The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-07-28
SIX CONSTITUTIONAL !
AMENDMENTS THIS FALL
Brief Summary of Their Provisions
If Approved by Voters.

ments to the State Constitution VOL
ed on at the coming fall election,
and the ballot, consequently, Will
be unusually large. GOV. Colds
borough issued his proclamation last
week.
The amendments provide Tor
change in the method OF condemn
ing property for public use in Bal
timore; for printing bills for the
signature of the Governor instead
of engroSsing them as now requlf-
ed; for the election of an addition
al associate judge in the Third Ju-
dicial Circuit, composed OF Baltl-
more and Hartford counties: for
the enactment of law allowing the
vote seller to be excused and put
ting the penalty for election bril-
berry upon the vote buyer; for fix
ing the salary OF the States Attor-
ney of Baltimore city at $4,000 an
nually, that of his deputy at S4,-
900, and allowing him such other
assistants at salaries of not more
than $4,000, as the Supreme Bench
may determine; and for authoriz-
ing the appointment of deputies to
the Acknowledgement by the Legis-
lature.
The amendment changing the
method of condemning property in
Baltimore city provides that for
condemnation on behalf of the city
or State, the Legislature may en-
act laws for the appointment of APP
praisers by the court, upon whose
valuation property may be taken.
Should a jury grant the party
from whom the property is taken
a higher sum than that of the ap-
praisers, the difference also must
be paid. But the property may be
taken by the city or State imme-
diately upon decision by the APP
praisers. The purpose of the
amendment is to expedite condem-
nation proceedings.
The purpose of the amendment
allowing bills to be printed for the
of the Governor is to
facilitate the clerical work of the
Legislature and also to lessen the
for chicanery and fraud
in the passage of legislation.
Previously, the engrossing of bills
particularly toward the close of the
session, was monumental task
and clogged the work of the Legis-
lature That condition furnished
one of the chief aids to lobbyists
and corruptionists who desired to
change bills after their passage and
before signature by the Governor
and has been a continual source
of scandal.
The amendment giving an addi-
tional Judge for Baltimore and Har-
ford counties arises from the ire
mendous increase in the court work
OF Baltimore county following the.
suburban expansion.
The amendment allowing the
penalty for bribery to be put n
the vote-buyer alone is generally
credited to the Progressive Demo-
cratic leaders They contended
that so long as the rich interests
could buy the votes of poor men
without punishment, there could be
no complete stamping out of bril-.
berry. They also contended that
the vote buyers were the more
culpable; and that if the penalty
were removed from the seller, it
would be possible to ascertain and
convict the buyer.
The increase in salaries in the
States Attorneys office in Balti-
more explains itself; the authority
of the Legislature to give the At
torney-General deputies raises from
the demand for abolition of sepa-
rate counsel to the various State
boards and for Capitalization of
the States legal department. This
is in the interest of efficiency and
economy, it was claimed.-The Sun.