The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-12-29
The legislature.

sembly falls upon January 2, so that
the caucuses preliminary to the or
ganizaGon of the two Houses will
take place on the evening of New
Years Day at Annapolis. According
to present appearances, there will be
no contest over the Speakership. Mr..
George H. Williams, of Baltimore
county, was taxed of in the connec-
ton, but it is now understood that he
will not be candidate, and Mr..
F. S. Hoblitzell, of Baltimore, Will
receive the nomination of the Demo
cratic caucus without opposition.
There will be more of a contest over
the Presidency of the Senate, but it
is believed that Colonel Edward
Lloyd, of Tablet county, will be
easily successful.
RAILWAY AFFAIRS.
1t is well known that the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad will make
energetic efforts to secure settle
ment of the questions in dispute be-
tween it and the State. The principal
matter at issue is the contract of the
Washington Branch to pay one-fifth
ofits passenger receipts into the State
Treasury. Although by virtue of
decisions affirmed by the Supreme
Court of the United States the State
has collected large amount of back
dues from the road, yet payment of
amount due since then is refused by
the Company, and fresh defences
have been set up against the demands
of the State. A law passed in 1876
provides that by asserting to the re-
peal of all the exemptions enjoyed by
the Baltimore and Ohio Road. the
Washington Branch should be re-
lieved from the payment of the
States fifth. The existence of this
option was, however, limited to Octo-
Der l, 1876, so that at the present
time there is no way in which the
road can effect compromise save by
appeal to the Legislature. There will
be a strong effort made to pass bill
to prevent Determinations in freight
rates. At present there is a marked
difference in rates between points
where there is no competition and
points where there is. The measure
favored by county members is SINH
lar to the West Virginia law, which
prohibits any higher rate between
points on the line of a road than is
charged for any longer distance. Such
a bill was introduced last session,
and the Committee on Corporations
had before it a number of the officials
of the different railroads, but the
matter was not pressed.
TEMPERANCE MEASURES.
The State Temperance Alliance
favor the extension of the jurisdic-
ton of Police Magistrates to cases of
violations of the Sunday law. AT
present these cases are reserved for
Grand Jury action, and are tried in
the Criminal Court, which is always
so burdened with business that there
is long interval between the COM
mission of the offence and the pun
ishment. Very frequently witnesses
disappear or forget the circumstances
of the case, and it is strongly desired
by the Temperance Alliance that
such Legislation shall be effected ss
will secure the prompt arrest and
punishment Of law-breakers. 1t is
thought that in this way penalties
can be inflicted in such rapid success
sion that it will no longer be prof.
table for anyone to defy the law. The
State Temperance Alliance is greatly
encouraged by the results so far OBJ
tanned by Its advocacy of prohibit
tory legislation, and intends to make
vigorous efforts next session to secure
the passage of local option laws. At
present the sale of liquor is prohibit
ted in the eight election districts out
of the nine in Somerset county, in
ten districts out of thirteen in Dor
chester, in four out of the five in
Talbot, in two out of the five in
Queen Anne's, and in all the districts
of Caroline and Calvert counties. AT
the last election vote on the subject
was taken IN Kent county, for the
purpose of instructing the members
of the Legislature chosen at the same
election, and the return was 1,473 in
favor of local option and l ,073 against.
A similar vote was taken in the
Ninth district of Cecil county, the
result being 267 in favor to only 4
against. A large number of petitions