Baltimore Evening Sun (3 October 1911): 6.

The standing of the clubs in the National Typhoid League for the week ended September 22:

The Oriorles, it appears, are once more safe. Their percentage is greater than the combined percentages of the next two clubs.

Note the pitiful showing of New York, Boston and Chicago. In the case of Chicago an easy explanation offers. The present Health Commissioner of that town to an officer of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service. Baltimore, fortunately for the undertakers, is too old-fashioned to bring in such odious outsiders.

In the heat of literary endeavor, two or three days ago, I spoke of the Hon. J. Albert Hughes as a vice-prastdent of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Assoctation. It now appears that I was sorely in error. Mr. Hughes is not a vice-president of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association. He no longer holds any office, of trust, profit or empty honor, high or low, in that majestic synod. I accordingly apologize most humbly—to Mr. Hughes.

LEST WE FORGET!

Mr. Preston said that for 20 years Mr. Mahon had been one of his warmest political and personal friends, and that he esteemed Mr. Mahon’s friendship very highly.

[From the Sun of Dec. 24. 1907.]

Mr. Preston declared that Mr. Mahon has been a personal and political friend of long standing, and that he was proud of his friendship. He also declared that he had no information that Mr. Mahon was connected with any law-violating interests, and believed he was not.

The opposing candidates for State’s Attorney of Baltimore city, at the November election, will be the Hon. Robert H. Carr, Democrat, and the Hon. William F. Broening, Republican. But hold! Haven’t the Socialists a candidate? They have. His name is the Hon. Charles Jackson—and my spies bring me news that he is a competent lawyer and an intelligent man. He promises, if elected, to enforce the law without fear or favor. He has no connection with either political machine. He views both of them, indeed, with a degree of dislike verging upon positive frenzy. Compare him with Carr. Compare him with Broening. And then—well, why not swallow your silly prejudices and vote for him?

A last chance for all true sports. Four cheap, but clean, cigars to any reputable Baltimorean, not a professional politician, “leading” lawyer, “well-known” business man or “prominent citizen,” who will make public declaration, on his word of honor, that he believes the super-Mahon was elected in May.

Advice to the foreman of the grand jury: The truly wise man talks very little and promises even less.

From a letter to the Hon. James Harry Preston, given to the general public March 29, 1911:

__________ of Baltimore needs just such ___________ you are at the head of its af___________ honest and upright–and I would certainly like to see you in charge.

Who was the author of this glorious tribute? None other than the Hon. H. Kent McCay, now City Engineer of Baltimore. A merry fiesta of mutual tickling!

Was Biggs at it, too? You may safety bet your esophagus that he was. Here is what that eloquent fellow had to say on March 30:

I see no reason why you should not carry the city easily by from 5,000 to 8,000 majority, and I believe you will.

Was Biggs right or wrong? If he referred to the primary, his estimate was from 2,000 to 5,000 short. But if he referred to the general election, he guessed from 6,000 to 9,000 votes too many.

The following letter from the Hon. Henry F. Baker, president of the Merchants and Manufacturers’ Assoociation, to the Hon. Edgar F. Dobson, foreman of the grand jury for Baltimore city, has not been written. and so far as I am aware, it never will be:

At a conference of the presidents of the several commercial bodies of Baltimore, held yesterday afternoon, I was requested to communicate with you and ascertain if it will be agreeable and convenient for you to meet the representatives of these organizations for the purpose of permitting them to present their views relative to the investigation of the recent primary election, in the hope that something may be done to expedite this investigation, and thus save further publicity of our civic affairs, which publicity is causing so much adverse criticism of our city and interfering to a considerable extent with our industrial development. If you will grant this hearing will you not advise me as promptly as possible as to the place and date most convenient to you?

But a letter, strangely resembling this purely theoretical epistle, was actually written by the Hon. Mr. Baker on April 11, and forwarded to the Hon. Austin L. Crothers, then in the hot midst of his police investigation. The fate of that letter was strangely romantic. The Hon. Mr. Crothers, it appears, accidentally dropped it into his waste basket and it was at once carried off by an alert charwoman. The consequence was that no answer to it ever reached the Hon. Mr. Baker, nor, indeed, was any answer to it ever composed by the Hon. Mr. Crothers. Upon such embarrassing mischances the destinies of nations hang!

Statement of the Hon. James Harry Preston, candidate for Mayor of Baltimore, April 3, 1911:

The insinuation that as Mayor I would favor Padgett in the matter of paving contracts is false. Padgett would not get one contract under my administration, except in the same way he has got them under the present (Mahool) administration—by being the lowest bidder.

On July 5 the award of the double contract for repaving Lanvale and Calvert streets came up. The two principal bids, if I mistake not, were as follows:

And who got the contract? Elder or Padgett? Guess!

Boil your drinking water! Count the ballots! Watch the School Board! Get out your winter lingerie!

Meanwhile, the Hon. H. Kent McCay might take a look at Booth street, between Gilmor and Stricker. And if his eyesight is defective, he might smell it.

Three years 7 months and 13 days more–and it will seem a century!