The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1921-12-02
BALTIMORE LETTER.


aOtei hennefL
Baltimore, Nov Gath, 1921.
Governor Richie Is now facing tht
most difficult task Of his administra-
tion that Of preparing the biennial
budget. to be submitted to the General
Assembly shortly after that body
meets in January The revenues of the
State are not much greater than they
were two years ago, while the de-
mands ON the treasury on the part OF
the several departments of the govern
ment and the public Institutions. have
in the aggregate more then doubled,
Regardless of the fact that there ought
to be the severestf sort of retrench- !
ment and economy on the part Of all
managers of public institutions and
officials, these gentlemen have made
their estimates OF such really vast
proportions. that 1t would not be UNI
reasonable to believe that all or near
ly all OF them we're out of their senses
so reckless 10 the manifestation Of
their proposed extravaganza. Nearly
every department and nearly every in-
stituticn has gone before the Cover
nor at Annapolis. through their rep
resentatiYes, and demanded the larg-
est sort OF increases in the amounts OF
their appropriations for the next two
years. Some of the demands are real
ly colossal In their demands, and 70
grant all would necessitate tax rate
which would be almost confisoatory In
its amount. and would in the end,
greatly endanger the credit OF the
State. The indications are, however. h
that the Governor will disregard all Il
these extortionate demands, and these
extravagant and reckless boards and 4
officials within bounds There Is every
Indication that both the Governor and
the General Assembly, will turn cold
shoulder against all but the most alb
sOlutely necessary expenditures for
the next two years. The people OF the
City and the Counties are strenuously
opposed to very large Dronortlon Of
these proposed increases. II may be
very desirable to have all sorts Of
new and expensive buildings for pub
lie use. hut the State cannot afford /
them. and the only way it could get /
them, would be on the installment 1
plan. 1t would perhaps be desirable, /
but not necessary to have all sorts OF (
new schemes and plans tried out, on
the recommendation of the swarm OF
theoretical experts from afar, who
: have been spying out the alleged de-
fects in everything In the State but
Maryland can do without them for the
present. and would be better OF than
all probability. IL they were never
tried, for they are iuxuries-not ne
cessaries. Many women art sure that
they cannot get along without seal skin
coats and diamond rings, but the only
way they can get them Is on the in
stallment plan, and that Ia the end
often means all sorts OF trouble ard
in not a few instances ruin. The truth
is this State cannot afford such exa
trayagance as is being proposed o. The
Governor and the indication that HE
conservative and leyel-headed sense.
will cut II all out in short order. and
that the General Assembly viii back
him up in his action The whole crowd
OF public and institutional officials,
appear 10 have gone mad In a riot OF
extravagance regardless OF tie erin
gent situation affairs. Tire probability
is that many of them not withstand
Ing the law, hast alrei ~ exhausted
their appropriations, (some Of them
certainly haye1 salaries OF all sorts
have been raised, men Of small cali
her have been put In places OF author
ity. and have been reckless as well az
inefficient In the performance OF their
duties. Men who would be dear AZ
$1,000 year, have been receiving $4,000
$4,000, and often more and not a few
Thousand dollar men are drawing four
OF i've thousand year His two years
experience in the executive chair, has
enabled the Governor to find an these
people out He has not said much but
he knows them ALL and there is little
doubt but that he will make ~ genera
house cleaning OF all the government
departments, and all the State instl-
tutions. before many months have
past away. The State government is
covered with barnacles. and yigor-
GUS cleaning up and serapinE of. will
result In great good 70 the public SER
vice, IN all lis branches Governor
Hltchie has been endorsed by the peo-
pie OF MARYLAND. They have expressed
their confidence In him. and in the
Democratic party, and they expect him
not only TO make a thorough reor.
ganization OF the entire official struc-
ture of the governing forces, but also
TO sweep out the rubbish, clear out
the dist. which has been rotting away
the body polite for these maay years
The approaching contest for the
succession TO Senator France Is at
tracing much attention, although the
election will not take place until next
year There seems to be no doubt
about the nomination by the Repub-
leans OF Doctor France 10 succeed
himself and the general impression II
that Ex-senator John Walter Smith
VIII be nominated by the Democrats
without serious opposition, should he
desire to go back to Washington /
Should the Senator decline to make
iight the chances are that there vii
pc several candidates for the nomt-
nation, among whom will possibly be
Ex-Congressman Charles p. Coady. of I
baltimore City, Lex Congressman JOS
hua W. Miles, Mr.. Mason Shehan. Ex-
Congressman Jesse d. Price and there
is no telling who else. Mr.. Coady will
no doubt make strong fight for the
nomination. should Senator Smith de-
cline to run, but he win not be n can
didate should the former Senator de-
sire the place, and, as candidate be-
flfssa - f