Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-07-24

Dudley G. Roe Jr., Brown NJ. Roe and
William NJ. D. Roe
Instead Of beginning the practice of
law as he had originally planned,
Senator Roe was persuaded by his
father to enter the grain business
with him. The business was operated
under the firm name of W. D. Roe
and Son, and although the father
died in 1912, the firm name has re-
NAMED unchanged as tribute to the
deceased parent. Senator Roe's grain
business has grown to be one of the
largest east of the Mississippi River
and Senator Roe frequently buys and
ships as much as a million and half
bushels of wheat and a million
bushels of corn a season.
In 1912 the firms first grain
elevator was built in Sudlersville and
this year a second grain storage
elevator is under construction.
In 1912 he was elected a director of
the Sudlersville Bank and has been
! President of the institution since 1928.
In 1907 he was elected a member
of the House of Delegates, and since
that time has always taken active in
terest in politics.
In 1928 he was elected to the Mary
land Senate and was reelected in
1926 and 1880. This was the first
time that any Senator had ever been
elected for a third term in Queen
Anne's County. He was not a candi-
date in 1884, but was drafted to run
again by his friends in 1888, and was
elected for his fourth term.
During the last two sessions of the
Maryland Assembly, he has been
Chairman of the Finance Committee
and Democratic Floor Leader Of the
upper house, where has won distinc-
ton for his industry and his business
training was of service in helping to
restore Maryland to its present mar
velous financial condition.
Senator Roe was active in the sue
cessful efforts to give better trans
portation facilities between Eastern
and Western Shores of Maryland,
eliminating in the establishment of
the Matapeake Ferry, the building of
the Eastern Shore Boulevard, and the
erection of the Kent Island Narrows
PriI 70 olcn inf. +ha hill
in the session of 1941 providing for
the purchase of the ferry by the State
resulting in improved service at low
er fares for many thousands of mo-
florists and passengers. He also spon-
sored legislation appropriating mil
lion dollars to build the new termi-
nal at Sandy Point, now in the course
of construction, and the Strengthening
of the Eastern Shore Boulevard.
He also took an active part in the
lateral road gasoline tax bill This
legislation allowed the counties to
cease selling bonds every year with
which to build roads.
In the crisis of 1888 he took an ac-
tive part in balancing the State Bud
get and reducing taxes. AS result,
the state now pays more of each
county's school expenses and pays all
of the maintenance of dirt roads, so
that most counties were able to re-
duce their tax rates approximately
fifty cents (5Oc). In Queen Anne's
County, for instance, the rate was
$1.50 for all county purposes until
after Senator Roe entered the Sen
ate, whereas today the present rate
is 90c. He also was very helpful
factor in legislation incident to the
re-opening of the banks in 1888.
Approximately half of the states of
the Union have abolished the State
Tax on Real Estate. In 1871, Senator
Roe endeavored to authorize a Con-
stitutional Amendment which would
have eliminated the State Tax on
Real Estate in Maryland. The bill
passed the Senate, but was allowed to
die in committee in the House. How
ever, as result of this fight, bill
was passed which has permitted the
Governor to almost half the State
Tax on Real Estate.
For many years Senator Roe has
been active in athletics and while at
tending college played baseball, foot
ball, tennis and participated in track
competition He is still fond of these
sports as we'll as hunting.
He has been active in church work
all his life and has taught Sunday
School since he was IS. He was
President for several years of the In
terdenominational Sunday School AS
ISOLATION for Queen Anne's County,
and has been a Vestryman of St.
Luke's Parish for over score of