
Easton, became Comptroller, and ha.
been there ever since, through all ad-
ininistrations, democratic ana repuD-
'lican. He doubtless knows more
about the financial condition of thf
state than any other man, or combina-
stion of men He is the most reliable
expert in all State financial matters
in Maryland, and his real knowledge
OF business affairs, as they affect the
state and the counties, is probably
superb to that of all others. In ad-
dition to his position as Deputy Comp
troller, he is President of the old
time-honored Farmers Bank in Ar,
napolis. one of the two or three oldest
banks in the United States. and i
also one of the most highly respected
citizens of the State Capital. His ad-
vice has for many years been at the
service of all public men, especially
during sessions Of the General Assem-
bly,. and his accurate knowledge of al
matters pertaining to the finances 0.
the State gives him the well deserved
title of good and faithful public serY-
ant,
& Senator Goodell. of Frederick
County, ranks as one of the mos
courteous and polished gentlemen Il
the Upper House An easy. careful
and at times eloquent speaker. wher
he takes the floor in behalf of an,
measure. or against it. he is. listenes
to with attention and interest III
never wastes words. but is concise ant
rather brief in what he says. but il
always direct and to the point. AS I
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