The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-04-12
No Cost for the Extra Session.

Senator Dixon, of Talbot county, in speak
ing of the extra session of the Legislature,
which has become necessary by the failure OF
the House to pass the tax bill for 1908 and
1904, makes some sensible and businesslike
observations. He says:
1.-THE failure of the General Assembly to
enact the Tax Levy bill was blunder or mis-
take of the Legislature, and the Legislature
owes it to the State to repair its own mistakes
at its own cost. This is fair business prop
osition. If you employ a man to do piece
of work and he fails to do it right you expect
him to keep at it until he does get it right,
and you ordinarily do not pay him until he
succeeds. 1t is necessary for the Legislature
to be in session only a single day to repair this
blunder and enact the tax law. The mem
bers of the Legislature owe it to the State
that they do this without charge. L believe
every one of them has railroad pass to Bal
timore, and the only expense they would be
put to would be meal or two. l think that
this one law should be passed, and no other,
not even an appropriation bill to pay the cost
of the extra session. There should be no cost
for the extra session, and | hope the members
and officials will be unanimous in declining TO
provide or take any per diem"
Senator Dixon takes a correct view OF the
matter No one contends that the failure to
enact a revenue bill was due to a lack of time.
There being no lack Of opportunity to have
passed tax bill, the failure to do so is simply
a neglect to do what should have been done,
and the Legislature should meet and pass one
at its own expense. Every member has al
ready been paid for doing it, and to pass
an appropriation bill to meet the per diem OF
members would simply be voting themselves
double pay.
We are glad to note that Senator Beasman,
of Carroll, agrees with Senator Dixon, and
so do President Hubner and Senator Putzel.
We have no doubt every member will see the
matter in the same light as Senator Dixon, and
the extra session, instead of costing $40, 900, as
some predicted, or 81 200, which would be the
outside limit, will cost nothing. Ofcourse the
employees are not responsible for the failure
of the tax bill, but as it will not be necessary
for more than three officers ofeach house to be
present at the extra session, it will not cost
more than fifty or sixty dollars to pay them.
Should the Legislature meet and remedy
their mistake without cost to the State, as
seems probable, it matters not who is respon-
sible for the mistake, but it may be remarked
that the Republicans of the House consumed
several hours on the last night of the session
in delivering speeches complimentary to
Speaker Mitchell, and there could have been
no object in using all of this time, except to
leave as many bills Enacted upon as possible
1t may be remarked, also, that most Republi-
Can journals were glad of the failure to pass a
tax BILL so as to make an extra session neces-
sary, because they believed the bunder and
expense would result in loss of votes to the
Democratic party. To that end the most Of
the Republican journals announced that the
extra session would cost the people $4,000,
when by little figuring each could have ascer-
tanned that the outside figure could not be
more than 81 200.