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

Baltimore, December 18TH 1921.
| Governor Richie has about conclud-
ed his preparations for the compile
ton of the budget, and that most
important document will be in the
hands of the printer in few days and
will be printed and returned to the
Governor theslast day of the present
month.
4 All the so-caIled administration
4 bills are nearing completion, and will
be ready for Introduction as soon as
the committees of the General Assem-
bly, are appointed and ready for work.
In former sessions without exception
for at least forty years, a large part
of the ninety days are fritted away.
waiting for bills to be prepared, and
the Jam of the last few days was
caused by the fact that few important
bills were introduced until more than
half the time allotted for the work,
had passed away. So far as the State
bills are concerned, the Governor is
determined to have all ready before
the first day, and to that end, he is
preparing all the really important
measures himself
/ The contest fer the speakership of
1.-THE House of Delegates, is increasing
in interest, and is now developing in
Ito real contest of unexpected pro-
lportions. In the early stages it SEEM
led that Mr.. Roberts, of Prince Georges
Twas easily in the lead, and that a large
proportion of the State leaders were
favorable to him. Last week the out
look changed, and Mr.. Lee, of Hartford
IHTce, od n &c on win
certain influential State leaders who
had been counted as supporters of
Mr.. Roberts, were found to have
changed front and. were ready to
throw their support to the member
from Hartford.
This week the outlook is believed
| to be more chaotic than ever. Cover
nor Richie has openly declined to
take sides, and says that Ice will be
satisfied with either of the gentlemen
in the field, and that he will have mo-
thing to do with the contest.
In the meantime. the supporters of
Mr.. Roberts are beginning to put
more energy into the campaign, and
are giving reasons of force why their
candidate would makesa better presid
ing officer than Mr.. Lee; why he is
more entitled to the honor, and also
why he would be more in accord with
public sentiment than the Hartford
candidate. They point to the fact that
Hartford county had the speaker at
the last session in the person of Mr..
Tydings who is now Senator, elect
from his. County, and that Prince
Georges County has not had a Speak
er since the Civil War, while Hartford
has had the honor three times, in the
persons of the late Murray Vandiver,
in 1892: Noble L. Mitchell, in 1902 and
Mr.. Tydings in 1920. They also point
to the fact that Mr. Lee is noR, and
always has been, a corporation law
yer, and that for many years he was I
one of the Attorneys Of the Baltimore !
and Ohio Railway Co.-and that dur
ing both his terms of service in the
House. notably in his first term many
years ago, he was looked upon as
corporation lawyer, although there
was never any question as to his abil- |
ity- and honesty in all his acts as
member of the House All the indi-E
cations therefore point to vigorous /
and probably a bitter contest for the
head of the House of Delegates, and I
before the final choice is made, some
enterprising member from the East !
ern Shore may jump into thu ring and /
get awav with the price
The discussion of the succession to /
DR.. France in the United States Sen |
ate, is rising in force, new that very
many people believe that Elk Senator I
John Walter Smith will not. enter the I
race. There, is no doubt but that SEN |
ator Smith could have the nomination I
without opposition, should be beside it. |
and there is now very little question
as to his election should he be in the |
race. Should he decline, there will in /
all probability be several candidates
for the nomination, among whom the /
more prominent may be ExCongress-
man Charles P Coady, of Baltimore |
City. Mr.. w. Mason Shehan.. of Talbot |
County, Congressman, Joshua w I
Miles. of Somerset Co., Ex-Governor
Harrington, of Dorchester, and, it has /
been whispered around the last few +
days. possibly Major Brooke Lee, of /
Montgomery.
And last, but not least, in interest to
the heavily burdened taxpayers of +
State. are the walls and bowls of dis
appointment that are heard from
many of the representatives of. the /
large tax-eating concerns and organi-
cations of public and semi-public |
character. who went before the Gov I
efIlor and demanded large increases
in their appropriations-an We're
promptly turned. down. These tax
eaters. who are many in number and /
who are always hungry think that the /
taxpayers are made for. the sole nur-
pose of furnishing money for their /
fads and whiTns. They have been dis
appointed, and their sorrow and wrath |
are heard in their walls in the land
PAUL WINCHESTER