The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-11-04
Belt Tunnel Exemption.

Belt Tunnel Exemption.
After the General Assembly passed the
HAYES assessment bill and sent it to the Gov
crnor. Mr.. Cowcn went TO Annapolis and made
him return the bill to the Legislature with
special message, recommending among other
things that an amendment or supplemental
b'll be passed assessing railroad tur leis at the
same rate that the same length OF track in the
open country should be assessed. 1t was well
understood that the Governor wonld veto the
assessment bill unless this clause was added
along with his other recommendations. The
Legislature was compelled to accept the Gov
erno~S's terms and the amendment was passed
by which the belt tunnel OF the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, worth 5000, 600, was practi-
cally exempt from taxation.
The Washington branch stock.
The State owns oue-jhird the stock Of the
Washington Branch railroad. This road is an
enormously profitable property, aud after
paying 10 per cent dividends net earnings
amounting to $500, 600 had accumulated.
Oue-third of this belonged to the State, but
il has all been swept away and the State has
lest it. The Governor has done nothing eff
tective 20 recover the sum, but on the contrary
has IN every way o-operated with the com
paRy in depriyiug the State of It's rights. As
Major Nenable pointed out, the Board OF Pub
lie Works put the States stock Ia the reor-
ganization syndicate. and 50 the opportunity of
subjeeljug this great property to It's just share
OF taxation and righung great wrong was
lost.
In addition to this, the company has for two
years been dePriyjBg the State OF its dividends
on the Washington Branch stock. No one
doubts lbe dividends have been earned and
tba, their uonpayment is part of 3 scheme to
make the stock appear worthless. II Lowndes
Is reelected it viii Le sold 10 some favored
purchaser foy y song It's real value is not
short of 100000
The q. Il %. CAaal and the LowndeS
Judgment.
Toe conduct 70, The Governor in regard "a
the States interests IN the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal have been evea more reprehen-
sitle. Mr. Lovudes owned a jGdyemen;
against the canal company. ohiAi "a by his
father nearly 80 yesrs ago, Tor sboat SIS, GO.
The Legislature boz 1924 passed 3 law giving
ID Judgment, two other judgements OF the
saHc character sgt a NUN Ger of labor claims
amounting ia sli 20 aboai $40. 90, precedence
over she State s hens ON the canal Bat Gov
-runr Br1~u vetoed she b5il declaring that
tbo claims Esry doubtless iust claims agains,
jhc cana, conpzny. bu; that the bill in effect
g,oull cause The State g. pay them aud
they sere not just claims against the
STATE. " uefl &s'WHSsEz N~fainH ttNeFupE ne
saA his opportunity. The bill WAS lammeA
through the Lexislaiurr and the Governor
sikusi il. be being one Of the principal benc
he,ArrS Them certain baltimore aud Ohio
officials bought the labor elaimes for about
- cent. pH ihc d1l,ar and bought l.aWudes'
iaigHsu, and she other Judgments for 80 ceuts
np the dollar. hariaz 'hc latter entered o. the
zee * Robert Garrett & Sons iu order 60 con
GA, The rial bcne6c,syie..
Ths next step iu shv transaction AS ia have
the State interest IN lhe canal sold and these
c.aius Ani Judgments laid The State
siccks ue7e accordingly Advertised ia q very
peculiar. sfAuner. After Use expenses Of the
sale. rct-, Wsra Fa58 out ID the pgrchAs-
aaary, ihcs arxi ;he lo~ndc. aaI the other
iudErmrssss and the .uGog c.aim. should be
paii and ihe renziad-- &, ~ io the State.
Tbs ausla make si-ar prot; IT abaHt
kl2t.p1 tn iar uieu who b1uGhf tar claims,
aud che advertisement agt-. &c course. draRo
gp tH their Interest.
iu response % ghis advertisement lhe bal
Unogr aui olia ,a,rsrsi b5i $3.50 90 sng The
property. sa3 M i.1snies ~4s ~ilns. Il IS
understood, ta Or, 3 20 a. that pres had not
gAr afa-r t.a members 81 thr EaaEa oi Pub
hc WuFks objected This wouid have neued
;hr S.ste less 'haH Siep00O Tor property
ahieA Nr tusea had pubhc'Y estimated 60
Re sarth macy aii.iaas og i1,'ars. NJ,
iypHHdrs aAs aisa s5iiyue TO destroy the aaly
possible rssmpeittsr Nitb rh- call 'rfsf iIt
turElnr cust iruG Ihr mine. ta i+s ssat-s4r'l-
aHs Ga provide Tor the ahauiHHmert 1T thc
hlstuue canAi sy ieiuns B 20 iHis i,r haat-
ai = rvHl company. Is @as dsuasa-ss past
~ fac arrausrmvat shea b. <ag r money
tgy tb~ Judgement. and iI all hc essrrrs3 oaj q
he Is ~ elected, Ant sha.. thra speedily
see she last 81 thr gsaal
Management OF Fiuaare~-
The management Of the finances ct the State
bias Jec7 characterized by che same evidence
81 gresi. and the State funds have been par,
c.'el oat au1oR she baaks in which the sueus-
beer. of 'hr Board y Public Works aFc snter-
rzirti.
Use July ,gs.1rs shows that 81 ,O,,2. 2l7 was
ca deposit iu ShryDck's bank, the Third Ma
unnal oi Baitmurs, a sum more than double
the CapifEl stock Of che bank, that so. $50
Ens on i~.os5; ia l.o1uies bank the Second
Natonai ~ Cumberland. and that SIS eco was
oR deposit Ia the Cambridge bank.
The FIRST lean created bT THIS administration
sas tiaatcd nj g. per cent, higher rate Of
interest than the State had paid for nany
wears. The Law creating this loan was 50
dfasn 10 the Treasury Department a. 10 re-
Quirc the sale of bonds, not A. the money vas
needed, bat so as to make il las idle in the
hanks Of the State officials ~ long a. possible.
Mr. Goldsbarough 10 bis letter OF acceptance
compares the four years Of Republican man
AErneu, Of the Treasury slth that Of Spencer
Iog,ss aud NJ, Dek. Smith in the four proceed
ing wears. In the four wears Of Democratic
rule there was carried 90 the sinking fund
Si,6EG, G23. IN the four years Of Republican
rule, according % Mr. Gollsboruugh, the
amount was ) i, ls9,0jj. Ia addition 10 this
the Republicans. IN obedience 70 the Smith
free book bill, appropriated, they say, 5000,
60 for free books. The Republicans had an
increase OF 81, 900, 600 ia the tax basis uuder
the new assessment and increased receipts
from liquor licenses and saving 80 interest
by extinguishing the sinking fund IN rrfund-
ing.
Tobacco Warehouses
In the matter OF patronage the record OF
the Governor Is uusayory. II has been pub
licly stated in the newspapers that appoint
meu;s are sold 10y one who has pail with the
Governor, and that annual payments are ex-
acted from State officials. The Governors
appointments in the tobacco warehouses be-
came scandal and disgrace 10 the State.
When be found that these officials were bench
men OF political rival he ordered an investi-
CATION aud discharged q number of them. He.
however, suppressed portions Of Colonel
Tompkins report disclosing the rottenneSs
and corruption of certain Republicans outside
the warehouses and another SET of politicians
was put in and the matter ended.
Politics In the schools.
While protesting an admiration for non pc.
litieal schools the Governor has Republican
lied every school board in the State, even in
those counties where almost the entire white
population is Democratic. and his school
boards have Repubhcanized, as far as they
could, the school district trustees who elect
the teachers. The Governors recent offer of
brihe, IN the way of promise Of increased
salaries, 10 teachers in return for their sup
port caused even his most subseryient follow
ers to gag. The present school scandals in
Worcester and Montgomery is an outcome of
political methods.
Assembiymen Rev arded.
The way the Governors patronage was used
III the election of Uuited States Senators is
known to ALL 1t was scandalOus aud there
was little attempt al concealment. OF the
Republican members of the General Assembly
of 1898 nearly one-third got offices either
State, Federal or city.
Police Force DemoraIized.
As result Of Republican rule in the State,
the police force of Baltimore city has become
so prosttuted to politics, SO demoralized, that
its reorganization-that is, the dismissal from
office of the Commissioners elected by the
Republican Legislature - has become the