Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-08-19

"The work of construction
and improvement of our public
roads already so we'll begun
should be steadily kept up un-
til, as the result of regular and
judicious expenditure, there
shall exist in Maryland a sys-
tenn of public roads as good as
that to be found in any of our
sister states. ~+
Senator German WROTE
THAT PLANK and by his in
fluence it was put into the
party platform. The subse-
quent work on road improve
ment was its outcome. As
chairman Of the Finance Com
mittee Senator German held a
place of great power. In that
place he was ever faithful to
his people and stood firmly
against all demands for appro-
priations which where not well
and completely justified. And
the record will show it.
More than this in order to af.
ford some relief to the heavily
taxed property-owners Senator
German considered it no more
than just to put a larger pro-
portion of the burden upon the
more wealthy corporations. He
introduced and had enacted
a bill which increased by 90
per cent. the tax upon the
gross receipts of railroads earn
ing over 81 900 per mile. This
increase made a large addition
to the revenues of the State
amounting to over $500 a
year.
But the largest measure of
relief to the taxpayers of Mary
land grew out of the investiga-
ton of the Baltimore x Ohio
Railroad Company. The State
owned $500 shares of the CAPT
tai stock of the Washington
Branch of the par value of
$3.50, 900. Since the failure of
the road in 1896 the Washing
ton Branch had ceased to pay
dividends, although Senator
German was convinced that
dividends were earned and that
the State was not being fairly
treated. He therefore intro
duced resolutions appointing
a Joint committee of the Leg
islature to investigate the
earnings of the Washington
Branch. He took a promi-
nent part in the investigation
that followed and the result
of it was that the railroad
company paid the State 81
500, 900 for an unproductive
asset. That sale cancelled
81, 800, 900 of the States debt
and the people were relieved
of the annual tax for interest
and sinking fund. They owe
that relief to Senator German S
Investigation.
In the Senate, Mr.. German
was the author of the primary
election law of 1908, being the
first law for a legalized pri-
mary in the counties ever pass
ed by the Maryland Legislature.
The best evidence of the
value of Mr.. Germans services
in the Senate next to the record
is the testimony of a careful
and ever observant eve witness
we have in the Baltimore Suns
Annapolis correspondent. We
find the following estimate of
Mr.. Germans work at Annap-
oils in a dispatch to the Sun,
referring to the railroad inves-
tigation.
From the first move in the
affair down to the present time
Senator German, Jr., has pur-
sued his course with admirable
judgment and self poise and
without any suspicion of ute
rior or improper motives and
without any faint of politics
One of the conspicuous features
of Mr.. Germans character is
his intense earnestness. When
he undertakes anything he
does it with all his might
and with singleness and hon
esty of purpose. To this is to
be attributed largely his sue
cess at this session of the Legis-
lature. He has made some
mistakes here but upon the
whole his record is good. His
introduction of a drastic and
effective corrupt practises act
and advocacv of chauOae in