Evening capital., 1888-03-23
ANNE ARuNDEL,s DEBT.
A Spicy Political ID bate on the Funding

= = @~eeAs
The bill tn fund the Anne Arundel
county debt, which has had a troublesome
journey on tue legislative road, came uD
nn its final PASSAGE In the House last even
ing just before the members tonk recess
for supper. ~r. Cotton came on the scrne
aud furnished the members with some
diversion for few minutes Mr. Nichols
started the ball 10 rolling by moving that
the House should 20 into q committee OF
the whole, so that be could offer an
anendWent TO the bin providing that the
question OF bonding the debt should be
submitted TO the people at the November
election OF the present year. Nr. Cotton
favored the motion, and while discussing
the merits of the bill he said: "When
this bill was up once before / offered
several amendments which were accepted
and subsequently withdrawn because my
friend here [ nr ChestODl was told that
the amendments would injure the bill. /
favored the measure then aud | favor it
now. say this Is a party measure. 1t
Is supported by the four republican mem
bers OF the Anne Arundel delegation, and
there is not a democratic voice here Co
protest against the bill. BY all means let
the tax payers of the county have a say
in the matter They pay over nine tenths
If the taxes Don't let the negroes decide
the question. Who has forgotten the war?
VINO has forgotten the impudcnce they
displayed Sirutled around like peacacks
AS black and as thick as blackbirds in a
cornfied =
Mr.. Griffith. May ask the gentleman
question:"
SIR. Cotton. -" Certainly, sir: all you
choose. | am here to answer questions.
Mr.. Griffith. Who bad control of the
county for SO many years2 Who created
This immense debt of Anne Arundel coun-
ty?'
Air. Colton.-" State exactly what you
mean"
Mr. Griffith. .--"If the gentleman will
not answer the question | will. 1t was d
created the debt. and il Is the democratic
party which is responsible for it =
DR.. Mackall.-"The gentleman said he
favored the BILL and yet he seems to be
opposing it.
Mr. Colton-"I do favor 1t, sir, indeed
| do, Daughter } but want the taxpayers
to have say in it.
Mr.. Cn st ~ spoke at length In reply,
saying that be felt himself unequal to the
task of competing with the strong lobby
opposing the bill and the legislative ex
perience- Of the gentleman, (ALr Cotton
who used that experience to deceive more
ignorant people. He said that the demo
cratic patty had spent the county's mon
ey, and he cited the case of extravagance
Of road supervisor being paid $4,000.
while he was I~titled TO only q few hun
dred dollars. ana vat supervisor, he said,
was one of the choss lieut-naDts of a
prominent politician ol'the county who is
opposing tnis bond bill.
The speaker called Mr.. Cheston's at
teHtion to the fact that he had exhausted
the five minutes allowed him to speak.
wr. Cotton - hope the gentleman
will be allowed to proceed. / like to hear
these interesting facts.
Ar. Cheston was allowed to proceed
and said: The gentleman speaks of
tnat dreadful war Well, too, do re-
member ii and how my relatives suf
cred, and the losses that it brought upon
US. But where was the gentleman (Mr
Colton) during tue war?" Loud applause
Mr. Griffith denied that it was party
measure.
DR.. Mackall said that he never drew the
party lines ON any question in the House
Alter lurther discussion the vote was
taken on the motion to 90 into commit
tee the whole aud was lost. The bill
met similar fate.