Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-08
.D0|NCS At ANNAPOLIS
Discussion Over the Proposed
Potomac Oyster Law.
APATHY OVER URGENT BILL
Corrupt Practices Act Creates Little
Interest.
CONFUSION OVER GOOD ROADS
Christian Scientists Object to Being
Debarred From Charging for
Their Services.
Special Correspondence OF Tho Star.

land enacts the Potomac river oyster
legislation that has already been enacted
by the legislature of Virginia as the re-
suit of a visit of Maryland lawmakers to
the capitol at Richmond it will ascertain
from the attorney general his opinion as
must remain operative until repealed by
both states President Seth of the Mary
land senate has raised the contention that
the laws, if enacted by Maryland, will be
in the nature of an iIrepealable contract.
Gen. Seth objects to the feature insisted
upon by Virginia, which allows the TAX
ing of seed oysters from the river above
d line drawn from Colonial Beach to
Swami Point. One of the proposed laws
is a very rigid Gull law for that portion of
the river below the line mentioned and
the other law regulating the taking of
seed oysters above the line. Virsinia's
contention concerning seed oysters has
some active supporters in the Maryland
legislature.
Christian Science Bill.
United States Senator William Pnkney
Whyte and Representative Sydney +.
Mudd were among the visitors o Annapolis
this week. The former appeared as counsel
for Christian Scientists in opposition to
bill prohibiting the practice of healing for
pay by those who have not taken the
state medical examination. This bill
would not prevent Christian Scientists
from practicing healing. but it would pre-
vent them charging for their services.
The measure passed the house with com
MAJ senate
committee on sanitary conditions. Sen
ator Whyte argued that the bill was an
infringement of religious rights as guar
anteed by the constitution and bill of
rights of the state. and advocated ar
amendment as follows: Nothing in this
act shall be construed to prohibit the
practice of religious tenets or general be-
lief of any church whatever not prescrib-
ing medicine or administering drugs"
Representative Mudd's mission. as an
nounced. was to consult as to the en-
actment of a road law for Charles county.
No other object of his visit was disclosed.
Caucus amendments to Senator Har-
per's corrupt practices act were adopted
by the senate this week with as little
manifestation of interest in the proceed
ings by the legislators as il they were
voting upon a bill to amend county
fish law The most important amend
ment is one which originated with Sena-
tor Blair Lee. and provides jury trial
in contests seeking 10 make an election
void in case of corruption. A corrupt
practices act and primary election law
were promised in the democratic platform
Of the state. After remaining in commit
tee until this week the corrupt practices
act Is now in such shape. with caucus
Endorsement that 1t will be speedily
passed. The primary election law seems
to be sleeping, as are also other lmpor-
tant measures. No action was taken this
week on the measure to revise the cor
poration laws of the state. the bills in
the interest OF oyster culture nor any
of the bills intended to increase Baltimore
city representation in the legislature.
Good Roads Outlook.
Some, progress was made toward a So
luton of the dfnculty which has arisen
on account of the presentation of genera!
road bills embodying conflicting ideas.
Ex-Speaker Benson's bill providing for
paid commission has been passed by
the house, and there is no doubt that
Senator Blodson's bill, putting the con-
struction of the work in the hands of the
state geological survey. will be passed by
the senate. The contest between tie ad-
vocates of the two propositions has been
earnest, Gov. Crothers being d supporter
of the Benson idea: but an adjustment
of differences i'm conference is expected.
Several attempts were made in the house
to amend the Benson bill by require
ments directing distribution of eXpendi-
lures among the counties. but all were
defeated. One of these was offered by
Mr. Oliver Metzerott OF Prince George
county, and was to the effect that the
commission should be compelled to eN-
pend in a county an amount proportionate
to the road mileage of the county.
The prospects of the passage of the
lay h2y hate flo
terest by counties in county road leSisla-
ton. and new law for Montgomery
county introduced by Mr. Preston Ray.
will probably be passed next week nav
ing been amended by the senate only in
minor particulars. 1t provides oppOr
tunity for election districts to call upon
the county to issue bonds for construction
of roads in the respective districts and
to levy upon the districts for taxes to
pay the interest of the bc.,ds.
The house of delegates killed this week
the bill providing for an increase of sal
aries of the judges of the court OF APP
peals Of Maryland from $1,000 to $4,000
a year. Despite the fact that Maryland
pays its jurists much less than the ma
iority of other states there is much SEN
timent against the increase. as there is
also against the system of pensioning
Judges. An effort TO repeal the judges
pension bill was defeated by a close
margin at the last session. Mr.. Andrew
j,
the fight on the bill to increase judges
salaries, and he was seconded by MIR.
Ray of the same county and Mr.. Oliver
Metzerott of Prince George.
Jim Grow Cars.
Senator Clagett succeeded this week in
getting his proposition to amendl the Jim
Crow law in such shape that its passage
is probable. Mr.. Clagett's proposition in
it's present form is to require railroads
operating in Anne Arundel, ST. Mary,
Charles, Calvert and Prince George coun-
ties to provide separate cars instead of
separate compartments for white and
colored passengers. Elsewhere in the
state the provisions of the present law
which permit a separate compartment 20
be regarded as a compliance with it's ou-
ject are not changed Senator Linthicum
of Baltimore city is the author of a bill
to require interurban electric railways on
cars running three miles outside of a
large city to ssgregate white and col
ored passengers. In the discussion of
Senator Clagetts Jim Crow PROPOSE
ton Senator Greenwich of ST. Mary
county made a remarkably frank allusion
to the purposes of the democrats In ad-
vocating the disfrancnising amendment
I'VE are about to take from the negroes
in lorc