Emerson Harrington graduated from St. John's College with both a bachelor's and master's degree, subsequently becoming a tutor and assistant professor at the same institution. He served as principal at Cambridge Academy for 12 years and pursued a legal career, eventually becoming State's Attorney for Dorchester County. Harrington held multiple state positions, including Insurance Commissioner and Comptroller of Maryland, before being elected Governor in 1915. During his governorship, he established a ferry service and the Council of Defense, and he supported prohibition, women's suffrage, and positive state action on social issues. After his term, he returned to law practice and held leadership roles in banking and ferry companies.

Emerson Harrington's political career is marked by a distinctive blend of progressive social advocacy and strategic conservatism. His support for prohibition and women's suffrage in a traditionally conservative state reveals an ideological agility that defies simple categorization. Harrington's establishment of a ferry service and the Council of Defense during World War I highlights his focus on infrastructure and regional security, yet his allowance of a controversial execution shows a pragmatic, if not contentious, approach to justice. His tenure reveals a politician who navigates complex social issues with a calculated blend of progressive ideals and traditional values.