The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-01-20
BALTIMORE LETTER.
State House,

~
State House, It5r
Annapolis, January 18th, 1925
me General Assembly is function
ing IN SLOW and hating manner, ow<i
ing to the fact that Governor Ritchfeg
is temporarily out of commission. The
| Governor really worked himself ONT.
Ever since the election, he has been at
work dav in and day out, and far into
the night. During the campaign he
carried the whole burden ON his back
practically, without any assistance eS-
cept that which was rendered by the
local leaders and candidates in. the
counties. and by Mr.. Robert E. Lee
and the candidate for Comptroller, Mr.
Gordy. The really prominent State
leaders rendered nothing but the most
perfunctory service-all, withot I'D
important exception, were under the
/ impression that the party was doome4l
to defeat. and were shy in taking part
in what they believed was doomed to
be losing fight. They hoped to save
the legislative tickets in enough
Counties to give them control of the
General Assembly by a narrow margitL.n
but not one of these felt any conHGi
dence in the result. So all held aloof.
and Governor Richie and one or two
of his friends, had the burden of thee
contest all to themselves, and, greatly
to the surprise of nearly everybody
they won out in a measure far beyond
even the most sanguine expectations
or those who had any hope whatever
of victory.
To the Governor therefore really be-!
longs the credit of the great triumph;
of his party. At the end of the canf9s
Oaipn he was a1mocf WORM all
should have eased up, but he did noth45
ing of the sort. The very day after the
election. he began to prepare for the
General Assembly, and night and day
found him at the task. He has broken
all records in the history of the STATE,
and, except for the very material aid
rendered him by Mr.. Kirkman, the
head of the State, purchasing Agency.
he has prepared the budget and all the
bills necessary for the State Govern
ment. and on the opening day of the
session. all were ready for presenta-;.
ton to the lawmakers of the State as,
they assembled in the State Housepl
and then the temporary collapse camel"
afer he had delivered his message in
person. and laid before them his rec-'
concentrations for the work they
were eXpected to do. Fortunately fofif
the people of Maryland, this disability
! is only temporary in its character, and
! it is the hope and prayer of all, that
he will speedily recover and complete
the great and patriotic task which he
has undertaken, and on which he has
been at work for a greater part of the.s
past two years.
From political standpoint the most
important feature of the news here.
and in Baltimore, for the past ten days
has been the apparent change in the
| leadership of the Democratic party"
! Quietly. and without a flourish of
trumpets. or noise of any sort, Mr..
John X. Dennis, the State Treasurer.
has assumed the place held by former
Senator John Walter Smith. ever since
! the death of the late Senior Senator !,
Arthur P. German. In all the confer
ences preliminary to the meeting Of, :
the General Assembly. Mr.. Dennis has
taken the place as State leader, and
Senator Smith has been conspicuous,
by his absence, and it is known that
all this has been done by the ADVICE
and consent of the venerable ex-Senl,
ator. And now it is commonly report
ed, and generally believed, that when
the proner time comes, Mr. Dennis
will come to the front as the Democrat
tic candidate for the seat in the Unit
ed States Senate, now held by Sena-
or joseph Irwin France. Whether
others will come to the front to con-
/ test Mr.. Dennis candidacy for the Sem,
ate. or to dispute his leadership of the
party, is at present uncertain, but
many of those who are usually we'll
posted on such matters, express the
opinion that several Democrats of in
/ fiuence and ability will be in the field
and that the suave and gentleman
nered State Treasurer, will have a .
strenuous time before he reaches his p
ambitious goal, and that before he
wins the nomination to become the.
Democratic candidate against Sena-u
tor France, he will know that he has
been in the hardest sort of fight In q
the primaries of his own party.
/ 1t is the general opinion among the
statesmen here from all parts of Mary
land, that this will be a Democratic
year, and that the party will, in ali
probability elect not only a United
States Senator, but also six Democra-
| tic Congressmen. AS a consequence,
there will doubtless be several candi-
dates for the party nominations to the
House of Representatives. Already %
men of prominence, are giving out c
that thew intend to enter the primar-
ieS-the first in the field being Mr..
Andrew J. Cummings, Familiarity
known as "Cy", of Montgomery couna
ty, in the sixth district. Mr.. j. Angus
tine Mason, of Hagerstown, and Mr..
Frank J.. Stoner, of Frederick, are
also mentioned in connection with the
Democratic nomination to run against
Representative Zihlman, who will no
doubt be nominated by the Republi-
cans.
In the Second District, State Sena-
tor Willard A. Tydings, of Hartford
County. former Speaker of the House
of Delegates, is announced as can7s
didate. and it is generally believed
that Ex-Congressman Carville.D. Ben
son. of Baltimore County, will also
seek a denomination.
In the First district it is not known
whether Congressman Goldsborougha
will