Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-04-01
oCo,,esno,dsnce Of the Beacon

Dear Beacon Another week and
the session Of the Maryland General
Assembly of 1856 will be over. The
constitutional time for the introduc-
ton of bills has already expired and
the DAYS which remain will be occu-
pied in passing or rejecting prepared
bills. Like all Legislative bodies the
present Assembly has done some good
deeds and failed to do others that it
might have done with profit to the
people.
Tie reduction c. the hours Of labor
for employees Of the Baltimore city
street railways and the scaling 0: the
Park Tax have been the subjects re-
ceiving the most attention since your
last issue. Both Of these measures
were referred to the Labor Committee,
but it very properly. / think, decided
that the Park Tax question did not
come withinits province and asked that
that point be given to the City Dele
CATION for determination. The COM
mittee reported the car-drivers bill
fayorabiy and it was unanimously
passed. What will be the outcome Of
the Park Tax controversy your cor
respondent is unable to say.
The bills taking away the State aid
from Academies and Colleges were I'M
fayorabIy reported in the Senate but
were. on motion Of Senator Lane, sub
stituted for the report and it is thought
that they will pass that body. Sena-
tor Rayner, of Baltimore, made able
speeches in favor Of Charlotte Hall,
st. Mary's Seminary and other Acad-
emies but even his thrilling eloquence
could not stem the Senatorial tide
which has set in against State aid to
other that Public Schools.
1t is pretty safe to say that there
will be no Assessment bill passed this
session and consequently no new State
Assessment of property: The reason
Of this is, that new Constitution is
fast approaching and as an assessment
must be made under it there is no need
to run to the extra expense Of two as
sessments in three years.
During the past week, st. Mary S
county has had no visitors to the State
capital and beyond the presentation
by Mr.. Norris OF petition from Mr..
Spencer Harrison and others, of Char
lotte Hall district, asking for a new
school house in that section, there is
no Legislative news Of local interest
Your Junior Editor, I am told, has
been for the better part of the past
week in Washington and confined to
his bed by sickness. DR.. Wells Her
bert has him in charge and lie will
doubtlessly soon be out again.
The ever enterprizing American is
writing up the members Of the Cen
eral Assembly and also devotes some
space to the magnates whose influence
goes far towards shaping State Legis.
latlon. 1t speaks Of Hon. Geo Cotton
as having played sad havoc with the
plans of the Lobby and laws the de-
ieat of all the Pet measures of the
bosses at that gentleman's feet. Had
1t not been for him, saws that author
lty, 1.-THE Constitutional Convention,
biIl' the Grand Jury bill and the
Charity bill would have passed.
When they lthe bossesl defeated him
for reelection and thought they had
him down, up he came again interfer-
ing with their many schemes. Like
Banquos ghost he would not down,
but would ever bob up serenely and
disturb all of their arrangements. As
stumbling block to the lobby George
Cotton has proved himself a success
and it is said. that he is not done with
the bosses" The meaning of this is,
that, in the opinion of the writer, the
President Of the Police Board while
said by many to be politically dead
Is the aveliest corpse in this State and
like the old man Of the fable is on the
back OF his enemies and may yet live to
ride some of them to political grave.
While on the subject of american
opinions, I will extract what it saws
Of your representatives. It Justly
compliments Senator Coltoa for his
earnest and faithful work and saws
that he combines the qualifications of
a hne looking and faithful repressn.
tative. Not having the paper at
hand l am unable TO give exact words.
In regard to your delegates it says;
st. Mary's county has two arst.
class men in Francis V. King and
Charles 7. Norris. They are indie.
pendent Of the ring but are strong
democrats nevertheless. Mr.. King
10 the smallest member Of the House