The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-01-22
SENATOR h. J. sPE|CHER
MAKES GOOD HIS PROMISE
BY introducing a Countrywide Local
Option Measure.
Special to The Republican,
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, JAN. q

ANNAPOLIS, Nd, JAN. 81.
With the third week of the session on
the General Assembly has at last hit its
| stride. The working committees have
been appointed and with the new rules
in force in both houses the flood of bills,
held back for several weeks, started at
| last.
J The. delay in getting down to the real
business has been beneficial, however,
in that the Assembly is in better much
shape to concretely consider legislation
than was any of its predecessors. The
new members have had an opportunity
to become acquainted and the time usu-
ally taken up for such purposes after
! the committees have organized will not
! be needed.
Two of the most important of the
early bills, and which were introduced
yesterday by Senator Harvey j. Spell
cher of Garrett, provides for a state
wide anti-cigarette law and a local
option vote for the entire county of
Garrett at the next fall election. Sena-
tor Speicher's anti-cigarette measure is
regarded as one of the most drastic
pieces of legislation to be offered during
this session. The pill prohibits the sell
ling or giving to any person under the
age of q years any cigarettes, cigarette
materials or cigarette papers and pro-
vides for heavy fines and Jail sentences
for persons violating its provisions. In
any case where persons found guilty are
| imprisoned the term is to be worked out
on the state roads. To prevent the
protection of violators of the proposed
anti-cigarette law Senator Speicher's
has included minor who refuses to. tell
any police or truant officer, school
teacher or other person in authority
where the cigarettes have been obtained
may be punished by fine and com
PEELED, if the latter remains unpaid, to
serve out the time in jail.
The bill has been sent to the Commit
tee on Hygiene.
The Speicher local option measure has
been introduced in accordance with the
campaign pledges made by the Garrett
Senator. The bill gives the entire
county the right to vote whether the
wet places in the county shall remain
wet" or whether the entire county
shall go dry" By skillful maneuver-
ing Senator Speicher saved the bill from
going to the Senate Temperance Com
mittee and had 1t committed to select
committee consisting of Senators Beck
of Kent. Snader of Carroll, and Speicher
OF Garrett. There is every probability
that the bill will be reported favorably
with an excellent chance of passage, at
least in the Senate.
So far no other measures of especial
interest to Garrett county have made
their appearance.
The Garrett House delegation has
organized and buckled down to work.
Mr.. E. c. Harvey has been elected del
egation chairman.
The delegates of Garrett have had
little opportunity to cut any figure on
the the floor of the House, due to the
routine nature of the proceedings up to
date.
The feud between Senator Frank E.
Williams, Republican, of Cecil, and
Senator Carville D. Benson, Democrat,
of Baltimore county, promises to become
notable before the present session is
over. Benson attempted to block Will
liams taking his seat on the opening day
through an attack on the latter's eligi-
bllity on the grounds that common re-
port" had it that Williams was minis
ter of the Gospel. After the special
committee recommended to the Senate
that the Cecil Senator was entitled to
his seat and Mr.. Williams had been
sworn in the latter on Wednesday last
arose on a point of personal privilege
and scathingly criticised Benson's at
tack. Benson heatedly replied and the
incident closed
But that was mistake. On the open
ing day of this week Senator Williams
offered a resolution providing for a
special Joint legislative committee to
investigate the road system of Mary
land prior to the granting by the As
sembly of the State Road Commission $
request for new Sc, 600, 900 road loan.
Senator Williams had asked permission
to speak on the resolution when Benson
interposed on point of order and not
only insisted that the Cecil mans re-
marks were supplementary but that
Mr.. Williams had no right to address
the Senate as the resolution had already
been sent to the Committee on High
ways. Senator Williams debated but
the President Price sustained Benson
and the latter won out Benson, by
the way, is reported to have been pick
ed to introduce the new road loan bill
and the constroversey between the two
men promises much interest in succeed
ing days.
Governor Goldsborough has already
sent two important messages to the
Assembly this week The first calls
attention to the fact that though the
Seventeenth Amendment to the Federal
Constitution (Which provides for the
direct election of the United States
Senators) has been ratified that the
General Assembly of MARYLAND is still