Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1906-02-06
THREE B. Z 0. RESOLUTIONS.
G0RMAN, PERKINS AND BAKER
WOULD BE CHAIRMAN.
Last Nights Doings In The Senate
Would Indicate Legislative In
vestigation On New
York Plan.
CIGARETTE BILL AT SAME SES-
SION PASSES SENATE.

Matters ran in threes for q time last
night in the Senate; there were
three joint reolutions offered, one by
dr. German. one by Mr.. Perkins and
one by Mr.. Baker, all looking to a
| Legislative investigation of the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad and there were
three letters read from Attorney Gen.
eral Bryan, the first explaining why
the Rhodes report which figured in
Friday mornings debate wa S unau-
| theuticated, the second accompanying
the documents which had been asked
for in the suit pending, aud the third
rather rising to question of personal
privilege in the matter of Friday
mornings debate.
The Baker resolution is unconstitu-
tionl since it provides for an appropri-
alton of S25, 600 for the purposes
which it advocates--iti is a Republican
move and provides for a committee OF
four on the part of the Senate and
five on the part of the House. The
Gormen resolution, which WAS the
first presented. is also the longest, il
| recites the facts in the case. provides
for a committee-fouI on the part of
the Senate aud six on the part of the
| House, President and Speaker ex.
otficio members, aud looks to q long
1 nlbbAnEs WIN u uuAI IGIAIL I'd Lilt
next legislature. Three lawyers, under
it's clauses, would associate with the
| Attorney General in the running down
| of tie case. The committee is to
inquire into the value of the State 5
| stock, into the policy on the States
| part of selling, into the suspension
| Of dividends, into the States right
and interests growing out of its
| ownership. into the receipt and ex.
| penditures of the Washington Branch
during such period of time as said
committee may consider it proper to
| inquire into, and Of all property,
rights, franchises. revenues and assets
owned or controlled by the Branch,
or to which it may be entitled in the
| District of Columbia or elsewhere,
into the value and status thereof. into
| the share aud amount of Indebtedness
properly chargable to the Branch for
| terminal construction, into the right
of the Branch to participate in the
| terminal. into the proposed attempt to
exclude the Branch from ownership
or sharing in said property and to
compel it TO terminate its tracks out
| side of Washington, into the rights of
| the Branch in the 81 500. 600 appropri
| ated by Congress as compensation for
| the surrender of certain rights of the
| Washington Branch, into the matter
of securing this appropriation to the
| Branch when it became due. into all
| other matters necessary in the discre-
tion of the committee to protect the
| State interests, into the facts, eircum-
| stances aud conditions, into the pro.
| priety and policy Of any aud all sub.
| jects which may be referred 10 it
either by the Senate or House, and to
1 10 30 Ir N,t "a.
States behalf all proper steps.
Under the resolution the committee
is further authorized to begin suits,
to employ three members of the Mary
land bar as above mentioned, to hav Q
full power, 10 send for and compel the
attendance of and examine under oath
| all officials ana other persons as wit.
| nesses, TO compel the production of
| books, papers, accounts. ETC.. to en-
| plOy accountants, auditors and proper
| ~ experts, TO work openly or in execu
tive session now and after adjourn
ment, TO make such rules as it deems
| proper, to exercise all power expressly
| conferred, TO certify to the Circuit
| Court OF Anne Arundel or to one Of
tho Judges of the Baltimore Supreme
Bench any recreant witnesses for
proper punishment. to exercise all the
powers which the General Assembly
itself would have, and to terminate
its duties with its report and recon
mendations TO the General Assembly
of 1908 70 the Governor and Board OF
Public Works at that time.
The Perkins resolution differs from
this essentially, in that it numbers
only six-three Senators and three
members of the House, that it puts
the work up TO the Attorney General,
that its committee is required &c
make its report within 80 days, and
that it has no authority whatever tC
do more than inquire and audit. This
is merely an auditing resolution
while the German plan kills two bird,
with one stone. 1t will secure al
auditing and press the suits, if neces
sary, at the same time and without
further Legislative action, other than
the appropriating of money with which
TO work.
Mr.. Bryan's third letter, in which
he states his side of the case in th,
recent argument is an interesting
document. 1t explains that the STATE
| government is divided like Gaul per
haps). into three parts-legislative
| executive and judieial-none of which
under the Constitution. may enerOacl
1 MAsal A4tt AkAtFlt tAA1l AAt ECudtc Ant
DO business whatever even TO thinl
Of using the word directed" in tht
| order. asked, - it is intimated.
net only better manners, bot more il
| keeping with the power of the Senat'
in the premises; that the Attorne,
| General not only had been guilty o
no disc0urtesy nor neglect of duty, bu
that in complying with previous re
quests, he had extended cCurtesies
that BE l. responsible TO the peopl
whose votes elected him aud not t
the Senate Of Maryland that whethe
OF not lie should have pushed the B
q .. salt is matter Of opinion ant
question Of Judgment; that eyel
now hs will follow the dictates of hi
common sense that the Governor dii
not exceed his authority in appointing
Mr. Frank Y. Rhodes "as an agent {
make certain investigation" and tha
u . number OF other matters the dig
nified Senate has been guilty of mis-
! takes in law and a general cussednes
which he does not at all like This
like the other matters. was referred {
the committee on finance.
The Treasurer's report on trus
committees was submitted.
! The police commissioners proteste
against billss4s. 40 ands50. -z-s.z-~-