The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-02-15
HARYLA"0's LEGISLATURE


General is not So prevalent hero as it
was a week ago. in fact since the night
session last Monday, when q Iat.ar from
that gentleman was read in the senate,
there has existed dau5. In tl. minds Of
many eff the members az that body as
Go whether it viii not he pu- he'd nv
the Attorney General, instead or the
Attorney General being punished by IT,.
The letter was, to say the very least, q
most independent creation; it called the
senate down rather sharply for its nerve
in daring TO critcise him in any way, it
indmat-d that so far from having been
d.scourteous, thewriter had actually cz-
tended c3urtesies when he answered
questions at all, it informed the mem
bers in unmistakable terms that he was
in no way subordinate to your honor
able body, and he let them know as a
climax that the courts only. after a
regular trial for neglect of duty, can re-
move him from office. The senate can
try and impeach the Governor Of this
state, for cause, and quite a number of
the senators still think it can do the
same by the Attorney-General. The
letter was referred to the finance COM
miJtee, since when so many more i'm
portant matters have been before the
senate, that it has not again been heard
from
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad stu
alton is the feature Of interest here at
present, and promises to continue SO for
the remainder of the session. On last
Monday night three resolutions, all look
ing to an investigation of that CORPORA
ton, were introduced in the Senate,
one by State Senator German. one by
Mr.. Perkins and one by Mr.. Bake. Re-
publican. Three similarly presented in
the House that night or the next morn
ing. The senate resolutions differ in
scope and form. Germans is much
the more elaborate of the three: this
constitutes a committee Of ten members,
six from the house and four from the
senate, president and speaker, ex-officio
members, to which all the powers Of the
General Assembly are delegated, which
is authorized to sit until the next SEES
sion of the legislature, to press suits,
summon witnesses, and in general, as
Just said, do anything or everything that
the legislature itself can do. The Per-
kins committee, would consist of but
six members, three from each house.
which would merely investigate and
make report within thirty days. The
Baker resolution is unconstitutional
since it appropriates money with which
to do the work, which a resolution may
not do.
Tuesday morning the German resolu-
ton was favorably reported by the COM
mittee on finance, neither of the other
two being acted upon at all. After a
heated debate and long fight, Mr.. Lee,
of Montgomery, succeeded in beating
the report back into the committee with
instructions to report all three resolu-
tons at an early date Since that time
there has been wrangling and wrangling,
workers trying to get the elements to-
gether and neither German nor Lee
being willing to to give in a single point.
German insists upon all the principles of
his resolution, Lee refusing to listen to
any proposition which takes the matter
from the hands of the Legislature as a
whole. 1t is beginning to be felt here
that Lee has been over-rated. Such a
proposition as this B. & O. matter is
too big and unwieldy for proper treat
ment in an open house, any more than
it would be practical to work on no.
committee basis, A plan looking to
such a procedure, on its face, is not
practical. Hence it is probable, that
before the end of the present week, the
senate will re-divide itself. and out of
this broil new lineup take shape. The
senate is composed of more than the
usual number of independent thinkers.
1t is said that last week Mr.. German
offered Mr.. Baker representation on his
committee if he would make the Repub
licans jump to his side; this is under
stood the Hartford man declined. Should
President Seth, Mr.. Brewinton, Mr..
Gadd, DR.. Goldsborough, and few more
of the strong senator's, however. ask
the assistance of the Republicans on
non-partisan plan, looking to the cutting
of the present knot and a competent
handling of the situation, it is more
than probable that there would be no
refusal The Seth plan is unders TODD
to be, committee to investigate and
report to this present General Assembly.
few days prior to adjournment. If
that committee finds its work undone.
and asks for a longer life, under this
plan, it will be given, the time extend
ed until July LIST, for example. after
which it becomes functis-officio. Such
plan would rob the committee of all
temptation to degenerate into a politi
cal weapon, and would almost insure it's
doing its work for the States interest.
An interesting development of the