The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1914-03-21
THE MARYLAND
LEGISLATURE

House to be built on the site of the
present Court House, the Bill empow-
ering the County Commissioners to
provide for the rental of new quar-
ters for the Court and the County
Offices, while the old building is being
torn down and the new one erected.
The Bill calls for the sum of 100000
for the building and it's furnishing,
the same to be raised by bond issue,
the full redemption of which is to be
extended over period of 40 years.
The whole matter is placed in the
hands of special commission, which
commission is named in the Bill and
is composed as follows: William S.
Evans, Henry M. Mccullough, Omar
ID. Crothers, David R. Armstrong,
Frederick T. Haines,
Senator Williams has announced
that he will oppose the Bill when it
comes over to the Senate, unless it
contains a referendum clause, per-
mitting the people of the county to
vote for or against this bond issue for
a new Court House at the next cleo
ton.
The Executive approval has been
attached to the following Bills relat-
ing to Cecil county, thereby putting
the same into effect: Repeating the
Road Engineer law; repeating the law
of 1908 for a Court House Commits
sion; the three Bills introduced at the
instance of the Elkton Improvement
Association tone of which provides
for a Town Election) the Bill calling
for a tax by the Elkton Town Council
for the Singerly Fire Company; au-
thoriZing County Commissioners to
build bridge over Long Creek in the
Second district.
The Roads and Highways Commit
tee of both the Senate and House have
after much consideration, agreed up
on Bill which permits Traction En-
gines to use, without interference, the
new State stone roads. The Bill is
acceptable to both the Roads Commits
sion and to the Traction Engine men,
and will therefore probably become a
law without serious opposition.
The Bill introduced in the House
by Mr.. Davis, relating to changes in
the County Commissioners law for
Cecil county differs in some respects
from the outline of the proposed Bill
as discussed at the public meeting in
Elkton, prior to the assembling of the
Legislature. The Bill now on its pas
sage provides for an election of one
County Commissioner each year, the
term to be three years, and the term
of County Commissioner James Watts
being extended to December |, 1916,
or for one year beyond the period for
which he was elected, in order to
make the new arrangement effective.
The First, Second and Third Election
districts constitute the First Com
missioners district; the Fourth, Fifth
and Ninth the Second Commissioners
district; the Sixth, Seventh and
Eighth the Third Commissioners dis
trict, and the Bill provides that there
shall always be a Commissioner from
each Commissioners district. 1t also
provides for a Supervisor Of Roads in
each Election District, except the one
wherein the County Commissioner
himself shall reside, said Supervisors
to be named by the County Commits
sioners, and to be paid $3.50 per day
for each day they are in actual ser
vice. The salaries of the Commits
sionerS are increased to $500 per year,
except that the President of the
Board is to receive S900 per year.
The Commissioner in charge of the
roads of the Commissioners District
from which he is elected shall be linn
tied in his expenditures on the same
to one-third the total road fund aris-
ing from levy of not more than 80
cents on the hundred dollars of the
whole tax levy for the county; except
in cases of exceptional necessity, when
he may be authorized by the unani-
nous vote of the Board Of County
Commissioners to eXpend such other
and further sums as may be deemed
necessary.
The Bill makes no provision for any
changes in the office of Treasurer and
Assistant Treasurer, leaving the law
as 1t now it with regard to these of
fees.
The old law, of many years stand
ing, providing that the County Com
missioners should make their publica-
tions in papers of opposite political
parties, was repealed by Senator Omar
d. Crothers while in the Senate of
Maryland, in order to ''get back" at
the Cecil Wing for some of its politi-
cal utterances. Senator Williams has
introduced a Bill in the present Senate
restoring the old law. The Bill will
probably never be passed, in view of
the Democratic control OF the Legisla-
ture. But it will serve to show whe-
ther or not the Democratic forces
want to deal fairly by all the people
in the conduct of public business.
The bill providing for the creation
of State tax commission came up on
its second reading, and the amend
ment proposed by the Finance Com
mittee, which named the commission
and fixed the terms, was read. This
placed the salaries of each at $4,000.
To this Senator Maloy offered an
amendment increasing the salary of
the chairman to $4,000, and that of
the two associates to $1,000. AS the
Constitution limits the salaries paid
by the State to $4,000, the additional
$4,000 and $4,000 are to be paid by
Baltimore city, which, Senator Maloy
explained, is primarily interested in
the question of taxation. The salary
of the secretary is also increased to
$4,000, and the commission is author
lied to employ general counsel with
the power to fix his compensation.
Senator Williams raised no objection
to the salaries, but he did protest
against the commission being named