Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-10-27
PROPOSED CHANGES
IN STATE CONSTITUTION
Six Amendments to State COnsti-
tuition to be Voted on.
DO AWAY WITH EXERCISING.
Bills To be Printed and Sole Penalty
for Bribery Rests Upon Those
Who Paw.

Wn0 ray.
Six amendments to the Constitu-
tion of Maryland will be voted on at
the coming general election Novem
Der 4, besides the various candidates.
These amendments will appear at the
bottom Of the official list in Balti-
more city and each county Of the
State.
After a statement of the purport of
each amendment will come 10 spaces,
one in which a vote may be cast for
its adoption and one in which a vote
may be cast for its rejection. A
study of these amendments is i'm per-
alive so that the voter can take intel
ligent action at the polls. Below is
given detail explanation Of each
amendment:
The fret one is aimed to expedite
condemnation proce edings 1t is pre-
scented to the people for adoption be-
cause in the past there have been de-
lays in obtaining property for public
purposes which sometimes have cost
a great deal of money and other times
have been a serious Inconvenience to
| the public. In no way will the
adoption of the proposed amendment
impair the rights of the private prop
erty holder.
1t provides that the Legislature
may pass laws to this end. That the
courts in Baltimore city may appoint
appraisers, who shall fix valuati IN
on any property that is wanted by
| the city or che State and which is
located in Baltimore city, and that
thereupon the city or the State, as
the case may be, ca take the prop
erty.
But the laws to be passed must pro-
vide that if the owner of the property
is not satisfied with the valuation
fixed by the appraisers, he may APP
peal to a jury In case the Jury
awards higher price for the prop
erty than fixed by the appraisers,
the difference must be paid by the
city or the State, as the case may be,
TO the owner. In case the jury
awards lower price than that fixed
by the appraisers, the city or state
does not get back the differ renee.
| The appraisers valuation stands.
So that in an appeal to jury from
| the appraisers valuation the private
| property owner has all to gain and
nothing TO lose
The second amen iment-thqt Of
authorize the Legislature to print
bills instead of engrossing them by
hand, as a presents intended TO
facilitate the work of the Legisla-
ture, to prevent errors, to Lessen it's
| expenses and to remove one of the
| greatest opportunities for trickery in
the enactment of laws.
In engrossing bills by hand, as is
done now, the physical labor is so
great that when rushes come it is
difficult. and sometimes practically
impossible, to get the work out. This
binders the proceedings OF the Legis-
lature. In addition, the piling up of
work during these rushes leads to
errors. Moreover, as these rushes
come in spots, it is often necessary
to employ extra men-so that there
are quiet times when the regular
force is not kept going and rush
times when more men must be had.
This, of course, is wssteful. Lastly,
the congestion in the work due to the
rushes offers the opportunity for the
insertion in bills Ct snakes" for
changing bills and for stealing them.
The third amendment, providing
for an additional associate Judge in
the Third Judicial Circuit, composed
of Baltimore and Hartford counties,
is proposed because it is said that the
court work in the district has gotten
too he avy for the present bench to
handle. This is said to be due to the
enormous development of Baltimore
county and the consequent incre ase
in the business of the court at Tow
son.
The fourth amendment explains
itself. 1t arises from the idea that
the only way to stop election bribery
is to take away the penalty from the
D lor man who sells his vote and put
it upon the rich man or his agent
who buys it. This plan is one of Blair
Lees ideas. 1t goes the limit in an
effort to obtain an effectual law by
providing that the legislature may
not only take the penalty off the vote
seller. but may allow him t. inform
and receive half of any fine imposed.
The fifth amendment, increasing
the salary of the States Attorney
in Baltimore city and his force, sub
stitutes salary of SIS, 400 for one Of
| $4,000 fol the States Attorney a
/ salary of $4,000 for one of 1000
for his deputy and salaries of 81, 500
| for the assist ants. 1t also provides
that the number of assistants shall
be determined by the Supre me Bench.
All are to be paid from the fees of
| the Office.
The sixth and last amendment,
providing for assistants to the At
torney- General, is intended to con-
centrate the law department Of the
State under one head. This depart
ment is TO advise all the other deparC-
ments of the State on legal matters.