The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-11-15
THE BIPARTISAN SNAKE.

A dispatch from New York gives an
interesting account of bipartisan
snake which was discovered the
other day on one of the streets of
that city of wonders.
when the snake was first seen,
says the dispatch, at was lying in
the road and could easily have es-
capped, had not the two heads dis
agreed as to which direction the en-
tire serpent would take. These heads
are both greedy, and the keeper in
charge of the snakes is very much
afraid that the freak will die, for it
cannot eat. 1t drinks all right, but
when food is placed before it the two
heads fall to fighting ard try to bite
each other"
This is fairly accurate account of
the bipartisan board, whether Police
Board or Election Board. In New
York some years ago there was a
bipartisan Police Board-a board
with two heads just like the little
snake. The two heads were so busy
fighting each other that they forgot
to fight crime or to engage in any of
the other utilities for which they were
designed. Here in Maryland under
the existing law, and according to
the plan first adopted in 1896, there
are bipartisan election officials. At
the recent election they acted a good
deallike the two-headed snake. When
one of the judges proposed to count
ticket the other would propose to
throw it out, and then the battle of
the two heads began and continued
indefinitely, like the Boer War, while
the people outside the room were
waiting in vain for election returns.
Even in families we sometimes find
two-headed snake. This occurs
when the husband obstinately exalts
himself unduly and attempts to ex-
ercise authority. The wife, ofcourse,
resents this as an invasion of her
rights, and then the two heads begin
to argue. 1t will be. observed that
the snake with only one mouth can
eat more and have a better time than
the one with two, In this connection
we may reflect that it was merciful
dispensation of a good benefcent
Providence that created woman with
only one mouth. If they had two,
and both were talking at the same
time, there would be a racket. But
what is the use ofspeculating ?-Sun.
THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CON-
HENIION.
The Triennial General Convention
of the Protestant Episcopal Church
which was in session recently at San
Francisco has attracted worldwide
notice. One of the most striking in
cidents connected with the affair was
the strong missionary spirit. The
Woman's Auxiliary to the Board of
Missions made a contribution of
$1O4, 900, which aroused great en-
thusiasm. In legislation the only
notable achievement was the passage
of the report of the committee on
marginal annotations, which pre-
sented a series ofalternative readings
for many passages incorrectly trans
lated in the authorized versions. Per-
mission was given the clergy to sub
stitute these marginal readings in
public reading of the Bible. This a
measure of great relief to many con-
scientious ministers.
Negatatively the notable features
were the killing in the House of
Bishops of the Huntington amend
ment passed in modified form in the
House of Clerical and Lay Deputies.
This would have permitted Bishops
to receive temporarily under their
care non-Episcopal congregations
and under careful restrictions excused
them for a time from using the
Liturgy of the Episcopal Church. Of
equal note was the defeat by the Lay
vote of the House Of Deputies of the