The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1909-09-04
MORAL ISSUE SUPREME
Senator France ShoS Up Record OF Democratic Ring The
People Are offered The Facts


and occupation OF each OF the proposed
appointees, the actual appointment TO
he made by action OF the Senate"
The Commission recommends that
employees be compelled to report every
day 10 the clerk OF the House and the
Secretary OF the Snatc and paving
them only Tor the days they work
This is simple business method which
would prevent the payment OF gratui-
ties and the payment OF salaries to men
who are at home attending to their
own private affairs while drawing sal
aries from the State as legislative EN-
ploycs.
BY three different acts the Ring leg
islators are on record as being opposed
to this reform. They defeated an or
der introduced into the House by Mr..
Stanford, Democrat, which would have
accomplished this very result, the two
Ring members OF the Commission who
were members OF the House of Dele
gates voting against the order which
would have accomplished what the
commission now recommends. They
defeated an amendment to the appro-
pration bill OF 1908. which amendment
was to the effect that no employe be
paid unless he shall have been duly
appointed and taken the oath to per-
form his duties faithfully and we'll as
provided by the constitution They
even refused to allow that slight con.
troll over the employees which would
have resulted from the legislators
knowing who the legislative employees
were. for on motion Of Senator Cor
man the, Ring Senators, Senators Lee
! aud Linthicum voting with the minor
ity defeated. at the last session, an
order which would have given the
Senators a list OF its own employees.
GRATUITtES GIVEN.
The Commission recommends that
no extra compensation be given or
gratuiticS paid which practice oil vast
ing the public funds was continued at
the sessions OF 1900 and 1909. in spite
of the admonitionS oi Governor War
! field In the same manner another re-
cummendation OF the commission, that
the State House be cleaned BY con-
tract. was rejected, by the same legis-
laturcs. although urged by the Cover
nor's message referred to
The Commission further recommends
that a bill be introduced To secure a
| constitutional amendment to avoid the
needless waste caused by the engrosS-
ing nf all bills by hand and here again
We have a reform which was rejected
by the Ring. in spite OF &c ;ernor War
fields efforts and referring to this
subject III his message OF 1903 he said:
The bill | recommended like others
was laid on the table"
Finally the Commission recommends
| that a bill be introduced to assure the
Employment OF legislative attorney
to Scrutini2c bills for legal defects"
The ring in 1000 defeated an order in
| troduccd by Senator Lee. Democrat
| which would have accomplished this
very purpose
His order provided for non parti-
zan Committee OF five members who
| were. it was understood To be LAWYERS.
'wh" shall have the privilege OF the
floor. and whose Guties il shall be to
Scrutinizc legislation. especially pri-
vatc and local bills and to advise Sena-
tors aS to the contents Of the same"
The object OF the committee thus TO be
| appointed was not only the prevention
| ri errors bat also the slipping through
, oi snakes" The order was defeated.
''''' i-tllAilNNlll anu tIkllS NOllllk
| Tor the measure The Ring opposed
thi, order on the same ground that it
later opposed the printing OF local bills,
reform. which. however. was secured
at the last session through Lee split
ting the majority on the question and
combining with the minority party
Such !, the record oi the Ring on the
reforms now recommended by the
| Commission, Nj OF these reforms have
been rejected in one form or another
| ard some of the Ring members OF the
Commission themselves have voted
| against one or more OF them.
1t i essential that both parties for
mulatc platforms in icvor OF these re-
form measures and that all candidates
be selected only after their past record
and their pre- sent attitude toward these
important measures has been ascer-
| tanned.
The reforms under discussion are
not merely minor improvements i'm
the method OF conducting the public
business for tlcv involve fundamental
moral questions. They are of such
nature that upon his attitude toward
them may be determined any mans
| mental and moral fitness for public
office. The moral issue in them is so
clear that for a political orfianization
| to be recorded as opposed to them.
! after the moral issue had been point
| ed out. reveals the political untrust-
worthincSS oi its leaders. To be re-
corded against these reform measures,
which were rejected by The Demo-
cratic Ring is Ia be recorded in favor
oi dishonest and fraudulent practices