The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-04-16
Peoples Column.
The POcketing of the Assess
ment Bill.

MIR. EDITOR:
| During the recent session of the Legsa-
| ture il is reported that a certain ''hayseed'
| coming from the direction of the Capitol
| WAS met by a fellow ruralite who inquired
OF him where he could find Farmer
| Brown, TO which the first named individual
replied that he did not know where
"Farmer' Brown was to be found, but
| (pointing with his thumb over his shoulder)
over there he would find chs Excelency"
Governor Brown, if that was the person he
was looking for.
1t is now apparent to every mind that
Farmer" Brown, whose praises were so
sweetly sung by Farmer" McNuIty dur
ing the campaign last fall, and whose
| promises were SO profuse and who
took such great interest in his brother
farmers welfare, has entirely disappeared
and we now have the "Hou." Mr.. Brown
i'll his stead
These reflections suggested by the lie
cent act by which the assessment law was
what is termed "poCketed'' by the Governor
| of this State, at tue clear behest and solicita.
tion of the rich capitalists of Baltimore city
alone. Twice now has the Legislature at
the demand of the people of every section of
the State passed au assessment law, and
twice have different Governors, both rich
| men Themselves, at the instigation of other
rich men. defeated the desires Of the people
| as expressed by their representatives. Where
in The Constitution and Laws of the State
the Governor obtains the right to what is
called "pOchet" bills | do not know. The
Court of Appeals of this State decided by
diuided cont that a Governor could sign a
bill within six days after the Legislature
adjourned. but part of the Court thought
he had no right to do SO even one minute
after adjournment. 1t is certainly time
that this power was curtailed If it exists
The President of the United States does not
possess it, then why should The Governor of
this State. | am not certain but what the
Ohio plan, where the Governor possesses no
veto power, is the best under all Circum-
stances. The members of the Legislature
not altogether blameless in this matter
either. They could and should have passed
the bill carrier i'll the session, and thus
forced the Governor to send in a written
veto defining his reasons for SO doing and
could then have passed 1t over his head.
And what is the pretended remedy that the
Governor recommends? Why, that the
taxpayers shall bear their present ills for
three years longer, then hold constitutional
convention at an expense of half a million
dollars, to be betrayed by them, with a II the
chances of its labor going for naught by the
rejection of its work! How such proc ED
ing will make a new assessment of the
property of this State / cannot conceive,
but perhaps the brilliant intellect of its
suggestUr can tell.
We have Just got rid of an "Excellency'''
who said he had not read the constitution,
and was primarily responsible for the
Archer defalCation which the present tax
payers have to grin and bear, and now we
have his double, who evidently is following
in his footsteps as far as his knowledge of
the constitution is concerned.
OF all the outrages perpetrated upon the
contidiug people OF this State, the duplicate
acts of the two successive rich Governors
of this State in deliberately multiplying the
wishes of the people. as solemnly and re-
peatedly expressed by their representatives
in such a unanimous manner exceeds them
all. This act of Govern Brown ought to
end his political career and any future
aspiration he may have, as etfectually as it
did his predecessors He posed during the
campaign as the particular and only Moses
of the farmer, and we heard Of nothing but
Farmer Brown, and now when the pin
cipal act of relief asked TO by these SINE
farmers is passed, he pockets 1.-THE
result of which Is that five hundred millions
OF dollars OF personal property, as Senator
Hayes estimates, escape all taxation. His
act benefits all the rich men of the State
aud leaves the poor to still bear all the
burdens % taxation. Senator Hayes argu
ment should be printed and distributed to
every farmer and laboring man in the State
What spectacle the Governor presents in
his peurie answers and questions 10 him ?
Is it any wonder that the State is retrogri-
ing in population and wealth according to
the censns. Dr.. Mackall and all the
Commissioners, all the Governors of the
State can send until the crack of doom to
What inducements have immigrants TO
come into the State and buy our lands and
settle amoung rs, when they will have TO
pay ejgbiY fire per cent of all the taxes levied
on high valu ,tion, and all relief is con
tinuously refused them. The Baltimore
american too may publish its glowing
descriptions of the different counties, but it
will avail not. Is not the question of
assessment and taxation one of the first
inquiries? Is it any wonder that Farmers
Alliances" and similar organizations with
their often impracticable theories for relief
are continually springing up throughout
the county, when men elected to high
position on account of their great wealth.
and ogho 1cjthout it lcould Rerer for one
moment be thought Of, govern their acts by
the suggestions of their kind and oppose
all remedi,s for a more Just and equal
distribution of taxation A day of relief
mag come, but it is plain to be seen it will
not be though any assistance from the
present 'ex-tarmer" Brown.
A DEMOCRATIC FARMER WHO VOTED
FOR THIS SAME BROWN.