Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-01-10
s.rnH GOVERNORS ADDRESS.

ministration. Of course, be is a party
man, and will be expected to appoint
only paItisans of his own party to
Office, but of this the people should
not complain, for, being elected a
partisan Democrat, nothing should be
expected Of him in matters of APP
pointment but that be will appoint
bis own party followers. In this,
however, he can serve his party and
at the same time not outrage the
people. He can select for office from
bis own party the highest type Of
good citizenship-men of intelligence
and good judgment-to fill all the
Offices he has to fill, and now, from
his inaugural declarations, it is but
fair to presume that such will be
done.
His whole speech, with the exeep-
ton of his disfranchising proposition,
has the ring Of a man bent on good
purposes, and if he lives up to them
be will close bis administration with
popular approvalas warm and sincere
as that which is everywhere shower
ed upon ex-Gov. Warfeld.
His inaugural speech was the en-
bodiment of five propositions which
we most heartily endorse: A prac-
teal corrupt practice act primary
election law for the whole State an
amendment to our election law so
that the intent Of the voter will
count; further testing of the Ha-
man oyster law, and an appropriation
to improve our public highways.
They are all progressive propositions
and if enacted into laws, and the
laws enacted carried into practical
effect, will rebound to the great good
of the State.
On these subjects the Governors
declarations are concise and en-
phatic and tear all the earmarks of
determination. Here is practically
what he said;
The evils of bribery in its various
forms at elections are, in my judgment,
the most serious with which we have to
ieai. No effort should be spared to
to stamp ont this specie. of corruption.
Let us cut this evil practice up by the
very roots and cast it out wholly and
forever from our Commonwealth, so
that cur elections may be unblemished
and pure. To accomplish this, l re-
spectfully urge upon the members of
the General Assembly with all the ear
in my power the enactment of
the most effective anti-bribery and cor
rupt practices legislation which exper-
fence and reflection have developed up
to the present time.
The sentiment and demand which ex-
ist throughout the State for honest and
fair primary elections can no
longer and ought not to be ignored, and
assume that none Of us ear
fail to feel it his bounden duty to co
operate in the enactment of a primary
election law for the whole State, which
shall provide that aspirants for elective
offices shall have the right to submit
their respective candidates. to the d.
rect vote Of the people, and which shall
provide that candidates for the United
States Senate may submit their claims
to the people of the State at primary
elections, aud that all such elections
shall be surrounded with every legal
safeguard which can contribute to make
them thoroughly free, fair, honest and
trustworthy.
The provision that slight extension
of the cross-mark beyond the side of the
square upon the ballot shall inyalidat.
the ballot should be modified so as tt
prevent the rejection of the ballots il
the count to the extent which has exist
ed in recent elections.
l am also earnestly in accord with tn
opinion expressed by the Democracy il
its recent platform, that the fullest op
portunity should be given for puttinI
the oyster-eulture law Of 1906 into com
plete, practical operation, and that Their
should be no attempt Of any sort to de
stroy or weaken its efficiency.
reassert here and now those purposes
and, as the first and most importan
step in their accomplishment, a system
of good roads, ramifying uniforml
through every section of the State
should be established. We should tax
this up as a prime object Of our polio
and we should consummate it as thor
oughIy and expeditiously as possible
There is no reason why th
state, which is now out of debt, shout
not issue bonds to defray the immediat
expenses of such a scheme of public in
provements. The issuance Q
such bonds would not really impose an
substantial burden of taxation upon tn
people, because the improvements then
selves, traversing every part of tn
State, would soon enhance the value {
property that there would practically b
no additional burden by way of take
upon anybody.