Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-01-14

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The Constitutional Convention.
IL it that the organic law of our
State needs revision, or that there are
offices now occupied by parties object
ionable to the powers that be
After having read numerous ESSAYS
on the question Of constitutional
Convention to be provided for by the
reigning Legislature, we believe that
we have discovered the fact that those
who favor the convention are about
evenly divided into two classes, intin-
enced respectively by the two consld-
erations embraced in the question ask
ed in the first lour lines of this article.
We have little taste for dispositions
on subjects in which it becomes neces-
sary to draw fine legal distinctions, but
of the existing laws of this State, we
find some which in practical applica-
ton are PROFESSIONALLY absurd and
while we shall not even attempt to
cover the ground referred to by naming
ell the instances wherein the present
Constitution is imperfect in It's dlrec-
ton Of our internal affairs, We name as
instances the three judge system In our
Circuit Courts; the non prolessionaI
character Of our Orphans Court; our
frequent elections; the unreasonably
high salaries of county officers and the
laxness of the law in the matter of
learning of bribery at elections
We look upon the three judge sys-
TEN in the Circuit Court as being a
convenience AMI costly luxury rather
than a necessity the election OF three
citizens who know nothing Of law to
sit in judgement in cases involving pos
sibly hundreds of interests and hun
dreds of thousands Of money, with in
tricate points and nice legal distinct
ions to be drawn in testimentary law
has always borne upon it, face, with
us, more or less the appearance Of Ill
considered folly; the present county
road system is wrought out in, if not
based upon contradiction of the plain
est of economic principles; the system
which authorizes the expenditure Of
nearly $4,000 annually IN this county,
not any app.eciable part of which is er-
pected to provide a permanent improve
ment, but which amount is expended
only to fad the roads one year hence
exactly in the same conditi.n; in other
words an annual outlay of a sum, winch
if capitalized at per cent represents
nearly 100000 and from which not
only no practical permanent improve
ment comes, but which in reality yields
no sufficient temporary benefit, is in
our opinion and that of Others better
qualified to judge, an error that sadly
needs righting.
That the election for State and Coun.
ty officers should be made to fill in ev-
cry year not covered by the Federal
elections. seems to US not to be a neces-
sity by any means.
That the Office of Register of Wills
and that of Clerk to the Cir cult Court
should pay to the incumbenls SIS, 1000
in six years, while the Associate Judge
of the same Court, i'll the same period
of time receives but sic 500, constitutes
another enigmatic folly of the present
law.
The law covering bribery at elections
is at present severe enough in its prom
ise, but that it fails in its execution one
has only to deny to be laughed at.
Let there be reward for the de-
lection of this crime as we'll as of 9th
ers by no means more degrading or vii
famous; constitute Of the district mag
istrates and constables, marshals, who
shall report to the next sitting Of the
Grand Jury under oath every reported
violation and reward with the State
funds, those who have the moral cour
age to. unearth and fasten upon the per
petrators the penalty for crime that
has come to be foul and stlnGing pest
in our politics.
These and other causes should gov
ern desire for convention, but with
these most excellent reasons, we fnd,
undoubtedly, that there is the wish to
GUST present incumbents and this will
likely prove to be no mean factor in the
movement for a convention, however
little of right OF responsibility may be
accorded such Influences.
Shutting our eyes to the latter con