The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-02-05
D0ingS ut Annapolis.

Messrs. George E. Silver, w. Beatty Har-
Ian and VIM. Lee Amoss, a committee repre-
senting the Farmers Convention of Hartford
county, were in Annapolis, on Thursday OF
last week. They presented to the Hartford
delegation the resolutions of the convention
asking for the passage of law to reduce the
number of Commissioners for this county
from five to three; to make the term of office
six years, arranging that one Commissioner
only shall be elected every two years. Sena-
tor Robinson Is preparing bill to carry into
effect the wishes Of the convention.
The committee also presented the draft OF
q law adopted by the same convention pro-
viding for the appointment OF State Road
Engineer, at salary of $1,000 year. MIR.
Robinson, by unanimous consent OF the Sen
ate, introduced the bill on Friday last.
-
Mr.. Thomas McNulty, who added SO much
interest to the Democratic meetings, last fall,
by singing Farmer Brown" is an applicant
for appointment as Fish Commissioner from
the Western Shore. If the Governor is as
susceptible to the influence of sweet sounds
as was the tabled dolphin in Arions day,
there will be no doubt as to his success.
49,
Senator Toadvin has obtained leave for q
bill to provide for the appointment of School
Commissioners by the Governor. In seven
of the counties the School Commissioners are
appointed by the Governor, and in the re-
manning counties by the judges of the Circuit
Court. This bill makes the system uniform
throughout the State and relieves the judges
of q duty foreign to the judicial office.
-
Senator Hubner has offered bill providing
for the payment of $4,000 to Judge Burke, OF
Baltimore county, for extra services in con-
nection with the granting Of liquor licenses
In that county.
-
Ex-senator Lindsay and Milton w. Offutt,
of the Towson bar, were in Annapolis, last
Friday, asking for the passage of bill taking
out of the hands of the grand jury and leav-
ing the preliminary examination of persons
charged with misdemeanors in Baltimore
county to the Court and States Attorney.
-
Governor Brown, 1t is said, is considering
the advisability of selling the Calverton
Cattle Scales. The abolition of the compul-
sorry feature of the weighing law has nearly
killed the establishment, the revenue derived
by the State in 1889 being only $16 and since
that time little or nothing The property is
worth from $75,00e to $3.50, 900 and the Gov
ernor, 1t is said, will soon have some COM
munication to make to the Legislature on the
subject.
-
Mr.. Collins, the Farmers Alliance member
of the House from Talbot county, has obtain
ed leave for bill creating State Board of
Agriculture, immigration and statistics.
Their duties will be to encourage agricultural
enterprises and suitable immigration in
Maryland, collect statistics of State agricul.
tural affairs, establish museum, conduct
farmers Institutes, act as visitors to the
State Agricultural College and Experiment
Station, supervise the execution of q fertilizer
law, compile and publish and distribute in
formation as to resources, capabilities and at
fractions of the State.
~
Mr.. Sidney WALES, the Commissioner em-
powered some years ago to collect sums due
to the State from the general government at
o commission of 80 per cent, claims the right
to collect the direct tax fund, amounting to
1871 ,299.63, from the United States govern
ment. The law of Congress stipulates that
none of the sum shall go for commissions.
Mr.. WALES share. if allowed, would amount
to the neat sum of Sill 1880.
There is much talk as to what is best to do
with this windfall. Some of the members
of the Legislature want to appropriate $780,
600 of it to make proper display of Mary
lands resources and industries at the Colum
bian Exposition. Our esteemed contemporary
the Westminster Aduocate, strenuously OPP
poses any appropriation for this purpose. 1t
argues that the Legislature has no authority
to make it. The AdUocate says:
Maryland, as State, has nothing to ex-
hibit. In collective capacity the people
own nothing but State House, a Governors
Mansion, Penitentiary, two Houses of Cor
rection, few historical records, and some
oyster police boats. All else is individual
property. People who have anything to ex-
hibit should bear their own expenses. If any
beneficial results are to flow from these ex-
hibits, as there certainly will be, the exhibi-
tors will reap the advantage. For the State
10 nj o;1 ho 60 10, 81,
the benefit Of the few, an act totally at vari.
ance with the principles of republican form
of government.
Others ask that the money be given to the
public schools of the State. Senator Robin.
son calls attention to the fact that when
portion of the direct tax of the war of 1912
was returned to the State 1t was appropriated
by chapter 295 of the acts of 1868 to the pub
lie school funds of the State. The theory of
the disposition OF the money, Mr.. Robinson
thinks, was that as it was impossible to return
1t to the people who paid it, the next hest
thing was to let their children have the bene-
&c of II.
There are others, however, who think that
neither the State nor an individual can do
anything better with surplus funds than to
pay debts.
So
A bill is before the Senate to exempt the
Bel Air Water and Light Company's plant
from State, county and municipal taxation.
So
Mr.. Collins order to include taxation of
mortgages in the assessment bill has been
made the order of the day for Friday, Febru-
airy 9th.
Senator Robinson has introduced bill to
authorize the County Commissioners of Har-
ford county to accept trust companies as
sureties on the bonds of collectors of taxes
in Hartford county.
Under the law as it now stands the bonds
of collectors are liens upon the property of
the bondsmen. This renders it difficult,
sometimes, for worthy, honest men to secure
the requisite bond when the collection of the
taxes is awarded TO them. On the other
hand it may be said that since the law went
into operation, about 16 years ago, there has
been no lack of bidders and Hartford county
has not lost one cent from unfaithful collec-
tors. Better let well enough alone.
~