The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-01-12
FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW.

With the induction OF Governor
Smith in the Gubernatorial chair the
control of the State Of Maryland again
passes into Democratic hands after
four years of Republican rule. What
the past four years has been and the
good accomplished for the State is
now a matter of history and is too
for minute recapitulation. 1twould
not however be amiss to say q few
things in passing from the old to the
new. In 1895 Majority of the voters
OF Maryland saw fit to depose the
party in power which had held con-
troll of the reins of State since 1867
and see if some marked change could
not be effected in our government by
placing new aud untried hands at the
front. This was done so thoroughly
that even in our National Legislature
the State was solidly Republican.
The Democrats were routed root and
branch and whatever was done in
the way of remedial legislation was
properly chargable to the dominant
element. Now let us see what was
done to bring about the much needed
reforms and in taking view Of it,
let it be from the standpoint Of a
private citizen who does not regard
public office as a private possession
for personal use only but for the good
of the public. One Of the most urgent
pieces of legislation at that time was
q free book bill and new assessment.
the school legislatiUnH By whom was
the bill introduced and championed?
was it from the.Republicans? And in
regard to the assessment bill. Nearly
every ole knows how unfairly it was
shaped up and passed, despite Wig
orous opposition from the minority
or at least that portion of it which re-
fers to the taxation of stocks and
bonds. While all kinds of property
which is owned by the farmers, is
taxed to its full cash value yet this
only made to pay thirty cents on the
par value of the stock. no matter if its
real worth is four times the amount,
and ground rents, the most desirable
class of investments are not taxed at
all. Take the disgraceful session of
1898. 1t will 60 down to history as
one Of the black pages on the fair
fame of Maryland as the most corrupt
that has ever been chronicled.
But we have gone far enough. The
Republicans did great many good
things but we do not think that they
were one whit better than their pre-
decessors and nothing like as good;
and in this judgment the people of
Maryland by their votes concurred.
There were OF course many consci-
entious men in the Republican party
but they were in such n hopeless
minority that their influence was
scarcely felt, yet they should never
theless re ceive the proper recognition
for their honest effort.
There are many things now that
the Democrats are again in power,
that they should realize. The people
are now scrutiniz;ng their actions and
il they too should fail short of the
mark, the party will be held to strict
responsibility. 1t is, however, very
easy to shun the footsteps of their
straggling pred eces, II rs and keep on
the straight but narrow path of duty
to their constituents. One great |
thing to be abolished Is the Third |
House or obby, 1t is an outrage and |
a shame tiat such thins is suffered
to exist. We hold up our hands in
holy horror when we hear OF the