The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1894-04-06
THE RESULT OF THE SESSiON
OF THE LEGISL4TJRE.

OF THE LEGISL4TURE.
The Legislature of Maryland which
has just adjourned owes its escape from
many serious errors, largely to the re-
spect which it has paid to public opln-
ion. Unlike some other representa-
tives of the State of Maryland, it nev-
er assumed a tone OF defiance or super
iority to the people whose interests 1t
was charged to care for and prot ct,
and whose wishes and opinions it was
supposed to represent 1t showed it.
self generally ready to leara, aud will
lngly to be governed by the sentiments
of the people. This was rlkingly IL
Illustrated in the case Of the assessment
bill. When the Legislature met the
first week in January, there is no rea-
son to doubt that majority Of both
Houses, were earnestly in favor Of pass
ing new assessment law. They I'M
derstood that such was the wish and
expectation of their constituents, and
that they had been elected upon the
understanding, tacit or open, that they
would see that that wish was gratified.
And, in that same frame of mind, we
believe, majority of the members of
both Houses continued, until slowly
and by degrees, they became satisfied
that there had been great change in
the sentiments Of their own people.
As long as members of the Legislature
thought that their constituents insist
ed upon the passage Of new assess
ment law at this session of the Lcgsla-
ture, the majority of them stood ready
to obey wha. they believed the will Of
the people. Only when, and as, they
came to recognize the changed condi-
ton of public opinion at home, and that
their people had ceased TO demand a
new assessment Of properly this year,
did the honest advocates and support
ers of a new assessment begin to recede
from their position. Not, improbably,
their own opinions had undergone con-
siderable modification, and they had
begun themselves to realize the danger
and the folly of attempting a reyalu-
alton of all property, real and personal
in the State, by methods which were
peculiarly inqu;sitorial end offensive,
at time when values were depressed
to the lowest point, and the people
were least disposed to submit TO pry-
ing inquiries into their pecuriary af-
fairs.
Thus, the assessment bill failed,
through the recognition by the repre-
sentatives Of the people, of the fact
that the people no longer desired such
bill to be passed. Whether a milder
and less drastic measure would have
met with better success, is matter Of
speculation. Certainly, the Legisla-
ture, at the last, came to be of the
opinion at which the people had al
ready arrived-that no legislation at
all was to be preferred to the passage
of the bill which was presented.
The passage Of the anti-pool bill was
another proof that the Legislature was
rot out of touch with the people-and
that the great majority of its members
were ready to obey the popular will
Credit is due to those members who
having started ont as opponents Of the
bill, frankly yielded their first views
and voted for the bill in Difference to
what they recognized to be an over
whelming public sentiment IN its favor.
The failure of the chlmerical mortgage
tax measure, the defeat of the specua-
tive sewerage and electric light bills for
this CITY, and the cold shoulder given
generally to schemes concocted in the
interest of the lobby, or for the purpose
of trading" or ''plugging' corporations
all give evidence of the honest dlspo-
sition and good common sense winch
mainly controlled the action of the
Legislature.
Compared with the experience Of
malv former sessions, this city was
fortunate in its represen-
tation, and in the manner IN which its
interests were cared for az Annapolis.
The political sagacity which avoided
any split in the Democratic party in
this city, IN regard to the Legislative
ticket, last November, seems TO have
been abundantly justified by It's fruits.
The gentlemen who were placed upon
the regular ticket as representative OF
tie ''independent' element in the party
undoubtedly contributed their full
share to whatever credit attaches to the
work of the session. Their influence
was undoubtedly good influence,
DO n in the House and Senate. Ii they
did not accomplish the impractlcaole
if they did not succeed in securing
favorable consideration for reforms
which they themselves favored-the
responsibility of failure is not theirs
only; it must be borne by the whole
body of which they formed, in num-
bers, but an Insignificant minority
The San.