The Baltimore County union., 1884-01-12
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM ANNAPOLIS.
ANNAPOLIS, January 10Th. IS,

those views lead me again to say that the KEY O.
the situation is laying around loose ready to b,
picked up. What will our county authorities dt
about it?
Besides city extension, 1 find several othe
schemes on hand all of course at the expense O
the county in some shape or other, which will b,
developed in good time, prominent among which
is the old bill under crimes and punishments t.
prevent pollution of streams of water, &c. Thi
is an old friend of mine and is the same that oc
cupied SO much of my time and attention two
years since. 1t is especially aimed at the manu-
featuring interests on the Gunpowder, and thinl
it of sufficient Importance to demand more than
passing notice. Mr.. Martin, Water Engineer O.
Baltimore, is inclined to believe that it will e
through this time. Celia depend.
There is some quiet talk among the Baltimore
county members also to pass some laws making
radical and important changes in the police ant
fire departments of the county. 1 must say thai
for myself believe almost any change would bt
an improvement; but whether the member talk
ing to me of these things will have the courage
and backbone to stand up to the rack remains tc
be seen. 1t takes moral courage to do things Of
this kind, and it takes moral courage to discharge
ones duties despite of pressure of any and al
kinds, and especially does it take moral courage
for a newspaper correspondent to freely and Gun
scientiously express himself, and 1 thank God
have it on that line anyhow.
1 find in the hands of another member bill to
regulate jais, and it takes the Frederick county
Jail basis. This bill proposes to put the jails
in the government and control of Board OF Trus.
tees, who shall have the right to purchase all pro
visions, fuel and every necessary for the mainte-
nance and comfort of the prisoners; so much
money to be allowed by the County Commission
ers for the same, and regularly audited and sworn
statements rendered monthly.
There also changes to be made in the duck
ing and fishing laws of 1882. 1t looks to me as
though a strong pressure and fight would be made
for free shooting, and the fishing law will be
amended so as to make the meshes of the seines
larger. Some would like to have prevention OF
shooting from opposite shores, and this seems SC
reasonable and proper as to cause no question.
These some of the points informally discuss
ed among the members which l deem important
enough to give you on the first call and worthy OF
particular mention and the attention of our peo-
people, because if any of them are to be fought
and defeated, early action and thorough under
standing of every point is necessary to srccess.-
Sentiment is one thing, business another.
Speaking of representatives as the hand
soonest set of men at Annapolis, makes me think
that perhaps a more detailed pen and ink sketch
of them would be acceptable. Yet some are in
describable, just as much so as a chicken just
Matched. Yet Brady sits up at the head of the
row with his glasses on, looking like some judge
about to pass decree in a chancery suit; but
wait until you catch him in the privacy of his own
room at the hotel, and he opens his old pocket
book, takes out some newspaper slip and says,
"Richardson, read that aloud" Amid the loud
laughter of all you wonder what has become of
your chancery judge! Or take Milton Ofutt, with
his game rheumatic leg and hobble, jolly counte-
nance and talk full of fun the life and soul of any
party he gets into, especially when he tells how
the old man sawed after him with that log of
wood. Leb is always at work al d looks a col
lege professor con studious thoughts INTENT
Kelbaugh is on business, inquiring around all the
time anxiously on the watch to see everything
and know everybody; and Cockey, well, Cockey
is the ne plus ultra of the crowd and redeems all
its ugliness. / have said nothing of Senator
Slingluff. 1 really don't know what to sey of a
man that carries red ,oasps to bed with him at
night and then howls about it and jaws the cold
weather. If you could only see the knife he car
ries about with him. l am something of
noisseur on knife myself but this thing of Sling
luff's looks like corn-cutter; has regular saw
teeth, and evidently when it gets hold of you has
grip that holds He has a old-blooded fashion
of laying it around loose so that everybody can
see it, and have no wish to crticise any man
that carries such weapon as that. 1t looks to
me like it would weigh about five pounds, and I
recommend him to send it to England to Glad
stone to cut down trees with.
The taxation of mortgages, 1t is understood, is
to be brought up again. There is certain ele-
ment that fascinated with the glittering idea
of reducing taxes by levying on mortgages
Ex- Gov. Hamilton is one of the crazy ones on this
subject. propose to go manfully into the ques-
tion at future time.
to get bill passed to prevent the lettering of
minors or children about saloons and ceplaces.
This is practical temperance. Cannot our Alli-
ance people give grand whoop to help this on ?
On Monday night drunken fellow with re
volver assaulted Mr.. John S. Cuttings, opposite
the State House, but by the prompt action of Mr..
Cuttings he was prevented from doing any injury
anyone. What bis idea was seemed past find
ing cut He was evidently iusus nature, or
loose in some way.
The most notable action of Tuesday session in
the Senate was the passage of the resolution to de-
fer the election of State Treasurer until Feb. 7th.
This was clearly rasping defeat of the bosses,
and is important simply as showing what can be
done when the legislators are in earnest in their
independency.
When the order was under debate to appropri-
ate thirty dollars worth of stamps to each mem
ber, MIR. Offutt, of the county delegation, made a
vigorous appeal in behalf of economy, stating that
the appropriation would cost the Taxpayers 49,
400 and was, if not totally unnecessary, far out of
the line of the true interests of the State. Mr.
Ofutt, by his ready affabiity, readiness and abil
ity, is fast making himself decided favorite
among the members. These are the characters
tics most popular among our people, coupled with
a desire to truly serve them. Any man who is al
ways the alert in the interests of the people
always command their confidence and support
Mr.. Offutt followed this up by another economical
speech on the resolution limiting pay of officers to
actual time in service.
The Inauguration ceremonies of Governor Nc
Lane were very plain and simple, eminently in
contrast to those of four years since. Mr.. Hamil-
ton was inducted into Office amid the glitter of
arms and paraphernalia of war, and it is fact
that for four years have had turmoil and strife,
chickering's and disputes. May the auguries he
good and the harbingers of peace, good and
friendiness. Such are always in order.
The caucus of Democratic members for nOmina
tion of Treasurer and Police Commissioner, he'd
Tuesday night, resulted in favor of Barnes Comp
ton as Treasurer, and John Milroy as Commits
sioner. Mr.. John S. Cuttings received twenty
votes and Mr.. Andrew Banks one vote, cast by
Senator Singluff. What Mr.. Banks idea was in
standing as candidate is profound mystery,
quite as profound Senator Slngluf's motives
for supporting him to the prejudice of a man who
might have won. Anyhow it divided the Balti-
more county delegation and gave Mr.. Cuttings
enemies every chance to defeat him on the ground
that his own people were against him. This is
one Of the things, as Dundreary says, "that no
fellow can find out. 1t is worthy OF especial re-
mark in this connection that Mr.. Brady, actuated
by true desire for the honor and dignity of our
county, rose above all appeals to his prejudces
and voted with the other five members for Mr.
Cuttings. The fat went forth for the defeat of
Mr.. Cuttings, and the party lash was welted on to
the backs of the city members. The bosses said
Mr.. Compton must be renominated, and it was
done. As most complimentary testimonial to
the character of Mr.. Cuttings, the Republican
members of the Legislature made a public state
ment of the fact that if Mr.. Cuttings received the
nomination for State Treasurer they would endorse
him and make no opposition. Sometimes man
may be defeated and yet be victorious, and this is
one of those cases. Mr.. Brady, by his action in
this matter, has shown stability and uprightaess
of character that must and will be endorsed by
the people, because he has recolected that any
man in his position is there for the purpose of al
ways In all ways, honorably to do the best for his
constituents collectively, meaning all, not for his
constituents singly, meaning himself.
The warmth and vigor of the debates on various
matters shows large amount of independent SEN
timent, which may yet crystalize into something
more than mere restiveness. The Senatorial ques-
ton next In order may utterly defeat and over
whelm the managers in their determination to
force Mr.. Heating through as United States Sen
ator, but when the Baltimore city members make
up their minds to all go way it is hard to
come them