The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-02-03
Special Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM ANNAPOLIS.
ANNApoL1s. Nd. FEBRUARY list, Il


ANNAPOLIS. Nd, February LIST. 1906.
The legislation of this session has been re-
markably slow and uninteresting, after the mi
tial fights Of the beginning for Speakership and
Treasurership. Local legislation is equally tor
pid with State matters. One important bill
affecting Baltimore county, is making progress
through the legislative labyrinths-the Senate
bill to authorize the Highways Commission of
Baltimore county to use the unappropriated
surplus In the county treasury to reimburse the
road fund for portion of the loss sustained by
reason Of damages to the county roads and
bridges from the destructive floods during the
year 1905. This BILL having passed the Senate,
has been favorably reported in the House and
has had its second reading.
The most important question now before the
Assembly is the financial attitude of the B. & o.
Railroad with the State. What will be the out
come is not amongst the powers Of the prophets
to tell. The State has never Jared well when
these great questions Of finance were to be set
tied with powerful corporations. The tempest
in-the-tea-pot is apt to occur until the two get
together" The lobby generally has hand in
these settlements-the lobby being gentlemen
of powerful political influence.
The Hannah bill made its appearance on We'd
nesday in the House. The public is unaware of
several important facts connected with this bill.
First, while the Hannah bill claims to have as its
object the cultivation of oysters, all residents
along the tidewater counties know that oysters
will never propagate upon any ground except
natural bars. and the Hannah bill claims that it
exempts these from leasing. Second, that oys-
tiers transplanted to "barren bottoms" never
reproduce but will grow while only, and that,
taking the oysters from the bars to barren bot
TOMS" only robs Peter to pay Paul. Third,
that the Haman bill allows the taking up of such
oyster grounds where persons do not habitually
repair to take oysters. This is thin delusion.
As as natural bar Is worked out the oyster
men go to another until the overworked bar has
had time to grow oysters again. In the mean
time the Hannah bill would allow this to be taken
mp by private parties. Finally, the Hannah bill
allows one MANTLE Fish Commissioner to de-
eide all questions affecting the State and indi-
viduals' right of property. The jury trial is de-
MED.
The Anders bill has occupied the attention of
the House this week. The object of this bill is
to protect Maryland from being the place of
refuge for divorces who could not re-marry in
their own states. The Judiciary Committee
made an unfavorable report on the bill, but the
bill was substituted for the unfavorable report
and then discussed without final action.
The applicants for Office and their friends have
been busily at work this week interviewing the
Governor. He has way of having "a mind of
his own and the practical politicians do not
always win with him.
The State printer is now going through the
legislative rapids. They want him to print local
bills as well as general ones under his lump con-
tract. The printer objects and says that the
custom has been only to print general ones. and
so 1t has been from time immemorial. 1t would
cost the printer thousands of dollars that he did
not expect to incur in his expense account il
this printing is done without extra pay. The
matter as to what the printer is bound to do in
the printing of bills has been referred to the
Judiciary Committee of the Senate.
While there is a paucity of legislation in Balti-
more county matters, Baltimore city is having
many bills in its interest presented. Among
these are Mr.. Godwin's bill to authorize the
issuing of $1.OO0,OOO of Baltimore city stock to
acquire land for fire engines to make copies of
record of Tax Commissioners Office valid as evil
dence. and to permit the payment of money in
court where one or more of the parties are under
legal disabilities.
Messrs. Samuel NJ Shoemaker and W. w.
Crosby and DIR. William Bullock Clarke were
here on Wednesday regarding the Shoemaker
eOOu-AOnuc dCts WuACu was pdEScu bWO y cars ago.
and to repeal which an effort is now being made.
Mr.. Shoemaker said that the substitute was the
same as his bill, with the exception that the
money for the roads is placed in the hands of
the County Commissioners instead of with the
State Highways Commission.
1.-THE objections that are made to the present
Law" said DR.. Clarke, 'are similar to those made
in Massachusetts and every other State which
has enacted legislation of this KIDD. After the
law has remained in force for a while and its
provisions have become fully understood the
objections have died out The people then
realize that the measure is the best that can be
drafted This, we believe. will follow in Mary
land If the present law is let alone.
Before its passage $4,000 was spent by the
counties of Maryland in repairing its roads with
out any permanent advantage being derived.
So far the Shoemaker law has been in force only
a few months, and less than 100000 has been
spent. Already many miles of roads of perma-
nent nature have been built"
Strong opposition is being made by leading
lawyers against the repeal of the law pension
ing judges after their retirementfrom the bench.
A large delegationl appeared before the Senate
and House Committees on Thursday and entered
a protest against repeal. Nearly every section
of the State was represented, Col. D. G. Nc
Intosh, of Baltimore county, being among the
number. g. d. r.