Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-01-09
Converting of the Legislature.

The caucus OF the members Of the Demo
cratic party in Baltimore, Monday night,
amounted to nothing in the transaction OF
business. W
Tuesday night both parties caucused at
Annapolis 10 mako nominations OF officers
of the two branches of the legislature pre-
paratory to the constitutional assembling of
that body at noon Wednesday, Hon. Geo.
Peter was chairman of the Senate caucus.
At the converting of this body the follow
ing officers nominated at the caucus were
elected
In the Senate-President Herman Stump,
of Hartford county, who was put in nomina-
by Hon. George Peter, of this county; Sec
rotary, Eugine Higgins, of Baltimore city ;
reading clerk, VIM. II. Hiss, OF Baltimore
city; journal clerk, William 5. Purnell, Of
Cecil engrossing clerk, John Ireland, Of
Annapolis postmaster, Capt. Thomas II.
Travers, Dorchester sergeant-at-arms, Fris-
bic II. Bouldin, of Kent; doorkeeper, sgd.
L. Trader, Of Wicomico; assistant door
keepers, Thos. w. Fitzgerald, of Baltimore
county, James F. Ward, of St Mary's; fold
ers, f. A. Talbot, of Howard county, Saml
ID. Bounds, OF Somerset, and William A.
Maloney, Of Baltimore city; committee
clerks, J. G. Parran, of Baltimore city, L.
Addison, of Baltimore city, j. Bond, of Cal
vert, and B. G. Purnell OF Worcester; Mes
senger, I. ii. Harrison, Of Talbot, and Elias
Barnold.
In the House--IIiram Mccullough, of
Cecil county, was elected speaker; clerk,
Milton J. Kidd, and reading clerk VIM. II.
Cole
The republican nominations were mere
tormalities. Lancaster for President Of the
| Senate, and Scott for Speaker Of the House
were the two opposing candidates.
The minor appointments in the House
have not yet been made. iROJLl tF
| The Governors message was read in the
Legislature Thursday, which was too late
for our issue. ~ jN
Hon. Barnes Compton has been unani-
mously elected State treasurer, and VIM.
| Iglehart & Co. elected State printers; the
amount to be paid for this work is not to ex-
coed $38,000
| In regard to shaping legislation, Governor
Hamilton, it is believed, will strongly urge
several matters of public general policy, chief
of which will be new registration of vo-
tiers, reducing expenditures and reforming
State service, dispensing with supertiuous
| offices in which professional politicians are
want to hibernate. To the principles which
underlie this action the democratic party
was pledged in its platform adopted by the
| State convention which nominated Mr.. Ham
ilton in Masonic Temple Baltimore, August
z, 1879. The platform also pledged the par
| ty to reforms in our civil and criminal codes
as well as to funding the State debt, as soon
practicable, at lower rate Of interest, and
to the gradual payment of existing debts
without increasing them any further. When
the party, as well as the Goyernor-elect, are
SO Enthusiastically pledged to these reforms,
and the Governor is guided by the habtual
| discretion which has so eminently charac-
terized Mr.. Hamilton, there is a solid basis
| for perpetuating democratic supremacy, I'M
| disturbed by personal strtes, however these
| may rage.
| 1t is very likely tho public education and
| local option questions will again form prom
inent subjects Of discussion, and perhaps of
some action The influence for local option
in many of the counties will be very strong.
Some members will urge the appointment
ofageneral superintendent of public schools,
and more active board Of public educa-
ton. Tinkering the judiciary may also oc-
cupy some Of the Legislators good part Of
the time. II has also been suggested to re-
duce the number of Court Of Appeals judges
from eight TO five, and abolish the circuits,
giving county courts orphans court juris-
diction, but TO do this an amendment to the
constitution would be necessary. 1t may
be, however, that if an amendment TO the
constitution is determined upon for extend
ing the limits Of the city Of Baltimore other
amendments may be submitted TO keep it
company; but, Of course, all this is simply
speculative. The subject of amending the
tax laws will undoubtedly occupy the Leg
quite SENS ane al!M Of existing laws
decisions of the Court of Appeals, but fhere
can be no departure from the principles 80
well laid down by that tribunal
Among the matters which may probably
be acted upon, especially as the Democratic
party is pledged to some of the measures,
are the following: A law for the new regis
tration of voters; reduction Of salaries; re-
funding State debt at lower interest; aboli-
ton of useless offices; providing clear
tramp law; defining habeas corpus privi-
leges.
! Other matters which will be introduced
may be enumerated as follows: Taxation of
mortgages; prohibition of further irredeem-
able ground rents; abolition of State tobacco
warehouses and change the system of in
spcctions, but not to abolish it; revival of
the State grain elevator project limiting
the publication of general laws in county
papers; to provide for imbecile and feeble
minded people; various recommendations
by the State board of health; prohibiting
sale of poisons, sale of adulterated food, &c |:
for printing State archives and revolutionary
correspondence: for establishing State coal
scales; for bureau of State, agricultural,
manufacturing, mining and mechanical in
terests; to punish illegal voting at primary
elections; prohibition of Potomac river fish
traps; to prevent the sale of firearms to
minors; repeal of the appearance fee law
proposed new insolvent law.
Also legislation affecting Baltimore city,
as follows; Extension of the limits of Bal
tmore city; modification of Sunday laws;
reduction of street car fares; further taxa
ton OF pawnbrokers; making the mayor of
Baltimore er-offcso police commissioner;
establishing voluntary inspection of fertiliz-
ers in baltimore city; further taxation of
green grocers who sell meat; for q whole
sale meat market in Centre Market Balti-
more; abolition Of cattle scales incorpora-
ton of abattoir; authorizing the city to issue
short paying bonds, not over 100000; to
tax all vehicles using the streets; changing
city jury law to conform with that of the
counties; limiting power Of sheriffalty of
Baltimore city and removing it further from
politics; making fines heretofore given TO
intormers go one-half to State and other hal
to public schools; defining drunks and dis
orderlies; prohibiting clerks of city courts
from using or soliciting the advertising pat
ronage of their offices to their personal ben
eft; enlarging the powers OF the harbor
board of Baltimore; 10 protect harbor con-
tractors in the deposit of sediment in waters
of the Patapsco
For the rest, railroad, coal, oyster, turn
pike, canal and other interests will come up
noIens coleRs for the usual share of consider.
alton during the next three months.
Mn kELIYs SOURCES OF SUPPLY
The Brooklyn Eagle has been investigating
Mr.. John kelly's sources Of supply during
the last campaign, and find that in Kings
county at least the Republicans furnished
| him the sinews of war They hired tho