Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
MARYLAND HIGHWAYS
Plan to Spend SIS, 900, 900 on
Road Improvement.
SUGGESTING A BOND ISSUE
Question Of How the Work Shall Be
Mapped Out.
STRUGGLES OF THE LIQUOR MEN
Measure Aiming at the Exaction of
Fees by Christian Science
Practitioners.
SUGGESTING A BOND ISSUE
TRUGGLES OF THE LIQUOR MEN
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
ANNAPOLIS, February .. 1908.
Definite plans for the construction of a
system of good roads at state expense
took shape at Maryland's capitol this
week. Heretofore there has been no di-
vision of sentiment on the question Of
any consequence: the proposal that 3d.
COO coo be expended by the commonwealth
for the purpose of constructing highways
having met with unquestioned approval
The difference of opinion between those
who favor raising the money by direct
taxes and those who favor bond issue oc-
cupied the attention of the leaders for a
brief time, but the bond issue proposition
was adopted without any struggle worthy
of the name.
A real conflict. however, now seems in
prospect. 1t concerns the character o.
the commission which will have charge
OF the work. Two good roads bills have
been introduced radically different in
respect to agencies designed to carry
out the states purpose to provide better
highways. A bill introduced by Senator
Btddison provides unpaid commission
to map out system of roads, turn over
report to the state geological survey
and then allow the survey to take charge
of supervising the work of construction.
Another bill introduced by ex-Speaker
Benson of the house of delegates provides
paid commission to take charge not
only of the work of selecting The routes
to be followed by the proposed roads, but
their construction as well.
Only Major Roads.
The Maryland geological survey is
commission composed of the governor,
the controller. the president of Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore and the
president of the Maryland Agricultural
College, commission which has done
excellent work through it's superintendent,
DR.. William Bullock Clark, and its chief
engineer, Walter w. Crosby, in map
making and in assisting the counties to
build roads under the provisions of the
Shoemaker law, which provides for state
aid in county road projects. 1t is not
the purpose of the advocates of state
road system to interfere In any way with
the operations of the Shoemaker law
in so far as it applies to the minor roads.
which will be continued to be built at
the joint expense of county and state,
uEder the supervision of the geological
survey, whichever method of construct
Ing the state road system is adopted.
Ex-Speaker Benson and his supporters.
however, contend that the work Of map
ping out state system of roads is too
vast an undertaking to impose upon the
state geological survey, whose members,
as given above, are men who have little
time for their work. They rarely hold
meetings and leave much of the respon-
sibility in the hands of the superintendent
and chief engineer
Anti-Saloon Fight.
Two large delegations came to Annap-
oils this week to oppose the Anti-Saloon
League bill. One was that of the Retail
Liquor Dealers Association and the other
1000 German-American citizens of Balti-
more. Their visits did not solve the rid
die that confronts not few legislators,
How shall / vote on this question when
I have to vote on it?'' There is no doubt
sion. but there is still no doubt that some
of those upon whom the impression was
made are hoping that the temperance
committee will find some way to retain
the bill and save them the embarrass-
ment of voting upon 1t. This hope is flu
ported next week without recommends
ton. A vote taken this week to defer I'M
til Tuesday the consideration of the order
to require the temperance committee to
make a report Wednesday cannot be
taken as a test of strength between the
forces of the local option advocates and
the "antis." 1t was merely an expression
| Of courtesy on the part of a majority of
| the members of the legislature to the
chairman of the temperance committee,
Immediately after the hearing of the
retail liquor dealers the house commit
| tee on ways and means held a meeting to
consider the Baltimore city high license
bill. which provides for an increase of IL
cense from the present rate, $3.50 year.
| to $500 the first. $3.50 the second and
| 81 Geo the third year. The committee dis
cussed and rejected several amendments
to the bill and decided to favorably report
1t. 1t was promptly passed by the house
without opposition.
The amendments rejected by the house
| ways and means committee provided a
| lower license for clubs and for grocers
| who sold liquors than for saloons and al
lowed clubs to sell liquor on Sunday un-
der the same restrictions that are en-
| forced against hotels These amend
| ments. or at least those providing low
| err license for clubs and grocers, have
sufficient support among the senators to
encourage their advocates in the belief
that they will prevail.
Corrupt Practices Bill.
caucus was held by the democrats
| this week on the corrupt practices bill.
| resulting In the adoption Of twentythree
amendments, all of which, with the ex-
| ception of one, were submitted by the au-
| thor of the bill, Senator J. Frank Harper
| Of Queen Anne county, and all of which
aroused little more interest than the bill
does itself.
1t. is realized that the democrats are
under pledge to pass a corrupt practices
act at this session and that they will
fulfill that pledge. Concerning the pro-
visions of the proposed act there has
| been very little curiosity, and attendance
| at the caucus and concurrence in its de-
| crees were duties performed by many in
| a perfunctory manner. Senator Lee had
an amendment adopted permitting the
sending of conveyances to voters to come
to the polls who were unable to come
| without them Another amendment
| adopted was one that provided for a trial
| By jury instead of making it exclusively
| trial by the court In cases where a de-
| feated candidate filed petition in court
| for the purpose of having the election of
| his opponent declared void on the ground
of corrupt practices.
Strikes Christian Science.
The house this week passed a bill pro-
| hibiting Christian Science :e&.ers charg-
| ing for their services. The senate has
passed bill prohibiting the importation
| Of diseased cattle into the state. Ex-