The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-02-20

Justices of the Peace Law.-Reorganizing
Turnpike Conpany-other Items.


Juat;cee of the Peace Law-Reorganizing q
Turnpike company-other Items.
Your editorial of last week on Enlarged
Powers for County Commissioners contained
some excellent advice to our lawmakers, and
some good food for public thought. Too
much valuable time is taken up by the Legs
lature in passing the numerous local bills that
appear every session on the desks OF the TWO
Houses. You say sit is taken for granted
that the Senator and Delegates know wat
their constituency want" We hope the Gen
eral Assembly will not take too much for
granted this session in local way until they
hear from Carroll county. nthe next column
of YOUR valuable paper we find, under the head
of Legislative Proceedings" this paragraph
Gin The Senate on Thursday Mr.. Shriver
introduced O bill in relation to Justices OF tne
peace in Carroll county" Now, this bill is
to reneal an act which Mr.. Shriver helped to
mass in 1878, when a member OF the House
of Delegates. This act was tayorabiy COM
mented upon and considered by vast ma
iority of the people of the county one OF the
best local laws ever made by any Legislature.
This law was published in the ADVOCATE at
that time, and received favorable nouce.
With YOUR permission we will insert it in our
items, so that the public, through your great
medium. NAV see the act before it is repealed
in .smachine. like manner" The act we refer
to can be found in the Laws of 1878, chapter,
81. and reads-"Be it enacted by the General
Assembly of MARYLAND, That it shall not be
lawful for any resident of Carroll county to
he sued before any justice of the peace OF
said county out of the election district IN
which he or she resides; provided, however,
that upou any cause of action within the
jurisdiction of justice of the peace arisingln
said county, any resident may be sued before
a Justice of the peace in the election district
wherein the contract was made, ana sucn
cause of action did originate; and provided
further, that when any cause OF action arises
in any other county, or in the city oil balti
more. suit may be brought before any justice
of the peace in the county; and provided, that
where there are two or more defendants re-
siding in different districts, it shall be lawful
to institute proceedings in any district IN
which any defendant resides"
Now what better law do the people of Car
roll want and why do they want it repealed!
This Act of '7S was introduced by Frank
Brown in the interest of the general public,
to protect the citizens of Carroll county against
the abuses of the then existing magistrate law
Most of the magistrate business previous to
the passage of this Act was done In Westmin-
ster, and people were annoyed by spite cases,
and forced to go to Westminster to attend
trial. where they would be met by legal tai
ent. and thereby forced to employ counsel Tor
the defense. Then look how the witnesses were
draqped about and forced to attend trial and
Maid The naltry per diem of SO cents. 1t is
had enough to have to attend the sheriff s
summons before the Circuit Court as wit
ness and get a Bland Dollar in return for
vour services, but who would travel to West
minister and back now for SO cents, when the
business can be attended to so near home:
This will be the situation of affairs II this Act
is repeaIed. You may be taken from the re-
hottest part of the county to Westminster, or
from Mt. Airy to Taneytown. Have any
abuses been charged under the existing law
and have the public petitioned for Its repeal
or il it q Bar and Brokers Bill? Let the PEG,
pie petition their representatives at once and
ask that the bill be Withdrawn ana the law
remain as it is. Don't let us destroy the few
good laws we have. There have been several
attempts to have this Act repealed by few
persons, but all have signally failed when the
public were notified.
The Liberty turnpike, or that part OF 1t
which lies west of the falls in Carroll county,
is about to be revived by the application for
new charter, increasing the distance one mile
to the residence of Mrs. Little, Freedom.
The leader of the movement is our enterpris-
ing citizen, Richard J. Baker, Esq. He pre-
sided at meeting held at Freedom lately, for
that purpose, and $4,000 were subscribed at
$40 per share, We are glad to gee some
effort made to rebuild this turnpike. It was
worn out by the Scrivenor Brothers, and sold
to Tom Marsh for the half interest in life
insurance policy, and afterward Tom, who
had more idea of being a merchant prince
than turnpike president, sold it to the Cit;
zens of Freedom neighborhood for $3.50, and
by them turned over to the county.
The firm of L. p Schultz q Co., general
smiths, at this place, has been dissolved, and
George Schrade has purchased the entire
effect. George is a good smith and an enter,
prising young man, and deserves to be well
patranised.
Progressive egcAer is all the go this winter
here. The last season progressive poker held
the boards.