Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-29
CHANGING ELECTION LAWS
New Tax Rate Fixed at 16 Cents
on 100 Dollars.
GENERAL GOOD ROADS BILL
Expected to Receive the Governor S
Signature This Week-Commis-
sion Not Yet Named.
Special Correspondence of The Star.


news with greater satisfa ction this week
than that Senator John Walter Smith had
been seated at Washington. which they
interpreted to mean that the prospects OF
an extra session have disappeared While
Gov. Crothers had expressed the view that
it would be better to allow Maryland to
be unrepresented than to go to the eX-
pense of holding an extra session, con-
trary opinions We're plentiful. and Sena-
tor German was among those who dls-
agreed with the governor and held that
If an extra session were necessary TO Sc
cure a senator an extra session should be
held regardless of expense. The victory
won by Senator Rayner over Senator Bur
rows is great relief to the Maryland
democrats, who contended for the right
to elect a successor to Senator William
Pinkney Whytc on the only Tuesday re-
naming to them in the present session
of the general assembly. which comes Ia
an end under constitutional provision
Monday at midnight. and they are san
guine in the belief that Smith Will not De
unseated.
The course of the republicans was large
ly due to the counsels of Representative
Sydney Mudd. who has been in Annapo-
lis the greater part of the week. Ihey
refrained from participating in the bal
loting, but took no steps to question the
credentials issued to the senator-elect.
Representative Mudd's advice is commend
ed by many of his party associates. who
realize that an attack on Senator Smith s
credentials would give democrats an op-
portunity to throw blame for an extra
session upon the republicans
Extending Wilson Law.
The republicans made futile fights in
both houses this week against the bills
to extend the Wilson law providing an
arbitrarily arranged ballot for certain
countless to two other counties in the
state, and the bill that abolishes the re-
quirements that copy of the form or
ballot be published in newspapers in the
Wilson law counties. The democrats
did not waste any time in arguments.
They allowed the republicans to do most
of the talking and cast their votes in a
perfunctory manner. Not few who are
personally opposed to the Wilson system
were among those who voted for its eX-
tension. The principal point scored by
the republicans was in getting Senator
Harper. democrat. of Queen Anne county,
to admit that he subordinated his per-
sonal opinions to the demand of the peo-
pie of his county, Queen Anne being one
of the counties to which the law has been
extended. >The other is Dorchester, a
county now represented by republicans.
Senator Harper is one Of the democrats
who have convictions of their own which
they are unwilling to surrender to party
dictates. 1t was he who led the fight
against Senator German this week to
substitute the Baltimore primary law a
general law for the state for the halfway
measure fathered by the Howard county
statesman. With republican support he
beat German in the skirmish. and brought
about a situation which led to a COM
promise. However. even though Gov.
Crothers took sides with the' element in
the party represented by Senator Harper
and the Baltimore city democrats, as
against German. the democratic senators
voted down the plan to nominate state
officers by direct votes as one which Will
give Baltimore city too large an influence
in shaping nominations.
State Tax Rate.
Legislation making appropriations and
fixing the state tax rate is we'll under
way. Schools and charitable institutions
receive liberal aid. but few increases have
been allowed BY far the largest single
appropriation in the general appropriation
bills Is that of $50 900 for completing the
buildings at the Maryland tuberculosis
Sanitarium in the Blue Ridge mountains
and $4,000 more to support 1t two years
Senator Lee endeavored to have in
crease of $4,000 year in the money
placed at the disposal Of the live stock
sanitary board for the destruction of
tubercuous dairy cattle, but did not sue
coed. The live stock sanitary board will
receive $4,000 a year. but this sum is to
be used for other purposes besides ex-
terminating diseased cattle The state
tax rate will remain at the present fig
ure. ID cents on the hundred dollars.
Heretofore In the past two years this levy
has been used entirely for schools In the
next year cents and in the succeeding
year 31a cents will be used for interest on
the roads loan. Tie financiers OF the
state say, however, that the money spent
for education will not be reduced and
that sufficient will be taken out OF the
general treasury to make up the reduc-
ton in the school tax.
Big Road Loan.
The 100000 road loan bill received the
signature of the governor this week. but
Gov. Crothers will not appoint the com
mission which it provides until after the
session. The republicans, who de-
nounced the bill in It's original shape as
pernicious and intended to build up a
political machine, voted for it. explaining
that the amendments had improved the
measure. Baltimore city was extricated
from the dilemma in which it found itself
last week by Senator Germans opposition
TO an amendment protecting the city's
interests with regard to control of electric
railways on turnpikes and the pledge that
bound all democratic senators to support
any one OF them In opposition to any
amendment not agreed upon In confer
ence. An amendment was prepared pre-
serving Baltimore cttys claim to future
taxes on the receipts of railway compa-
MES on pixies to be improved by the state
and turned over TO the city. which was
acceptable to the United Railways Com.
pany. and Senator German withdrew his
opposition.
The passage of the general roads bill
Gid not check appropriations for state
roads constructed under special acts.
Fifty-eight thousand dollars year for
each of three years was voted toward the
completion of the highway between Baltl-
more and Washington, and .oO year
for each of three years for a state high
way on the lower portion of the eastern
shore to run from the Delaware state line
to the Virginia state line. There was
some opposition to the latter expenditure
but ii received the unanimous indorse-
ment of the senate by reason of the
promise of the author of the bill to help
southern Maryland's claims to help in
road building.
Automobile Tax.
Senator Lees bill to impose a yearly
license ranging from S3 to Sl2 on auto
mobiles. and to give the greater part OF
the license on automobilists driving out
from Washington to Montgomery and
Prince George counties was amended SC
as 10 require all the licenses to be paid
into the state treasury. Senator Lee voted
with the minority which desired to lay
the bill on the table after his plan to
distribute revenues to the counties was
altered and the bill. which is not vet