Evening star., 1870-01-07
MESsAGE OF THE GOVERNOR or
AARYLAND.

HEssAGE OF THE GOvERNOR OF
AARYLAND.
The Finances OF the ssase-CAesa-
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Tar Sa see WaahH1gsea nrascH-ES.
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The Rfneenth A@e1a0eas = The
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The first offcial message OF Governor Bowie
10 the General Assembly Of Maryland, which
was read i'm both Houses yesterday, begins with
general enumeration Of the material bleesi nes
which the State has enjoyed during the past two
year,, and proceeds to a statement Of the pres
ent condition Of its finances. The aggregate of
receipts into the treasury for the fiscal year end
ing September 3oth (including a balance of
$50 551o1 left oyer) % 4sS ell SO. The total
disbursements for the same year were 50 .g39 .30l
10, leaving . Alance Of S445 ,340.4l. The State
d, bt for which interest has TO be provided was,
on the 3oth Of September, 81, ,6s2 1885, OF un-
productive assets the State owns si9, ,676, ,6S2Os.
In reference TO the unproductive Investments,
the Governor proposes TO make the States In
the condition Of thatimportant work the subject
Of special communication. Confidence i'm ex-
pressed tn at at distant day the States invest
ments in the different Eastern Shore railroads
and the Annapolis and Elkridge road will prove
remunerative.
In view of the bad effect upon the credit Of the
State Of having debt approximating SIS, ,ooo ooo,
IL 60 about 0ne-third Of that amount, il In rec
commended that prov be made at the present
session for the liquidation Of loans already due
or soon to mature. The sale for the purpose Of
the bonds and stocks Of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, which command the highest rates. is
recommended in preference to q sale Of those
ssseS wnicn nave less market value at present,
refusal OF the Baltimore and Ohio railroad TO
pay the bonus to the State required by the act Of
1882 Is adverted to as creating q possible neces-
s1ty for raising revenue from other sources
either by an increase Of direct taxatien. or by q
tax per bushel on oysters and upon the revenues
Of foreign corporations, express and telegraph
companies. The Governor favors the latter plan.
The next matter of importance treated in the
message Is the public school system. Preference
Is declared i'm favor of the appointment Of a
State board Of education rather than vesting
the needed supervisory power in the hands Of a
single individual. The claims of the colored
population to have educational facilities pro-
yided for their children, and the interest Of the
State i'm the elevation Of this class, are forciby
presented. The Importance and value Of Euro
pean immigration to the State furnishes the text
for short DEPRESSION upon the resources Of
Maryland and the advantages she offers to i'm
migrants. The repeal OF the Objectionable two
dollar militia tax and of the present enrolment
system, which is admitted TO be an expensive
failure, Is recommended. The removal OF the
State pupils from the Deaf and Dumb Asylum
In w Washington city to the State institution AT
Erederiek, now in successful operation, is rec
The subject which occupies the greatest space
in the message is the issue lately made by the
president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company i'm regard TO the States claim to one
ffh Of the receipts Of the road from passenger
travel on the Washington Branch. The Cover
nor prefaces his remarks upon this subject by an
earnest disclaimer Of any hostile feeling towards
any particular road or corporation. He claims
THAT his only desire Is to promote the prosperity
Of the city Of Baltimore and the State at large
by an increase OF railroad facilities and by a wise
and liberal railroad system. Therefore he favors
the claims Of the Baltimore and Potomac and
the Western Maryland roads, but above an
urges the passage at this session of free railroad
law, under which citizens Of the State may be
enabled TO build railroads whenever the capital
can be secured for the purpose. Coming directly
to the question at issue between the State and
the president Of the Baltimore and Ohio road,
of Assembly (lSs2, ch. 55, sec 81 incorporating
the Baltimore and Washington road.
Ii Is therein required that the company "shall
pay to the Treasurer Of Maryland on the first
Monday Of January and July in every year, for
the use of the State, one-ffth of the whole
amount which may be received for the trans
portation Of passengers on said railroad by said
company during six months last preceding, IL
is further required that "the president shall ex-
hibit on oath TO the General Assembly on the
nrst DAY OF january, or as soon thereafter as
the said Assembly shall convene, in each and
every year, an account showing the gross
amount received by said company for the trans
portation of passengers on said road, and the
states portion thereof" The Governor states
that the president of the road has failed and
refused for eighteen months to make the paw
ment required, and, as he intimates, with a
purpose, has neglected for the same length or
states proportion Of their gross receipts" The
Governor also complains that since 1853 the
company has adopted q method Of its own Of
aPportioning the travel between the eight miles
Of main stem and the thirty miles Of branch
which go to make up the distance be-
tween Baltimore, and Washington, the rea-
son and equity Of which the Governor
lie recommends the appointment Of a compe-
tent accountant empowered upon oath 10 exam
inc the books Of the company and investigate
the whole question. As to the grounds upon
which the company bases its refusal to pay over
one-fifth of its receipts Is required by Law, the
Governor says they are understood to be: lst,
the right to build lateral roads without the con-
ditions exacted by the act Of 1892; I'd, that the
state has already received enough to compen-
ment to the State Is in the nature of capitation
tax upon passengers, therefore unconstitutional,
according to the recent decision of the Supreme
Court in the Nevada case; 9Th, that the Balti-
more and Potomac road is q competing road,
the building Of which should relieve the Balti-
more and Ohio road from further payment OF
the bonus The Governor reviews these reasons
at length, and argues the futility of each and
every one of them as afording any iustihcation
for the action Of the company. He further sug-
gests that should the issue be pressed IL will be
Se the 20 20
"bOnus" on the Washington branch and sub
ject it's whole capital and property-exceeding
e50, goo 900 In value, to such taxation as other
corporations and interests are required 70 pay.
He argues generally the constitut,S nal right Of
the Legislature to repeal the exemption from
taxation which the company now enjoys, or, II
a contract, he holds that the refusal Of the com
pany to abide by its obligation TO pay the ONE
NTH passenger receipts to the state amounts to