The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-01-03
Many Legislators Now Hostile to Lee

position where he had to help the
Governor and Brooke Lee in order to
show his antagonism to Jackson and
Bichy.
I doubt that Curran cares a great
deal for Lee. I hardly think he is un-
der any further illusion as to the
Governor. By this time it must have
dawned upon him that the Governor
did not weep violently when he was
defeated for Mayor.
Enough Votes to Prevent
Smothering Of Bills
Now it appears that notwithstand-
ing the failure of what the Wet
Blanket calls the anti-Ritchie faction
to bring about an agreement among
the city members of the House as to a
course of action on the Speakership
there are enough men who adhere to
their side to make an effective bloc by
joining with the Republicans to pre-
vent the smothering of bills in COM
mittee. The Speaker appoints the
committee and he can so frame them
that they will be his own creatures in
regard to measures the State admin
| istration may not relish. And no
doubt there will be a raft of such
measures in the coming session. There
are various doings of the administra-
ton that may be brought under fire
and Speaker friendly to the Cover
nor will have it in his power to pro-
tect the Executive Department on
many occasions.
Outsiders do not realize how much
the Legislature can really do when it
feels so minded. For instance, in the
session of 1922 it got to the ears of
one of the members of the House that
the Governor had not fully accounted
for all the money that had been with
drawn from the treasury on account
of the preparation of the State bud
get. A resolution was prepared one
night making inquiry on the subject
but before the House assembled next
day word came that the unexpended
amount, something over a thousand
dollars, had been returned to the
State treasury. The Legislature S
most effective weapon is publicity.
Lees Best Chance
Is in the Background
While it is apparent that Major Lee
does not see it the same way that l do
I have no doubt that his best course
would be to avoid the Speakership this
time as he would avoid plague. 1t
can do him no good and it may do him
great harm.
In politics people look to the future
and they care little about the past.
Some of those who have been con-
spicuous in the past or who may
still be CONSPICUOUS are about to be
shelved. 1t will be possible to shelve
Major Lee with them.
There is plenty of talk among DEM
ocrats that if the party is to have any
thing like a fair chance in the next
State election there will have to be
an entire new State ticket, eliminat-
| ing all those who are now serving. Let
the Major be hooked up tightly to the
surviving administration and he will
be marked to go with it.
The Governor says the administra-
ton will propose nothing to evoke bit
terness in the Legislature. But others
may evoke things that will arouse the
opposition of the administration. The
Major will have to be the administra-
tons man. There is small glory to
be had but it is evident that little
though it may be the Major is anxious
to grab it. This may be his last
chance. Who knows?
Entertainment in
Prospect at Annapolis
have an idea that this coming year
l might scrape up few sheckels and
journey down to Annapolis and try to
see what the bosses do to hold Mary
land back. l am particularly DESTROYS
of noting the maneuvering of Major
Brooke Lee who last session was con-
tinually running over to the Senate
and whispering in the ear of this one
and of that one.
would like to see what the lobby
does if and when bill unfavorabe to
the race tracks arrives and whether
the Third House will continue to meet
on the main floor of the Senate House
or retire to the basement where it
held it's sessions prior to the incom-
ing of the current and more or less
discredited administration.
Beyond question the oystermen will
be there with their boots on to see
that the astute Swepson Earle doesn't
have bill to give two-fifths of the
natural oyster bottoms to the planters
during one of the Governors unfor-
tunate maps. Which reminds me that
down Crisfeld way l hear the oyster
dealers or shuckers or what you may
call them are limiting that planting
law may be the best after all. Wheth-
err it is or not 1 am not prepared to
say.