Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1870-03-31
Correspondence Of the Beacon.)
Annapolis, March %, 1870.

Correspondence Of the Beaeon.)
Annapolis, March %. 1870.
As the session Of The pre-en. General
Assembly draws to close. ihs business
before both brachcs Of the legislature ac-
curnulates to degree that leaves little
prospect Of the passage (through want Of
time) Of many laws which the cxigencies
Of the day and interest Of the community
require. The "school law" has passed
the House of Delegates not exactly as
it came from the Committee of Education,
but with amerdmcnts which. if they be
few. are very important. Under the pro-
posed law the number Of County School
/ Commissioners is reduced to three for
each county. salary not 20 exceed 800
per annum. and appointment of County
School Commissioners is vested in the
Judges Of the Circuit Court The pow
er to tax the county for educational pur-
poses il wisely limited. so that School
Commissioners cannot. without consent
Of the County Commissioners. tax proper
| ~ to an amount exceeding 10 cents in
the 800. (Undcr present law their
power to tax is unlimited } School Com
missioners are not limited as to Tho num-
Der Of sossions they may hold. but NAV
meet as often rs necessity demands. 1t
is alap provided that no person shall hold
the 6fhce Of School Commissioner and
teacher ut tho same time. The humber
| of district commissioners" or trustees,
remains as at present.. but .hcir appoint
ment is vested in The Board Of County
School Commissioners. They are cxpec-
ted and required to do great deal for
nothing. trus. tina. the bill may be
so amended in the Senate as to SECURE the
appointment OF one trustee ouly Cor each
school district. with remuneration com.
mcnsuratc with tie duties imposed uron
linn. To expect in rresen. times that
competent men will give their attention
to the public interests for merely love OF
country. is simply absurd. The duties
of Examiner ought rot to be blended with
those of Treasurer and Secretary. A very
good scholar may not possess business
habits. indeed they are generally def
cieut in that particular. nor is n man of
letters. however qualified he may be to
Gil the Office Of Examiner, always pre-
pared to give bond for ten thousand dol
lars. 1t is hoped that in this particular.
the House bill will be so amended IN the
Senate as to relieve the Treasurer and
Secretary Of the arduous ana important
duties which the law imposes Con Lim as
Examiner a'so).
The usury laws or rather the advocates
Of their repeal. have. as you are aware.
come to grief.-thry were defeated in the
House by very decided majority. But
there is great vitality aud energy in the
promoters Of this ''chanee Of base" They
have moved and obtained q reconsidera-
ton Of tho vote. Should they succeed in
pushing this bin through the House (of
which have been assured there is very
slim chance) they will meet a Waterloo
defeat" in the Senate. The county dele
Cations and Senators (at least a majority
Of ,hem) are not sufficiently read in polit-
ical economy to appreciate the reasoning
that gees TO show that the 'dearer you
make money (by law) the cheaper it Will
become" The answer of very plain
common-scnsc farmer, made the other
day in my bearing. to an aivocits of
repeal" who was urging on him the pro-
priety and necessity. indeed. of abolish
ing all laws regulating and limiting the
rate Of interest. &c. struck me very for
chilly and amused me too. To the asscr-
ton that Gas the law now stood) a mon
led man was obliged to charge ls,25a33
per cent in order to guard against pen
al,ies, &c bu. that under the proposed
change. money would he obtaiuable at Q
to Is per cent. he replied. that though
he was not prepared to combat or deny
abstrscs principles or show the fallacy Of
premises lcarncdly assumed, of one thing.
| however, he was certain, that when men
we're authorised by Law to ask 10 per
cent. they would never lend their money
.. s per cent. as at present. and that un-
der no circumstances was he either able
or derirous to pay O.. 10 or 90 per cent.
for money.-that If the Law passed it would
ruin him and I of his nrighbcrs. that If
they (,he farmers aud neighbors) were sll
free Of debt, i. might be 3 matter Of little
indifference wha. the legal rate Of inter-
est was or wouii be. but that as matters
now stood. an addition Of per cent.
, would be ruin. ruia. ruin"
The "Spates investigating committee"
have done With examination Of witnesses.
bu. will cot present their report for some
DAYS II Is understood, however, that IL
will triumphan,ly exeuipate the Senator
from Allegheny from the grave ACCUSE
tons that have been made sgains. him,
and that he viii cone forth from the or
deal with uptarnished laurels and eseutch-
con. Tha, such will the he result. believe,
a. I most sincerely hope and desire j, may
be.
The adoption Of the Stevenson re.olu
IT,. Esn.re~ l.nznsnsta>.N L. g.