The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-02-16
BALTIMORE CITY Bills
HAVEPASSED LEGISLATURE
Several Democrats From COun-
ties Oppose Greater Repre-
sentatiOn Measure.

Baltimore City's fight for increased
representation in the Maryland Leg
islature was won in the Lower House
of the General Assembly at Annap-
oils last Thursday, but it was not won
without struggle and the PROPOSE
ton was not put to the voters of the
State with entire good will or wishes
for full success.
There was no doubt when the meas ..
ures, which already had passed the
Senate, came up in the House for a
final vote. There was merely an ex-
PLANTATION of their vote by number of
members and there was not anything
cordial in these explanations so far
as a feeling toward the city's aspira-
ton was concerned.
There were more than enough Dem
ocratic votes lined up behind the bill
to assure the three-ffths vote neces-
sary for the passage Of a proposed
constitutional amendment. A total
Of II votes We're cast for the measure
when only ga were necessary. Of
these II, three were the votes of
Republicans-Boyer of Montgomery,
and Latimer and Higgins, of Calvert.
The rest-GS, or four more than
necessary We're Democratic.
Four Democrats ackev. of Cecil.
Dunlap, Of Anne Arundel; Funkhous-
er, Of Washington, and Charles, Of
Caroline-decided to disregard their
party platform pledge and voted
against the bill. One Democratic
delegate-Luber, Of the Fourth dis
trict Of Baltimore city-was III at
home with pneumonia. One Repub-
lican delegate, Cocksev, Of Charles
county, was absent.
The rest of the Republicans follow
ing the lead of their floor leader, JOS
cph W. Wolfnger, of Washington
county, voted solidlv against the city
bills. This made a total of 80 votes
against the measures.
That the success Of the city's fight
was against odds was generally con-
ceedcd when the fight was over. The
scale against the city was tipped most
heavily by the old-time county-versus-
city feeling. 1t was expressed by the
county delegates freely as a lack Of
desire to give to the city more power
in the Legislature at the expense Of
the counties, which, through their
delegations, now hold that power.
Because of the deiniteness of the
Democratic platform pledges, how
ever, and because of the heavy Demo
cratic majority in the House, the ad-
ministration and party leaders had
little doubt of ultimate success. They
feel that the question of party obi
cation could be made paramount in
the minds of those county delegates
who were opposed to any increased
representation and the vote proved
IuOSe IeetlNSS flgnJ.
When the final vote came, Delegates
c. NJ. Roberts, of Prince Georges
county, who led the boilers from the
Democratic caucus on the bills last
week, jumped on the party bandwagon
and voted for the measure. Delegates
Howard, Pullman and Baldwin, of
Anne Arundel county, who also Jump
ed the caucus, voted with the city on
the final issue, although all announc-
ed they would work against the con-
stitutional amendment at the polls
next fall.
Delegates Bowers, of Kent, about
whom much doubt was entertained,
also voted for the city bills. Few,
if any, of the other votes were in
doubt when the bills were presented
by Speaker Lee.