The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1921-12-16
BALTIMORE LETTER.
Hotel Rennert.

Hotel Rennert,
Baltimore, December Sth, 1921
The preparations tor the Crganiza'
ton and work OF the General AsSemb-
ly, which will convene on Wednesday
january 18th, are rapidly nearing com
pletion, and all the indications point
to a harmonious and efficient meeting
wnen the members get together at An
napOlis The Governor is busily en-
gagged in the preparation of his mes
sage and also in the completion of the
budget OF appropriations and such
other legislation as he deems peceS-
Il sary to present early in the session
Z so that there will be no delay in get
ting the lawmakers down to business
IL now seems highly probable that for
the first time in many years, the work
preparatory to the biennial session
will be ready for consideration much
earlier than usual, and that the Gus
tomary delays, which force matters in
10 Jam during the last weeks OF
March, will be absent, and that there
will be more than enough time, to
give measures careful consideration
before the closing hours.
1t is the general belief, at the pres
ent writing, that Delegate John l.. C.
Lee, of Hartford County will be elected
speaker. and Senator William L. Nor
ris Baltimore City, President of the
/ Senate. The opposition to Mr.. Roberts
| of Prince Georges as candidate for
/ speaker developed with great sudden
ness, and was so strong and vigorous
that several of the most influential of
the party leaders, who had been fay-
Orablyr disposed to the Prince Georg-
ian, changed front almost over night,
and now it appears almost certain that
the Hartford County member will be
chosen to preside over the House. OF
course all this may be changed when
the members from the Eastern Shore
counties are heard from, and should it
develop that the statesmen from
across the Bay, have a candidate for
speaker from among their own num-
Der, the whole situation may be chang
ed. 1t has been the impression here,
ever since the election that should the
Eastern Shore want the SpeakerShip,
its wishes would probably be gratified
But no word on the subject has come
over from that section, and it has now
been taken for granted that no candi-
dates will come from there this year.
1t has been a matter of surprise that
after a victory in which the tide-water
counties had such great part, so few
of them have been in Baltimore to
take part in the plans of the leaders
for the coming session of the General
Assembly. In years past the Eastern
Shore Statesmen have been on hand
Immediately after the election, eSpe-
cially when the Democrats were vic
toriOuS. This year they seem to be re-
naming at home, but no doubt they
will be on hand in force later on and
will take their usual prominent part
in all that goes on in public affairs.
The coming Assembly will be a
Democratic session in the fullest eX-
tent of the word, and the Republicans
will be there in such few numbers,
and as insignificant in personality and
ability, that they will be hardly worth
taking into account. Not since the ses-
sion of 1886, when they had but four
Senators and ten members of the
house, will the Republican party pres
ent such an insignificant and impotent
spectacle in the General Assembly of
Maryland. They were literally wiped
out in several counties, and the AFRO
giant beast of Senator Weller, that
Maryland had now become a Repub-
lican State, was thrown back into his
face with scOrn and contempt. When
the Democrats of Maryland are united
and are working together, as they are
at the present time. the Republicans
have no chance whatever to win. 1t is
only when the jealousies and quar-
rels of the leaders, and the factions
back of them, aid the Republicans,
that thew have even the slightest hope
to gain anything, and it is to be hoped
that all these internal feuds and bick-
eringS, have gone, not to return for
a long period of years, if ever
In the meantime Governor Richie
is at Annapolis working as no Cover
nor of Maryland ever worked to get
things in shape, so that the General
Assembly can start out with definite
program. ready for action. He has de-
voted the two years of his incumbency
Of the office to a thorough study of
the needs OF Maryland in all phases,
just as he devoted four years of his
of the office Of attorney
general. to the study of the statutes
of the State, SO that be obtained a
thorough knowledge of their defects.
Ever since he became Governor, he
has been studying the needs of Mary
land, from a material educational and
every other point of view. In addition
to his desire to secure the enactment
.nto law of his plan for a reorganiza-
ton of the departments of the State
administration, he has had in view a
very considerable program for the
)etterment of the public welfare, in
he way of changes in certain laws,
which are now obsolete and have been
rendered useless or cumbersome by