The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-02-21
THE PASSING SHOW
By the Man In The Street

roads case. | would be glad to pass
up this tiresome subject and give my
readers something new but from day
to day some daily papers are giving
their readers the impression that the
investigation is about to peter out
and that there is nothing or little
more to be developed, while at An
napolis Speaker Brooke Lee seems to
be doing his best to discredit or 81
lence those who are bold enough to
point out the derelictions of the Rit-
chic understrappers.
Last week States Attorney O'Con-
or appeared before the Lee committee
and said he would lay before the
Grand Jury information from which
that body may conclude that many
contracts have been 'illegally and
criminally handled"
This is strong language and if it is
backed up by testimony will upset
Brooke Lees apologize contention
that no higher-up is involved. Higher
ups could not award contracts even
though the Roads Commission was
loosely administered.
So all this apparent effort of some
of the investigators" to do some
embarrassing before the Grand Jury
has received the information in the
hands of Mr.. O'Conor is mere bun
combe. 1t is handed for political pur-
poses and for the benefit of men who
have had their hands directly or indi-
rectly in the State Treasury and do
not want to surrender their privilege.
Hullabaloo Report IS
Dragged Out at Last
AS result Of the strenuous efforts
of Delegate Cobourn the report of the
State Roads Commission on the vast
ing of public funds celebrations is
coming out in sections.
At Marlboro, where the biggest
celebration was held to boost the
Governors Presidential candidacy,
those in charge were liberal. The
Governor by his own admission had
authorized the expenditure of $4,000.
But somehow they got so enthusiasts
tic they did not stop at that figure.
They went up to $4,000 but there is
nothing to tell what the Governor is
going to do about the overrunning of
his okay. The fact probably is that
the Governor just told them to go
ahead and does not actually know
what he really authorized them to do.
So they went ahead and they
bough sandwiches, wrist watches, or
chids, $4,000 worth of programs with
a fine laudatory sketch of the Cover
nor written by DR.. Frank R. Kent,
boosts for Messrs. Magruder, Mack
all and Thomas, toy balloonse, grub
for the soldiers, advertising in the
Wet Blanket ct al, flags, SIP worth
of photographs, coffee pots, folding
clocks, tea pots, sugar dishes, mill
tary brushes, silver bowls, silver flow
err baskets, silver pitcher and tray,
silver waiter, special silver bowl and
waiter, and many other articles too
numerous to mention.
1t was a great day at Marlboro, APP
parently, some $4,000 greater to the
taxpayers than the day the same
group opened the Severn River bridge
with the same sort Of hullabaloo. The
great and the near great had been
invited by personal card from the
Governor. The program alone, it
appears, cost no less than $4,000.
No taxpayer can look at the re
ports submitted without realizing
that the State administration was
really going some. 1t was the heyday
of the Richie regime and there was
apparently no thought of the fall that
was eventually to come. In those
days citizens who suggested the put
ting on of brakes were laughed at.
Committee May
IOld On Indefinitely
Judging by the little the Legisla-
We Committee has done in the roads
andal with half the life of the Leg
}ture already past, that body may
on all Summer if it can be al
d to sit when there is no Legis-
e. Thus it might be used by the
cal bosses who created it to
the tongues of those who have
alking about what really hap
1t might be used as factor
years State campaign which
dy in the making with most
would-be candidates shaking
boots.
Ter why the committee does
non Governor Richie and
to testify. He might tell
that when he was told of
q discovery made by the
or's deputy he elected to
1T and not let the news
known about it. He
ed to explain why it was
my people were talking
IS about the way the
sion was being run he
at all about it. He