The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1891-03-06
WIN. II. PAUL, of Webster, is autorized to re-
sivG and collect subscriptions for Tbs RQis.
The Proposed Amendments to the Con
stitutiOn.

The Legislature OF Maryland, at its session
in 1890, passed six amendments to the Con-
stltution, which are to be voted on by the
people next fall. All of them are important
and deserve to be carefully considered before
being voted upon. They are as follows
1st.-Governor's Veto Power.-Accordng
to the present Interpretation of the Constitu-
ton the Governor must approve or reject an
appropriation bill as whole. 1t often hap
pens that during the closing hours of the ses-
sion items are inserted in the appropriation
bill which are nothing more nor less than
gratuities. The Governor must either sign
the bill with the Objectionable items in it, or
reject the bill to get rid of them. If this
amendment is adopted the Governor can
strike out of the appropriation bill any item
which he may think wrong.
2d.-Corporations.- amendment is
proposed to prevent all except municipal or
bank corporations from being created in any
other mode than under the general laws, and
also to compel any existing corporation seek
ing an amendment of its charter to surrend-
er all claim to exemption from taxation and
to exemption from repeal or modification Of
its charter.
3d-Taxes.-Thisis one of the most i'm
portant amendments proposed. 1t declares
that all taxes should be uniform upon all
kinds of property and should be levied and
collected under general laws. 1t gives the
General Assembly the power to exempt By
general lao, public property used for public
purposes, churches, their furniture, parson-
ages, burial grounds not used for profit, and
charitable and literary institutions; and the
power, also, by general law, to tax incomes,
impose fines, licenses, and taxes.
4th.-County Commissioners-This amend
ment provides that County Commissioners
shall be elected on the general ticket of each
county, commencing in 1891, and for such
periods, not exceeding six years, as may be
prescribed by law. This, if adopted, would
permit the Legislature to prescribe the num-
Der of Commissioners in any county, and en-
act law that a certain number of them shall
be elected every two years, go that the entire
composition of the board would not be
changed at once. Thus, if three commission
ers instead of five were deemed best for Har-
ford county, at the first election after the
amendment is adopted, if the Legislature
should so enact, one commissioner could be
elected for two years, one for four years and
one for six years. Every two years there
after, there would then be only one Commits
sioner to be elected.
5th-Board OF Public Works.-This
amendment is intended to give the Board of
Public Works authority to sell the States in
terest in all works of internal improvement
and in banks and other corporations, under
such regulations and conditions as may be
prescribed by the General Assembly.
6th.-Taxation of Personal Property
This amendment proposes to tax personal
property of the residents of this State, in the
county or State, where they bona tide reside
for the greater part of the year, for which the
tax is levied, and not elsewhere, except goods
and chattels permanently located, which are
to be taxed in the county or city where they
are so located. 1t is also provided in the
same amendment that the general assembly
may provide for the taxation of mortgages
upon property in the State and the debts Sc
cured thereby in the county or city where
the property is situated.