Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1914-01-20
NUMBER OF NOTARIES
MAY BE UNLIMITED
Governor Urges Legislation in
Message Today
STATE SOLONS RE-CONVENE.
Executive Also Suggests Measure To
Conform With Resolution on
Election OF u S. Senators.

ter an adjournment 81 ice last Thurs
day. Twelve O'Clock was the hour
set for the NEE tinRs, but il was well
on towards o'clock before President
Price, of the Senate, and Speaker
Trippe. of the H ,use. called the re-
spective bodies to order.
There was very little business for
either house to transact, however,
owing to the fact that the appoin t
ment of committees had not been
made. The two houses had been 10
session but a few minutes before
Gcverncr Goldsborough, through So
retary of State Graham, delive red
two messages.
One related to a joint resolution of
Congress proposing an amendment to
the Constitution providing for the
election Of Senators by the people If
the several states, while the other is
in conection with removing all limita-
tions as to the appointment of no
taries public by the Governor. The
message in regard to the election Of
Senators reads:
81 am herewith transmitting for
the consideration of the General AS
sembly of Maryland a copy of the
Joint resolution of Congress, propOs-
ing an amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States, providing
that Senators shall be elected by
the people of the several states.
This certification was submitted too
late for the consideration of the
last General Assembly. 1t is, of
,urse. desirable that such action
be taken looking towards the ap-
proval or disapproval of the same, as
in the judgment of the General AS
sembly shall be deemed per.
"In this connection however, il may
be we'll to call Your attention to the
fact that the required number Of
states have notified the State Depart
ment of their ratification of this
amendment, and the proclamation of
the Secretary of State Of the United
States has been issued declaring the
seventeenth amendment to the Con-
stitution adopted and of full force
and effect, and while you are consid-
ering granting or withholding this
States approval of the same, it may
bs well to take such action as you
may deem wise towards effectuating
the purposes of this amendment and
so amend the election laws and pri-
mary laws as will best enable the
people of the State to make their
choice of United States Senators.
Relative to the limitations on ap-
pointment of notar les public, the
Governor says
81 desire TO submit for the early
consideration of your honorable body
the following.
"rhe Constitution of Maryland
gives to the Goveror the power TO ap-
point notaries public, leaving to the
General Assembly the right of defin-
in their powers and rights, together
with the duty of prescribing the man
ner of their appointment. There is a
tendency to increase the demand for
the services of such officers and a dis
position to take them out of a class
of political appointments, and TO
make them purely agencies for the
advancement of commerce.
at would, therefore, seem to be
the part of wisdom TO remove all limi-
| tations TO the number of appoint
ments, either male or female, in Bal
timore city, or elsewhere throughout
the State, and prescribe the method
by which any person, desiring such
appointment, who shall be of legal
age, and Of good moral character,
may receive the same.
81 wodld, therefore, suggest for
your consideration the advisability of
so amending the law as to provide
that any person of legal age, receiv-
ing q satisfactory endorsement as to
moral character, shall be appointed a
notary public for the city of BaIti-
more, or any county of the State in
which the said applicant may re-
side, and to prescribe a uniform fee
to be paid by the person so apply
ing for the appointment.
With the limitation of numbers
removed, ] can see no reason why
there should be charged q larger fe e
for appointments in the city Of Bal
timore than in the counties of the
State. At the same time / do not
feel that the fee charged for Balti-
more city is larger than should be
| charged in ali the counties Of the
State. The supply Of notsries will
naturally adjust itself to the de-
msnd.
Speaker TriPpe shook the House
plum tree when he announced the ap-
pointment Of the subordinate en-
ployees for that body. Among the
Anne Arundel meu who lsndedea berth
was Rev. Alexander Gait, pastor of
st. Margsret's Church, in the Third
district. Rev. Mr.. Gait was named
as one of the thres chaplains for the
House.
Both houses took recess until z 80
O'Clock this evening, when, it is ex-
pected, the committee memberships
will be snncunced-