Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-03-23
MARYLAND
LEGISLATURE
A Bill 10 Permit Use Of Voting
Machines. Democrats Favor
New Road Commission

President Price, Of the Senate has IT.
troduced bill permitting Election Su-
pervisors to use voting machines in one
or more precints. The bill is designed
to afford an opportunity to test the use
Of these machines. There has been
complaint for years about the long delay
in getting election returns in this State
and the large expense Of counting. The
voting machine shows at the closing Of
the polls the exact vote that each can
didate has received and so the result in
any precinct is known instantly. The
main obstacle which has been urged
against the machines is their high cost
But it is said that considerable expense
is also avoided by their use the print
ing of ballots and in a smaller number
of election officers. There was exhibit
ed the other day newly patented
voting machine. which is said to be far
less costly than any now in use and with
the advantage Of simplicity.
Tuesday night the Senate by a vote Of
- TO ~ passed its third reading and final
message a measure increasing the
salaries of the associate judges in the
State from $500, the present rate
Of pay. to 81, 200. The new figure was
a compromise arranged by Senator Ben
son. who has been fighting for salary
Of 81. 500 for the associate judges. There
was considerable debate over the con-
stitutionality of the measur, Senator
Harper taking decided stand against
it, but in the end the idea Of liberality
to the judges prevailed.
Senator Dodson presented a petition
signed by $40 citizens and taxpayers Of
Talbot coutny protesting against the
appointment of road engineer for
Talbot county, which was referred TO
the Committee on Roads and Highways.
The Democratic Senators met in con-
ference and for more than two hours
considered Governor Goldsborough's
interview in The Sun. in which he de-
clared against the passage of any road
bill stripping him of his power to appoint
the roads commissioners. While sew
eral Of the senators, headed by Senator
Goslin, who has introduced road loan
bill which has the support of the Cover
nor, urged that the Legislature merely
make the appropriation and allow the
Governor to name the commission, a
majority of the Senators opposed such
a course and held that the Legislature
in making the appropriation should name
the commissioners. This majority is in
favor Of the bill which was adopted in
conference on Monday night and which
names as commissioners DR.. Ira Rem
sen and Messrs. 0. +. Weller. Francis
NJ. Hutton and Thomas Perry.
The most interesting feature in Sena-
tor Bosley's ballot bill is that which re-
stricts party designations TO a single
work. The bill is for a public general
law and applies TO the entire State. ex-
cept the six remaining Wilson law coun-
ties. II the bill should pass. then
candidate could not go on the official
ballot as an Independent Democrat"
or an independent Republican. or as
Progressive Democrat. or with any
other DESIGNATION recurring more than "A
single word. II is Senator Bosley's idea
that complicated or double party desig-
nations produce confusion, as was alleged
was done in the Bruno ballots in Balti-
more last fall. Mr.. Bruno going on the
ballot as a Progressive Democrat.
As was stated in The Sun Wednesday
morning Mr.. Bosley's bill takes Dor
chester and Queen Anne's counties out