Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-01-06
THE LEGISLATURE IN SESSION.

L-E.NaiOt-A ONE IlN OEsOOlOiN.
The Maryland Legislative session Of
1906 was convened last Wednesday,
Hon. Carvel d. Benson. of Baltimore
County. was elected Speaker of the
House of Delegates, and Hon. Joseph
b. Seth, of Talbot County. President of
the Senate In the Democratic Caucus
for Presidency of the Senate there was
a spirited contest between Senator
Moore. of Worcester. and Senator Seth,
which il took fifty ballots to settle. re-
sulting in favor of Senator Seth by a
majority of two votes. In the organ
ization of the Senate, Senator Moore
was elected President pro fcot He
thanked the Senators for the honor and
proceeded to business.
The Suu says Mr.. Moore conducted
a clean contest and had promises of sup
port which justified him in feeling as
sused of his election.
Governor Warfeld's message was
read to the members of the Senate and
House. 1t was ringing appeal for
good government and denounced the
methods employed by the last Legisla-
ture to attain graft. Here is a synopsis
Of the Governors message
The record Of legislative expenses for
the session Of 1904 shows that there
were on the pay rolls Of the two houses
l9S officers, employees and clerks, not
including 45 laborers and IS additional
engrossing clerks. The total pay of
these employees amounted to Sis, 400. 30.
The compensation and mileage paid in
1904 to members and employees amount
ed to $lS5, 552. 95, which is a very much
greater amount than was expended for
similar purposes by any previous Leg
islature. This scandalous and reckless
squandering of the peoples money can
not be justified.
Another legislative custom which Is
wrong and pernicious is the passing of
orders. in the ash and heedlessness OF
the closing hours of the session. giving
extra pay to favorite officers and EN-
ployes and gratuities to persons not EN-
plOyed by either house This is a
tolerated.
The custom of enrolling or recopyng
Of bills after their final passage sub
jects them to errors by incompetent
clerks or to interpretations and fraudu-
lent changes in their text by designing
persons.
urge you not to create sinecures,
not to put men on the pay rolls in the
middle or at the end of the session ano
pay them for the whole 80 days, not t.
vote the peoples money away as gifts
10 favorites, and not to appoint mer
who will not perform the work of the
positions to which they are assigned
Lobbying is an evil and corrupting
influence that has justly aroused the
antagonism of all good citizens. You
should take prompt and drastic steps t.
suspress this evil. and to compel those
engaged in the nefarious occupation tC
keep out of the Legislative halls.
What the public is opposed to anC
what has brought discredit upon legis.
lative bodies in this State in the past
are political lobbyists, who combine t
sell and control Legislation for their per
sonal benefit and who trade upon then
influence with legislators.
This is a question the passing of a
Corrupt Practices act that should not
be viewed from a party standpoint.
Every man who favors purity in poll
ticsand clean and decent elections should
rally to the support Of bill that will
stop bribe-giving, vOte-selling and cor
rupt methods in both primary and gen
eral elections
do not favor a return to emblem
voting, II is natural for those who
seek to increase the power and influence
Of the ignorant and venal voter to adj
vocate return TO the embelm, thus
making ii easy for such persons to cast
their votes. The sentiment of the times
however. is in favor Of a ballot that
will require some degree Of intelligence
upon the part Of the voter in marking
his ticket
A primary election law should be pas
sed for the whole State, and il should
provide that aspirants for State Offices
should have the right to submit their
candidacy TO direct vote Of the people.
The State owns some valuable assets
that are not in the sinking fund, but
the proceeds Of which, if sold. must be
applied only to the liquidation Of the
State debt. Their per value is 81, 1877. :
40. favor selling these securities.
The oyster industry demands your inn
mediate consideration. Twenty years
ago Maryland led the world in the oys-
ter trade. Her packing houses were
running full Ten thousand boats, large
and small. were busily employed in
catching oysters and bringing them to
market. The present situation is very
different Many great canning houses
have been driven out of business
through the ever-diminishing supply Of
this product of the waters of the Chesa-
peake bay. Others have left the State
and gone to Virginia, North Carolina.
Mississippi and Louisiana. where the
laws are more favorable to the growth
of the oyster trade than under our pres
ent system.
The barren portions of the bottoms
Of the waters of the State should be
made productive. The State should
profit thereby through the annual rent
ais from such bottoms, leaving the
natural beds TO the oystermen. as at
present.
The proposition To apply the revenues
arising from the rentals Of the oyster