The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-02-17
NUMBER 81

result some have been obliged to go
into debt. The hearings before the
Finance and Ways and Means commit
tees brought these conditions to light.
Now it is proposed to make even
further reductions, reductions which
would actually cripple some of them,
and yet not word is heard about abol-
ishing the departments that might well
be spared.
When men and women of standing IN
the state, who devote much of their
time to improving the physical, moral
and mental conditions of their fellow
beings, call upon the state to aid them
in their laudabe undertakings, they
should be given every encouragement.
One of the ladies who appeared in be-
half of an institution which is engaged
in making useful citizens of incorrigible
boys without sending them to reforma-
tories, and who demonstrated very
clearly the effectiveness of theIwork
already done, stated that the 9benefit
derived by the state could not be
measured by dollars. And .she was
right.
When therefore it, has come to- pass
that such Institutions, and there are
many others of equal worth. must sus-
pend or even curtail operations because
the state treasury cannot stand the
drain, it is time that political expeden-
cy be made a secondary consideration
and few cents be added to the state
tax rate.
1t is argued that there are institutions
not entitled to assistance and that the
money they receive is not expended jul
diciously. This may be true, ,but;the
treasury could be protected if bill like
that introduced by Senator German was
enacted into law. The state could well
afford to pay an inspector whose sole
duty should be to investigate 1.-THE ac-
counts Of all institutions.r receiving state
aid and determine the uses to which the
money is put. He could report hisafnd
ings to the next legislature, which would
then be guided in making appropra-
tions.
There is still talk .of7tinkering,with
the election laws so as to make,voting
more difficult for Republicans. The ex-
tension of the Wilson law to Baltimore
is favored by some of the most daring
politicians in the city, but the leaders
are fearful of the result. They. would
not dare to practice the tricks the East
ern Shore politicians have found effec-'
tive and if all voters were placedson an
equal footing, the ballot being fair I'M
der the law, the Democrats might lose
as many votes as the Republicans.
The latest scheme is to bag the con-
/ gressmen in the First:and Fifth! districts
by combining the state and congression-
al elections. The Prices amendment to
the Constitution empowering, the.Gen-
eral Assembly to fix the time for cleo
lions would, if passed, make.this posi-
bic. 1t is not so easy now, even BY US
ing trick folds, to defeat the Republican
candidate for Congress. especially in an
off year or when only one cross-mark is
/ required, if, however, the names can be
switched between the many others in
the state ticket, Charles countrywide
would render 1t easy for Democrats to
return their candidate.
A multiplicity of amendments on the
ballot at the next stated election would
help to put the scheme Through; that is
to say, in the counties affected, but it is
not likely that the great number of in
dependents in the city and Western
Maryland would consent to such an
amalgatiOn. 1t is also intimated that
another Acknowledgement amendment
may be put to the voters with.the hope
the illiterates in Southern and Eastern
MARYLAND will be unable to single this
out from the many others
The Frederick county schemers who
have sought to induce other party men
in the General Assembly to deprive the
Republicans of the county patronage
failed in their mission. They could not
find party man who would introduce
the bills they wanted passed. and even
had they succeeded, the Governor would
undoubtedly have interposed a veto.
He does not believe in executive or leg
islative interference in affairs purely
local.
Leaving the Farm.