The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-03-05
LOCAL BILLS FOR CARROLL.
The Scope of the Local Legislation Proposed
for Carroll County.


There are pending in the Legislature nine
bills pertaining solely to Carroll county.
They relate to the pay of registers of voters,
terms of the County Commissioners, the reg
ulation Of the sale of liquor, to the town OF
Taneytown, to drawing jurors, licensing insur
ance companies doing business IN Westmln
ster, to the issuance of $4,000 of bonds by
the city of Westminster and legaliZing the
acts of the Union Bridge Water Company.
A bill was presented to repeal the act of
incorporation Of the town of Hampstead and
to reenaet it with amendments. A strong
protest was filed against Incorporating the
town, and the bill at present seems to be
quietly sleeping. Next week bill will be
presented in the House providing hard labor
for certain classes of prisoners in the Carroll
county Jail. This bill is designed to rid the
county of tramps, and after its passage it is
expected tramps will be scarce in this section.
The bill has been published in full in the
ADVOCATE, and it is unnecessary to speak Of
its provisions.
PAY OF REGISTERS OF VOTERS.
The bill to regulate the pay of registers of
voters simply fixes the pay of each at SI5 per
year, as was intended by the general law.
THE NEW ROAD LAW.
The road bill for Carroll provides for the
district system, as has been advocated in this
paper, except the District Commissioners
will be appointed by the County Commission
ers, instead of being elected. The bill pro-
vides that no more than two of the District
Commissioners shall be of the same political
party, and in the appointment of road super
visors preference shall be given to those
whose lands bind on the public roads. The
tax limit is put at 20 cents on the 800. The
District Commissioners will have the same
Jurisdiction over the public roads the County
Commissioners now have; also the power to
levy road tax, which tax will be collected
by the district collectors and disbursed by
the County Commissioners upon vouchers
signed by the District Commissioners. The
County Commissioners will build and keep
in repair large bridges, as at present, and will
control the opening and closing OF roads.
TERMS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
The change in the constitution left the
term of County Commissioners without limit.
to be fixed by the Legislature. The bill now
before the Legislature fixes the term in Car
roll Mt two, four and six years at first then
at six years thereafter, one Commissioner
to be elected every two years. Under the
bill there will always be two experienced
Commissioners in Office. The term of two
years is too short, and it sometimes happens
that Just when a Commissioner becomes
Ianlllat WIFI County bu5liltSN ne Is Etpldtru
by an entirely new man.
REGULATING THE SALE OF LIQUOR.
Public sentiment in Carroll is largely in
favor of temperance. A large number of
persons favor the suppression of the liquor
traffic entirely, and very many believe that
impracticable. The latter want the sale of
liquor hedged about with more stringent re-
strictons, and would oppose prohibition.
The Prohibitonists would rather have this
than to have matters as they now are, and as
a compromise measure high license bill has
been introduced irto the Legislature. The
bill imposes license of 800 on hotels and
5000 on saloons Hotels must have certain
number Of rooms beyond those necessary for
the family and servants of the proprietor, and
stabliug for five horses, we believe, in addi-
ton to the proprietors S. No license can be
granted unless recommended by certain
number of freeholders, and notice of the APP
plicaton must be published for several weeks,
in order that the public may know who is
applying for license and where his place of
business is to be, so that opportunity for pro-
test may be given. The bill is very strict for
selling to minors, habitual drunkards, &C.
and the penalties include fine. Imprisonment
and suppression of license. When a license
is suppressed it cannot be renewed for two
years. 1t is thought that the bill will result
in crushing out low saloons in the county,
and make those who obtain licenses very
careful to observe the law in order to retain
them.
DRAWING JURORS.
The bill regulating the drawing of Jurors
provides for their apportionment to the several
districts, according to population, and for q
Jury box containing thirteen compartments.
to correspond to the number of districts
Under It's operation every district will have
as many jurors rs its population entities it.
TANEYTowN WATER BONDS.
The bill regarding water supply for fancy
town, authorizes the town authorities to con-
tract for supplying the town with water and
to issue bonds, but the law is not to become
operative unless ratified by n majority of the
voters of the town.
WESTMINSTER BILLS.
There are two bills before the Legislature
relating TO Westminsters municipal affairs.
One is to authorize the issuance of bonds to
the amount of $4,000 to complete the work
Of street improvement. 1t is endorsed, we
understand, by 275 voters of the city. The
other is to authorize the imposition of Il
license tax on insurance companies doing
business in the city. This tax, it is stated,
will be devoted to the maintenance of the
Fire Department.
UNION BRIDGE BILL.
A bill has been presented in the House to
legaliZe certain acts of the Union Bridge
Water Company.
GAMING BY MINORS.
Mr.. Leeds has a bill to prohibit gaming by
minors in Carroll. The scope of the bill we
do not know, but any bill to prevent gambling
omouo hoys will meet with universal approha-