Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1922-02-18
DISCUSSES AFFAIR
AT STATE CAPITOL
Well Known Political Writer Gives
Views On Political Situation.--
Says Things Are Becoming
Exciting.

is really becoming exciting, as the
various conflicting interest are mani
Testing their feelings in favor of GER
tain important bills, on the one side,
and against them on the other sire,
for there is no doubt about it, certain
large and influential elements of the
democratic party are lining up in hos
tility to several of the more impor..-
ant points in the Governors reorgan-
ization plan, while others are equally
strong in their favor.
There is also no doubt as to this
fact, there are many democrats here
who are opposed to what they call the
radical and revolutionary changes adj
vocated by the Governor, which oppo-
sition they are backed by practically
all the present office holding forces
in all parts of the State. They con-
tend that the present system is tn.
growth of long period of years.
in fact that much of it goes back to
the Revolution, and that it is all bas-
ed on experience, and that it has
worked well. That under this sys-
tenn, the State has been we'll and Geo.
nomically governed that it has pros
pered, that it recovered rapidly from
the blighting and evil effects of the
Civil War more than half century
ago, and that no real reasons have
been given for the proposed revolu
tionary changes. Those stand-patters
among the democrats, assert that the
only real advocates for these changes
are the restless clique of uplifters
and professional reformers, whose
views always find a welcome in the
columns of the city newspapers,
which are on enc side of the political
fence today and on the other side to-
morrow, and which are always ready
| to find fault with democratic admin
istrations and democratic officials.
while they are extremely lenient with
the glazing defects of republican ao-
ministrations. And before many days
have passed it is highly probable that
this slowly developing opposition, wiz
burst out in the open and possibly
make radical changes in if not totally
destroy, the whole reorganization
plan.
Another developing prospect, is a
contest for the further leadership Of
the States forces, in aucession to Sen
ator John Waltr Smith, who appears
to have given over the active manag.
ment of party affairs, and is now
working simply in an advisory capac-
ity. There are three men here day af
ter day, who are looked upon as OPP
en- aspirants for the leadership, Ma
| jor Brooke Lee, Mr.. Samul K. Dennis,
and State Treasurer John M. Dennis
and three conored contest, ma.
break out at any time. 1t was sur
posed, prematurely it now appear:
that State Treasurer John M. Dennis
had assumed, with authority, the
State leadership in succession to Sell
ator Smith, and that his title would
be undisputed, but there is every in
dication now there that such will mo-
turn out to be the case. Not a few peo-
pie of the old guard crowd openly ex-
press a preference for Samul X. Den
mis- as State leader, while others, who
are many in number, are equally OPP.
en- in their advocacy of Major Lee as
State leader, and all are waiting with
interest and no little anxiety for a
sign from Governor Richie as tn
which one of the three aspiring young
men he will favor for the successor
to the leadership of the party and in
the end the Governor may find it ne:
cessary to take another radical-and
unprecedented step and assume the
leadership himself and thus prevent
bitter inter-party fight. While 9TH
ers believe that in the end he will
back Major Lee.
The last of next week will proba-
bly, see the opening of these under
ground schemes and maneauvers. At
that time the leading State appoint
ment will be made land at that time
it is usual to see the development of
all the latent hostility to the Execu-
tive, which has been smouldering fer
the first two years of his admins
tration. This hostility Is usually kept
under cover until after the second
session appointments are made, and
then it bursts out, often with much
violence. This has been the case with