The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-02-19
DOings of Annapolis.

be excused from voting.
80
It Is believed that the Senate will not agree
to an appropriation of more than $4,000 fol
Maryland's exhibit at the Worlds Fair.
-
A bill to fix the term of County Commits
sioners in Hartford county was introduced in
the Senate by Mr.. Robinson, on the 18th in.
slant. The bill provides that the present
Commissioners shall serve for two years
when three county commissioners shall be
elected, who shall hold Office for two, four
and six years, to be determined by lot. There
after one commissioner is to be elected every
two years for the term of six years, and are
to be ineligible for reelection. They are to
receive an annual salary of 5000. Mr.. Rob-
inson's bill has been copied by Senators from
a number of counties, who intend to intro
duce it for their respective counties.
The suggestion made by a correspondent
in The Egis last week, that many of the OBJ
jections urged against the plan of having
three commissioners will be overcome by ar
ranging that they shall be selected geograph-
ically from various parts of the county ap-
pears to be growing in favor. This could be
done by q party arrangement, taking candi-
date from each district, alternately. By this
plan, if the various political parties concurred,
every portion of the county would be repre-
scented in the Commissioners board. A num-
Der Of petitions. largely signed by taxpayers
and voters, have been sent to the Legislature
praying that the change be made.
The same subject is interesting the people
Of Montgomery county, which has five Com
missioners. The Rockville Sentinel, which
opposes reduction in the number but favors
frightening the term, says the people of tina {
county favor an arrangementiwhich will pro-
vide for the retirement of two Commissioners
In two years, one in four years and two in
six years. Mr.. Robinson's bill was passed
BY the Senate on Wednesday.
~
An effort will be made in the Legislature to
perfect the Australian ballot system and ex-
tend its provisions to Hartford and other
counties now exempt.
~
The Senate has passed the House bill pro-
viding for reorganization of the Bureau Of
Labor and Statistics.
-
Work has been commenced by Coz. Berret
and the Ways and Means Committee on the
assessment bill. Col. Berret says he will re-
sist all amendments, especially the amend
ment to tax mortgages, which he thinks
should be considered separately.
~
The bill to remove the county seat of
Charles county from Port Tobacco to La
Plata will be vigorously opposed. A similar
bill was passed two years ago but vetoed by
Governor Jackson.
80
Mr.. Spencer G. Jones, the State Treasurer
elect, qualified before the Governor on Tues.
day and filed his bond in the sum of 100000.
80
The Governor has appointed as Fish Com.
missioners Richard T. Browning, of Garrett
county, and John s. Sudler, of Somerset
county.
-
On the 18th instant petitions were present
ed in the Senate praying for the relief of the
sureties upon the bonds of Stevenson Archer.
BY Mr. Dawson-From DR.. G. W. Colds
borough and 81 other citizens Of Caroline
county. By Mr.. Hepbron-From William
s. Walker and go other citizens of Kent
county. By Mr.. Hayes-From G. T. Sadtler
and 1875 others of Baltimore city. By Mr..
Hubner-From 40 citizens of Baltimore
county.
The Easton Ledger, in common with nearly
all the newspapers of the State, favors the
relief prayed for and says:
ut is entirely competent for the Legisla-
ture to mitigate this severity by granting the
relief asked for. These sureties stand up like
men under the heavy losses falling on them
during the time for which "they writ the bond"
They ask no relief for the responsibility they
knowingly assumed but for the responsible
ity forced upon them by implication, with no
default on their part, as the Court of Appeals
says, they come to the sovereign power of
the State az represented by the General As
sembly and ask for relief through the equities
Appeals, while recognizing them, could not
consider, but which the Legislature may and
should
Speaker Vandiver has been quite sick and
unable to preside continuously every day
over the House.
A bill has been introduced to increase the
salaries of chief judges to $4,000 and of asso-
ciste judges to $500. The present salaries
are $500 aud 81, 800 respectively. These
amounts are fixed by the Constitution, which
provides that they shall not be diminished
during continuance in Office
There is consensus of opinion, says the
Sun, that the increase should be granted, as
the salaries of judges are grossly inadequate
They are required to spend large portion
OF their time from home and are put to such
heavy expense that the small salaries received
are greatly reduced.
Judges, unlike many other officials, are de-
barred from adding to their incomes by
pursuing any other vocation, unless it be
farming, and this, Of late years, has been
more likely to bring them in debt than add
to their revenues. 1t may truthfully be said
that the judiciary of Maryland stands, COL
lectively, as high as that of any State in the
Union, and while the dignity and honor of
the position may be attractive to the best
legal talent in the State, it would seem that
in order to bring our judiciary up to the
highest point of excellence, the judges should
have salaries large enough to enable them to
support themselves in q manner BETTING
their station and remove from their minds all
disquietude with regard thereto.
~
A bill has been introduced in the House by
Mr.. Combs for the appointment of a Treas
urer for st. Mary's county, at a salary of 5000.
Mr.. Combs has also introduced bill for the
appointment ola commission of three persons
to have full charge of building and repairing
roads in that county, at salary of 50 day
when actually engaged in the work of their
Office.
80