Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1921-12-31
Governor Ritchie Will Have
His Program Ready For
Opening Session.
HOUSE SPEAKERSHIP
is STILL in DOUBT

Next Wednesday, the General As
sembly will convene at Annapolis and
for the following three months will
hold the center of the stage in Mary
land.
1t ought to be, and probably will
be, buiness session. There is moth
ing that can legitimately come be-
fore it of partisan character, unless
partisanship may be dragged into it
for effect. There ought to be nothing
of fostical character, but doubtless
there will be- for the members are
human, they have their likes and dis
likes, their jealousies, their ambitions,
their desires for prominence and pref
crment, and all these will doubtless
be evident early in the session, and
will cause the assembled Maryland
Statesmen to swerve from the strict
lines of business, to which, in theory
they ought to devote themselves for
the ninety. days in which they are ex-
pected to serve the people and the
public welfare. with the "help of the
Lord" as their oath provides.
There will really be no excuse for
any manifestations of partisanship or
factionalism at the State House this
winter. The legislation needed, as a
result of the changed conitions arising
from the war, are purely business in
their character, and should be consid-
cred in that light. The democrats
have such a preponderence in the
membership of both Houses, have the
Governor and all the other important
officials, that they ought to have no
trouble whatever in enacting their
program. And the republicans are in
such hopeless minority, that the
poll. for them to follow, if they are
wise, will be to assent to the Cover
nor's program, and back it up with
out opposition.
Whatever trouble may arise will no
doubt be factional in it's character,
for, while the factions are working
together in harmony at the present
time, many of the old time sores and
hatreds still exist, and no doubt there
will be spasmodic outbreaks from time
to time. These factional sores are not
confined to the city-it must be re-
membered that for many years there
have been strong factional alignments
in what is known as the estate crowd"
and that factional feelings in the
State democracy, have been quite as
strong as those which have almost
disrupted the City democracy for more
than a generation. Governor Ritchic
has shown unusual skill in his manag-
n1ent of these factions since he be-
came Governor, and it is to be hoped
that he will meet with equally great
success in managing them during the
remainder of his term, and especially
during the next three months.
There are two matters which will
come before the session, both of
which will doubtless be discussed with
40 little acrimony, although neither
is partisan in character, and they are
the proposed enactment of law 70
enforce by the State authorities, the
National prohibition laws, and also a
law to amend the present race track
statutes. or to prohibit horse racing
altogether. The feeling regarding
these two questions, is already at the
boiling point throughout the State,
and no doubt tn will be the bitter
est and most Acrimonious kind OF
fights over both of them-fights
which will throw all other matters be-
fore the legislature into the back
ground. Already the discussion OF
these questions is going on with vigor
in all parts of the commonwealth.
Many of the clergy have taken them
up, and the members-elect are receiv-
ing letters from organizations and in
dividuals, asking their views and
urging them to pledge themselves to
vote one way or the other-and these
letters are very generally from peo-
pie who are opposed to a continuance
of the present system of management
of horse racing, and in favor OF the
enactment of a strong prohibition en-