SKETCHES OF STATE OFFICERS. 195

in 1894. During the session of the Legislature of 1896 he
introduced and secured the passage of the Free School Book
Bill. In 1892 he was unanimously tendered the nomination
for Congress, which he declined on account of his large busi-
ness interests. In 1898 he accepted the Democratic nomina-
tion for Congress from the First Congressional District of
Maryland, and was elected by a handsome majority. Before
he had taken his seat as a member of Congress, he became
the Democratic candidate for Governor by unanimous nomi-
nation, and was elected by a plurality of 12,123 votes over his
Republican competitor, Governor Lowndes, in November,
1899. The day before he was inaugurated as Governor he
resigned his seat in Congress. He was inaugurated Governor
January 10th, 1900, for a term of four years, and is now filling
out said term.

Secretary of State: WILFRED BATEMAN, (Democrat,) of
Talbot County.

Wilfred Bateman, youngest son of the late Col. H. E.
Bateman, waa born in Washington, D. C., January 17, 1859,
was educated at the public schools of Talbot county and
Bethel Academy, Virginia. He taught school for two years,
read law with the late Ex-Gov. Philip Frances Thomas, and
was admitted to the bar December, 1881. He was the
Examiner in Chancery for the Circuit Court for Talbot
County, and held that office until his appointment as Clerk
of the Circuit Court to succeed the late Col. Thomas
Hughlett.

Comptroller: DR. J. W. HERING, (Democrat,) of West-
minster, Carroll County.

Dr. J. W. Hering is a resident of Westminster, and has
been prominent for some years in the politics and public life
of Carroll county. As a member of the State Senate he
made a favorable impression by his faithful performance of
duty and his impartial rulings upon matters that came before
him as the chairman of a number of important committees.
He is a bank cashier and a keen and successful business man,
and was until recently president of the Maryland Bankers'
Association. He is the only layman who has been president
of the General Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church
of the United States. He has for many years been connected
with educational work; was one of the founders of Western
Maryland College, and is at this time President of its Board
of Trustees. He received the degree of Doctor of Laws
from St. John's College, at Annapolis, in June last.