The Democratic advocate., 1886-01-09

relief to the crowded condition of this instf-
barrassments have attended the failure of the
counties promptly to pay Tor the NAM
tenance. of their respective patients; Their
creased $4,000 in the past year: and
amounted October 81, 1885, to S24,459 AZ.
radical change should be effected in |
the payment of these debts, and the counties, |
realizing the pressing necessity Tor prompt |
payment, should make their financial arrange
ments TO meet such debts as they mature AS
a last resort the State should assume the entire |
burden. and afford that aid which experience
hasshown to be uncertain and precar1ous from
the counties.
In addition to theirregular appropriation the
board of managers ask special appropriations
piping (sewerage), 81. 100 for paving cellars |
and 81 900 for workshops My own views are |
that the State should keep all her public |
buildings in thorough order and eondlt1on. |
and if the special appropriations suggested are |
necessary they should be promptly made.
STATE MILITIA.
The adjutant general, in his report, calls my |
attention to the unsatisfactory condition OF |
the militia, due, as he says, to the meagre ap- |
preparations made for its support He reports |
that the clothing, camp and garrison eQuipage |
now on hand were purchased and issued many |
years ago and have become almost entirely |
unserviceable. Some of the companies not |
only are unable to present a decent appear |
anee, but If called into active service, in |
case of emergency, would be subjected |
TO positive suffering by exposure. .Appropria- |
tons for the past year amounted to Slo.4oO |
for 81 companies each company receiving an
uniforming and equipping themselves, have |
been received into the service in addition to |
the 27 for which State aid has been provided. |
The property known as the Pikesville arsenal, !
near the city of Baltimore. recently conveyed !
to the State by the national government, COM
prising about II acres is now in charge of the
State military department The proper diSpo-
sition of this property must be determined by
you. 1 content myself by referring to you
the report and suggestions of the adjutant |
general for such action thercupon as the pride
and good name of the State may seem TO re-
qlIire.
Chapter 211. acts of Assembly, 1884. estab-
fishes bureau to collect statistics and infor-
nation concerning the various branches OF ln-
dusiry in this State and the needs and abuses
growing out of the same, and appropriates 81
SOC por annun to pay all salaries and expenses.
Our fist CHIEF OF the bureau of labor and sta
tistics, Mr.. Thomas q. Weeks, has entered
upon the dutieSof the office with commendab!e
information upon many interesting industrial
subjects closely connecteI with the people in
their individual and collective capacity.
Fourteen States support simIt9r bureaus in
most instances at greater expense than our
own. 4 better understanding of the opera
tions of the bureau may be gathered froIa the
following Introductory paragraph:
while glowing reports OF increased pro-
ducts sales end shipments have been gener1
ally accepted as evidence of the Industrial
prosperity of our citizens, yetsuch facts often
hide under gilded exterior very many hard
ships, perils and disasters suffered by the in
dustrial masses. and which it is often within
the scope of legislation to alleviate and re
move. The object of this bureau has been to
seek out the workman, TO inspect the fndf-
vidual, and as fully as was possible in a hrst
| report TO present the facts of his condition"
A compendious view of the various trades.
grouped under general heads, gives much
valuable information. 1t also presents q
synposis of all trade disturbances and strikes
| which have occurred during the existence of
| this office. Happily they have been few IL
| number, limited in extent and brief in con-
| tlnuance" The subject of wages is treated
very fully. and elaborate tables, showing the
| comparative rates here and in other States and
| countries are given, together with col
tis distinguished writers upon the great labor
| problem, all of which add to the value OF the
| report as a public educator. The demand
| from beyond our State limits for copies OF
| this report should be very hatterfng to our
statistician, and may be regarded ash as indicative
| upon. Its publication and general perusal
may lead to beneficial changes in in legislation
| upon this important questionable improve
| ment of the condition of the laborinS man.
LAND OFFICE.
The present commissioner of the land Office
| Col. ]. Thomas Scarf. has furnished me with
| much information and many valuable sug-
Rfs'offsi Ris Office iee since APRIL. 1884, the time
the duties Of the Office are shown TO be
| constantly increasing, and many find It i'm
portant and needful IN the tracing OF litfs: ,,s
| commissioner at a salary OF ; l,oou ana clerk
| at 81 900. Others are employed as clerks under
! the acts of 1874 and 1875 in indexing abstracts
| of deeds sent from the counties and city of
Baltimore to be preserved for future reference
| and as additional security against the des'rue-
| tion of original deeds or other papers IN the
| counties by fire or other causes. without
| binding these abstracts could not be properly
preserved aaG %i'TSeI be loborS of the Once are
| explained with much minuteness in the report
| referred to. Among other things ne mas Is
| sued I19 warrants and executed 10. All OF
| the latter have been recorded. and l,2ol sue
| cessfuI searches have been made. in addition
| to n large number of unsuccessful ones, suen
and titles 10 old estates
| dered by claimants who thought they were en-
titled TO property under the lord proprietary
| From the first of April, 1854 10 December L,
| 1885, there have been patented 1-O91 acres,
vacant land 2,O75 acres. and preparations are
being made TO patent 4,ool additional acres OF
vacant lands The receipts Of the office have
| heen 50 500 26, and the books show sull due
81 .4G7 IS. The office cannot be made self-sus-
| tanning with the present low rate OF fees,
| which arc Inadequate TO the labor performed.
| new and higher table of fees, more in ac-
cordance with the value OF the services rem rem
| MS are now charged by the state OF Pennsyl-
yania, which was also proprietary govern
ment- IT, =,
the history OF the State, the commissioner has
| preserved from the exhibit which the state
| made at New Orleans all that was OF value,
I and has deposited the same in the lard Once
| as the nucleus OF State museum. DeiieVe
| fhis plar will he well received. and encourage
| ment should he given by some legislative act
authorizing and commencing the gratuitous
! enterprise displayed by the commissioner.
| the farming interests and constant inquiries at
| that office from abroad concerning our lanus:
| &t. suggest to Colonel Scharf the WISDOM OF
| additional legislation making the land once
| bureau of immigration, under the directioh oi
| the land commissioner, and that he be anthor-
| lied to publish yearly pampnlet SHOWING the
| resources of the State. It's AGRICULTURAL adVah-
tages, products, &C., in connection with ine
| other duties of the Office. WITHOUT any addi-
| tional compensation. and that the Legislature
| print his report. add my Recommendation
to the above suggestions.
| MISCELLANEOUS.
The creditable display made Dy Maryland az
| the WORLDS Industrial anu Cotton Centennial
Exposition opened in New Orleans, December
| Ia 1884. and closed June i. 1850, Is largely
| due TO the untirinE zeal and inaei3llgnpiS
! energy of the Hon. George w. BishOp ana Coi.
]. Thomas Scharf. commissioners from tnis siiS
| State. Their report should be printed IN full
| at public expense. no brief resume or I'm I'm
| this message could do it Justice nor Mouid tne
| people as easily learn In any other way tnG
| extent and variety OF our resources anu
| natural wealth, nor the enviabie reputation
we have attained by our exhibit and the many
| inst expressions OF appreciation Desto"esii
! IIron rs The commissioners nave palo al
debts contracted and will return small sur
plus to the treasury. ..-.....o,.
| The Hon. William j. Aydelolt, eouilLllsatunSeiE ~
| appointed on the part of Maryland TO act with
| similar commissioner from virginia III sur
! 1,ev-i,1v md marking the boundary me DC
| tween the two States as ascertalned anu uel ue,er-
| mined nv arhitrRtors heretofore appolhteu on
| fhe mart of said States respectively. mas COM
iler. and made a full and particular report .,l ol
! his nrnceedipes, which are now on fiie IN the
executive department ..4o... .,,a thi,os
| of nn,lie interest and failed to allude 10 some
| offieiaI reports among Others that OF tnS IN
.s-esr