The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-07-27
GARRETT OPPOSES
SENATOR FRANCE
CHOICE OF STATEWIDE REPUs-
LICAN CoNVENTION FOR NoMI-
NATION FOR UNITED STATES
SENATE.

S@NT
8 In accordance with long precedent,
II not actual custom, the Republican
party in Maryland again is involved
in a fight for the nomination for
United States Senator, the opponents
on this occasion being Senator Joseph
Irwin France, of Port Deposit, and
John W. Garrett, of Baltimore, the lat
ter being entered by a statewide con-
Ventlon and France running in oppO-
sition on his own personal account
The situation is unique in Maryland
politics, in that the party declines to
hand a second term to the incumbent,
and also because the party enters a
candidate IN the primary in opposition
to an individual, instead Of an indi
Vidual entering in opposition to an
organization choice. Throughout the
years, the organization has picked a
candidate and some ambitious aspir-
ant has come out in personal opposi-
ton; this time, the sitting Senator
claimed the nomination for himself
and the party put up another man
against him.
Although Senator Frances course in
Congress has been condemned through
out Maryland and was openly repudi
ated by the General Assembly, it
looked for time as though he would
be unopposed in his ambition for re-
nomination. Reliable report has gone
abroad that be had expressed willing
ness to spend 100000, or 100000 If
necessary, for denomination and re-
election, and this had a very discour
aging effect on men of less means or
men who were not willing to have the
nomination put up on the auction
block. France has denied that he said
this.
But, though unopposed by any
avowed candidate, France was opposed
by majority of the Republicans and
rest of the voters. He had deserted
the Administration in the greatest in,
ternational achievement in history and
had been the only member Of the
Senate to vote against the Five Power
Treaty, designed to assure permanent
peace in the world through the limi,
tation of ornaments; he had ex,
pressed warm sympathy for the regime
which has brought Russia to abject
poverty and slavery and which still
retards the progress Of civilization;
he had appealed to the Genoa Confer,
ence over the heads of the State De-
partment and the United States Gov
ernment-in short, he had played
lone hand, holding his own personal
views as superior to the composite
view Of the greatest minds in the
world.
All this proved too much for the
Republican party in Maryland to stom-
ach; 1t could not assume responsible
fly for Frances course and still hope
to live in a great American State. The
finger of scorn was pointed at 1t from
every Commonwealth in the land.
Eventually it arose to assert its rights.
After sounding the sentiment of the
Republicans Of every element in West
ern Maryland, leaders in that section
sent out a call for Sixth District
convention to be held at Braddock
Heights on June 20, but so wide and
insistent were demands for invitations
that the other districts were included
and the convention was Statewide.
First, giving its reasons, it read France
out of the party; then, 1t named
committee from each county and the
city of Baltimore to select candi-
date to oppose him. By unanimous
vote in secret ballot, in which no
mans personal choice would be dis
closed, the committee selected John
w. Garrett, and he at once accepted.
"The man you nominate today will
win" said Garrett in his brief address,
and he already is counted by many
as a prophet.
The selection Of an actual candi-
date Immediately rallied the France
opponents to an actual fight. Up to
that time they had merely protested
against France, with no one TO nomi-
nate against him; now, they had
concrete standard around which to
gather and their opposition to France
became positive and aggressive. From
every section of the State have come
volunteers OF help from regular" or
ganization leaders, especially promi,
nent among them being party leaders
on the Eastern Shore. 1t Is not a
fight Of the party for France, but a
fight Of France against the party.
AS National Committeeman from
Maryland, William P. Jackson merely
said that he could not take, officially
sides In any contest, but personally
he hoped there would be no primary
nght and that as France at that time
was the only candidate it might be
well to let things drift in that fashion.
His statement is well understood to
have been prepared long before the
Braddock meeting and really was not
pertinent to conditions at the time it
yas made public by Jackson's friends.
On the other hand, as soon as Gar
reft was selected-indeed, even be-
fore that time-Walter B. Miller and
Fred P. Adkins, two Of Jackson"s
closest advisors and workers on the