The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-03-17
THE LEGISLATURE.
Stirring Events in the State Capitol
Briefly Told.
Correspondence of the Democratic Advocated
STATE House. ANNAPOLIS,

1
| this week was the evidence adduced to show that
| the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad buying up
| and wherever it could do So at the very time that
it was by its every action depressing the value OF
| that stock in the market.
The Chesapeake and Ohio canal sale investigation
is looming into larger shape and will take definite
| form probably this week by the passage through
the Senate of the pending resolution. 1t has been
suggested in quarters that there is no need for
an investigation of this sale, that the State recev
all the property worth, or at least all that its
interest in it worth that everything connected
with it was open, fair and above-board, and prop
| erly advertised in advance; but the fact remains
that was the highest bid received for prop
erty in which this state alone has spent over $50
100000 for which the B. O. itself has offered 1900
ZOO within half a dozen years, and for which it is
said there bid not so very long ago of SO o.
| 600 Now 1t is earnestly desired to know why are
| these things thusG II will, perhaps, be difficult
| matter to convict and imprisou the men response
| Bile for what everyone here believes 10 have been
criminal colluSion if there is any such term but it
should not be lost sight of that trial and conviction
| are sometimes mild punishmentS. mccall, as mas
been ponie9 out; Is ueaa, w, Wi,e 49, an ~
| q year ago, broken in health and out OF The
| country. Not one Of those was placed actually
upon trial, but the disgrace was no less certain.
| MARYLAND people want to know if conditions which
led to the canal sale for sl50,000 were AS rotten.
| though of course on a smaller scale, as were the
| conditions in New York. and If not, how much less
rotten; all of which they have sn undoubied right
| TO know. Talk OF not investigating eondluon
| which has become absolute scandal, because
there may be no financial gaiu, is about as much TO
the point would be talk of not prosecuting
/
| When the Chesapeake and Ohio matter first ap-
| peared in the Senate il is understood that the
| course of the Governors friends in that body WAS
such as TO make the Executive very The War
| field Senators rushed fTRnticaily TO his defense,
| pushed and showed the matter of Of the floor and
| into reference, there may have been no intention
| whatever, and the chances are that there Were
none; of rejecting in any way on tne governor,
| to believe that there was something to conceal
| something which the Governor would wish 70 con
ceal II is understood that the Governor, TAR from
that stand actually wants an investigation and AZ
as early date possible, as he rightly shOuld 81
:his connection the course of hi friends will be in
sting 10 see There is something Of the BouT
/ bon IN them and they are slow % learn They are
quite entirely capable OF rushing to his defense
again, and again giving people the chance 10 pc
| lieye that they or the Executive have something
| to conceal
The bill to provide for vote 10 be taken in 10
by The people Of the state on TIT question Of hold
iug convention to revise the Constitution, lssed
the senate last week and will doubtless pass the
| House, although the Republicans are lined mp
against it. This bill is in accordance Win The pro
vision Of the Consultation, which requires that the
matter be submitted 10 the people every twenty
years the last sving been taken in lSs7. when
| the proposition voted down through the inhu-
euces OF the corporations The present Constttu-
ton is supposed be favorable to tho corporations
and doubtless all these sggregations OF wealth viii
again be yed against any change, they were
| twenty years ago. Il Is expected, however. that
this time public opinion WI. b. able 10 express u.
self. free from corporate dtetstion. ant the crying
evils OF the present organic act be Femcdied 81 last
The present Constitution was framed in j. :. and
many Of its provisions sre not at All adequate u
date. II is estimated that new Constitution would
enable the state and municipal authorize TO bring
under the tax laws least Sl0 Uo00Jo Of per oua4
| prOpe ~, which would greatly induce The rate
| lsvied on real property which nov largely bcATs
the burden OF State. city. and sonn,y government
The rush and turmoil o. the last days OF the sss-
lion are here and great crowds Of people from
every section actively at work In eehafoi bills
sad other things o. importance 10 their respective
localities. Among all these people are mauy poll
tirfans Of importance in both PARTIES. and talk e
rarding next years nominations for state onecs Is
hes- 4 ~ ali 81
There appears to be very little doubt now to
GoyeFEor Warfelds position, md bis friends CONF
IDENTIFY assert that he viii be candidate for renou-
ms ton. and also that his competitors for the honor
will Be Ex-Governor Brown aud Ex-Governor lack
| son wilh GeuerAl l. Victor Bsughman and Colonel
Bur h.nEu Schley also In the race.
The rinlzr, election law which has oeen D fore
fhe axe iUE snhae time seems doomed TO dsirAL
9emoc-aIs. or majority q theu. are indlservnL
The friends Of the Crescent Club say that no matter
finley edcfeztcd they viii keep Up the hEht IN.
I'll In tbs end, with their growing stTenEta, ihey
The tiroe-honored -wsioxn and orphans Of he
corporation attorneys OF Baltimore may confidently
be expected TO Rppear here AZ the state Hou-e
within the next two OF thTee days They vii ap
their proxies. as they always arc wiz s. a hsfi
ron-fseed set Of square Awei mc=i. v no know that
honest prop len OF hem to stand on The aood Of
corp ration plugging bills which have been intro
duced during TIE asl ieW aAYs esIee.Alx IS 80
Felstipg 10 IailwAyS all have The sane genefEi end
IN vew-a iAsr deal for the peopse THIS may b
sabdivided-it means taxation faE the tax-doigerss
Il me Is Discrimination for those who arr d3s-
eliminating. and Il means control BY the StA'c
rather than control Of the State Not long $50 a
cigarette bill beaten ia the Hou~e By question
s6ie r,csns-by Ihc alleged use OF an Ah~uudly small
Of money. II Is doubtful u the railway curTog
atoms can send enough money down herr % An
napolis prevent the passage Of thc majority q
these bills and all Of the most drastic. aimed 81
me Baltimore and ohio rAilruad aud IL saX-ex
emplion privileges. other states have thrown of
this iniolerAbie yoke by the arne raosus clause
inSer Cd IN the Constitution 10 foster infant indus
! 49, HN.aHsa sNH
an octopus. No slch condition 81 zfAirx a. the
present was ever dreamed q. much iess eoniem-
dated The bills introduced BY Mr. shaunou- PAR
ticularly sre terrific weapons They were drawn
by a sure hand. and are Calculated 20 tnske lax
dodg Is irantioay esgsf . Tay tei ss1s y shsy
ing IL is these bills particularly which VIII bring
out the widows aud orphans vail The ise-eentsA
mile bill has dawn some Of the biggest oac4ss IN
the Penasy lvsnia railway 10 Annapolis. aad u -
not Circumstances 20 this new "tniquity
Several yeArs ago perfectly Just Bal was being
attacked ia the abore.indicaied way. The oorpouA-
ton lawyers were allowed 10 harrow The committee
10 their hearts content with thelE vivid pictures Of
me distress 20 fAl upon the poo= widows and or
phAns. IL 50 happened. however. that the friends
81 the bin had prepared themselves for precisely
this thing Al the close OF the argument 90 The
part Of the enemies the friends OF the bill pulled
list on the lawyers aud showed eoneinsiyeiy that
less than n thousand shares Of this great onrpora
lions stock all told. owned by widows and
orphans, and that Of these the widows were ncAriy
again, while the only orphan was Miss Mary Gar
rett
but what viii happen 10 Il In the House Il is i'm
POSSIBLE 70 say Two weeks ago the HAman bill
apparently had less chance Of pASSaEe than u had
had In many years. When the measure finally came
up In the senate IL was discovered that there were
six teen votes At hand IN the measures tAyor OF
HAman bill really Is the UBIQUITOUS measure which
the Eastern Shore Of this state believes that II Is
then inst section Of Maryland should Be devoatly
thankful for the fact that Il has sent able shFewd
men TO the Senate to represent H. For hfeen years
the shore has prevented the passage ofany kind Of
. AaaE ard In through willing.
ne whatever that its representatives conSeate
snvfhing elsa this ssssson: but General seth Sena
tors KirWan, DAstie!, BrewingtoR and Others were
sharp enough that 50 far rs the senate Is
cerned they had reached the end OF their rope.
they talked Of compromise and got It For mt
uority, too they exRcted a great deal when the
features of this new bill considered. II may be
ike but II Is the Haman bill as Esuch Hamlet
would be in that celebrated tragedy with the title
character unavoidAbly absent II is the HAman bin
ia that IL is leasing bill and In nothing else The
execution Of the law, IL passed will be in the hands
Of the oyster people senator pAshielI has saved
Eastern shoremen voted for leasing bill aud some
people may term 1t the Hsman bill. If they find
pleasure in doing, but the Eastern Shoremen
voted wisely and well and they did not belray their
constituents by q block headed opposition which
would have saddled the original measure upon
Thursday night when the compromise bill went
over 70 its third reading. there was only one dis
sentiag vote that of Senator Grifith, Of Calvert
county who made witty, eloquent speech oppos-
ing any leasing bill to the very last You believe
get roads from the passage Of this BILL he said.
sbut don't believe you are going 20 get either.
and I'll vote as i always have against this
amendment" Every oyster eountian on the floor
believed as the Calvert senator believes but were
wise enough 10 recognize the force Of overwheim-
ing strength.
BENZ. p GROUSE
Insurance Con missioner Benjamin r. Grouse re-
ceived high compliment on the foor of the House |
on Tuesday Mr.. Murphy, chairman OF the insur-
auce committee in the course Of his speech on an
insurance bill said that the State now had In- !
surauce Commissioner who WAS OF force
ability and high character. and that his views on
the subject of insurance legislation based
sound Judgment. Mr.. Grouse is very popular here,
and W hen in the State House he is surrounded by
old and friends all Of whom appear glad 10
him.
GEORGE A. SHOWER
Among the most faithful Of the older employees
of the Senate is sergeantatarms George A. Shower
of Carroll county Mr. Shower is of the regu-
lars here and has been connected with the Senate
for several sessions He is popular with ali the
members of the upper house and his close attention
TO his duty makes him an ideal ofieer. He is a
credit 10 his county and honor to the important
position he holds PAUL WINCHESTER.
Ohio Rotten With Bribery.
COLUMBUS, OHIO, March Attorney Gen
eral Wade Fl. Ellis, of Columbus, Ohio, last
i L ~