The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1914-01-16
ANNAPOLIS LETTER.
Annapolis, Md, January r2th, 1914.

day. January II, s p. m.
From present indications the time and
attention OF the Legislature will not be
taken up for weeks at this session by the
consideration of temperance legislation.
AT the last three sessions the local option
bill took up much time of the Legislature
and thus DELAYED consideration of many
important questions. The Anti Saloon
League of Maryland has announced that
1t will not pre- sent its local option bill at
this session, but it will present State
wide prohibition amendment TO the con-
stitutlon. 1t is expected that should
such an amendment he presented 1t will
be readily disposed of In order for such
an amendment to be passed bv the Leg
lSature 1t must receive a three fith's
vote III each branch. This is regarded as
impossible, and thus the probabilities are
that there will be no lost time in Cousd-
Grafton OF the liquor and temperance
I questions. Many familiar with the per
sonnel OF the Legislature say that should
a prohibition amendment be offered it
would be Killed Immediately. As vet the
Anti Saloon League has not chosen a
Stale sup erlniendent TO take the place of
Mr.. VIM. H. Anderson who has gone 10
New York. 1t is reported that it will be
some weeks before a superintendent is
elected Upon the new superintendent
will tall the tasN of putting A prohibition
amendment through the Legislature.
One OF the big fights at Annap lhs this
winter Will be for the passage OF the Bor-
ough Bill which would increase the area
and population Of Baltimore. and which
! would materially Increase the taxable
| basis. The Borough Bill is prepared and
Is ready Tor introduction IN the Legisa.
lure; as soon as It is pr scented A vlglanl
! aud torcelu hight will be mlde for its
4 passage. Mayor Preston and the mem
bers OF the city administration are enthu
/ SlaStlcaly behind this bill and thev Will
! 90 all IN their power Tor It's success The
! Dill has the support OF The people of Bal
/ tlulOre and 1t Is Contenied tat majority
! OF the people living IN The sections, which
| II IS proposed To be annexed to Balti-
more. are also in favor of it, The chief
! opposition to the bill comes from Balti
more county and the members from that
! county Will unqueStionablv make a des
perale tight against H. The opposition
Will be under the leadership of 5 ate Sen
ator Carville ID. Benson, of Baltimore
county and Senator Renson is without
! question one OF the shrewdeSt and most
capable figters in the Legislature He
knows every trick OF the game In a ,ee
lslature. Senator Benson, however will
ind his match number OF times among
the city's representatives. When the fight
begins, II Is likely that Mayor Preston
and city Solicitor 5. 5. Field will appear
before the Legislature and argue for the
passage Of the bill. The reason why the
Baltimore county representatives are op-
posed to The Borough Bill is that they do
not want the county 10 give up such a
| large amount Of It's taxable basis to Bal
tlmore, vet they realize that the sections
effected enjoy all the conveniences Of the
city merely because they surround and
are adjacent To BaltImore. The people
| living IN them. witlfa possible few excep
tons make their living IN Baltimore.
he committee OF $ ven, OF which for
mer Stale Senator Arthur p German
| Ir., OF Howard county. is chairman.
which was selected some weeks ago To
| draft general parry bills, has completed
great part OF It's work and il is believed
that all Of its bills will BE- ready for intro
| ducton in the Legislature during the
next two weeks The committee SO far
has confined It's efforts to drafting bills
carrying out Pledges and promises made
by the Democratic party IN its last State
platform and also the preparation OF bills
carving out policies and Improvements
winch We're lnauguraled under Demo
cratic auspices. The work of this com,
mlttee will unqueStlondby meet with the
endorsement and support ot The Demo
Cratic members Of the Legislature 1t is
also proposed tndt this committee shall
act IN an advisory capacity To the Demo
cratic members during the cn're session
Its members VIII keep in close touch with
developments at Annapolis and will al
ways be ready to advise he members OF
the MAJORITY party. In the pas the ma
| lorty legislators have ALWAYS sought the
advice OF party leaders. hut II Will be an
improvement 10 have them confer with a
committee composed OF enthusiastic ana
| vigorous Democrats who are Vital\ in
tereSted IN the success OF the party at all
times. Furthermore, an advantage will
be that the committee of seven will work
IN the open and The public will always be
kept advised. As chairman OF the com
mlttee. 1t is said that Mr.. German will
| spend much time IN Annapolis during the
| session.
The suffrage mixers marched to An
napolis on Wednesday and presented a
long petition asking the Legislature to
provide equal suffrage Tor MARYLAND AL
though about two dozen fair suffraeiSts
LETT the city on The hike. only tour
completed it. The other dropped out
along the wayside. The sufiragi,ts de.
clare that they are going to make de
termined fight for equal suffrage thus
year. One of the CHIEF objections which
was raised against equal suffrage on the
| hrst day OF the session was that uuder
the plan of the sul1ragistS the right to
vote would be conferred upon the negro
women of this State, and this, il is ar
gued, is asking too much There are no
doubt that there are thousands of white
men in this State who would not object to
equal suffrage if the right was only given
to white women, but they do strenu
I ously object TO placing the ballot in the
hands OF teas Of thousands of neg,
women. Maryland already has about
! 10000 negro voters. a vast majority of
th.NRr 4