The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-02-20
The Legislature Moving Slowly

The legislature Moving Slowly.
Despite the promises made of big
things to be accomplished in theSway of
corrective legislation during the present
session, the Maryland Legislature has
dragged out over half of its existence
with little or nothing TO its credit thus
far.
Bills of every conceivable character
have poured in, and numerous important
questions have reached the consideration
stage, but the old story of getting little
done is being re. enacted at Annapolis.
AS far as any real good to the State is
concerned. it is pretty general opinion
that the sessions of our General Assembly
could be cut in two, at a great saving to-
the tax payers, and just as much accom-
plished as ever results from the ninety
day session.
Among other important questions that
are before the Legislature now is that Of
race-track gambling. Speaker Trippe
has abandoned his intention of offering a
Statewide Racing Commission bill and
will, instead, cooperate with Senator
Hammond, who has similar measure.
The Hammond bill, which is now re-
garded as having been put in merely as a
dummy on which to later ride through a
real measure offered as an amendment
thereto, will ne changed first in such
manner as to allow betting in the State
under the so called pari mutual system
There is strong disposition among the
race-track advocate to hold out the same
sort of license bride to the people of the
State for the race-track gambling priv
ilege, as the whiskey crowd have long
offered to get their evil business sane
toned. and the bill if passed will exact
fixed amount of blood money from the
gross receipts of the race tracks.
A State wide anti betting bill has been
offered by Hall, of Baltimore city, and
severallocal measures aimed to put the
Havre de Grace track out OF business.
Governor Go1dsborough has gone on
record as favoring legislation that will
stop betting on horse races, and it is
known that he will sign the Hall anti
betting bill if it reaches him. On the
other hand. if the State wide racing COM
mission bill is passed be may veto it and
the democrats will hive to rally all their
strength to put the bill over.
Besides the oyster cultivation fight
which was expected to begin on Wednes-
day of this week. the initial encounter
betweensthe drys and rumnies is looked
for The preliminary bout will be over
the Speicher local option bill for Garrett
county, which has already got by the
Senate. but bids fair to be held up by the
whiskey ring in the House. The Anti
Saloon League State wide law is to come
later. Certain it is that the vote on the
Speicher-bill will give line on relative
strength of the ''wets'' and ''drys' in the
House.
The Anti-Saloon League will bold of
its State wide prohibition bill until the
anti-liquor measures contemplated for
several of the counties have all been in
troduced. The number include anti
shipping bills for Wicomico. Queen
Annes and Kent. and local option for
Prince Georges.
Uniform MARI 'ge laws and no further
uniting in Maryland of couples who in
their own State would be prol ibited from
becoming man and wife is the object of q
bill offered by Mcintosh, of Baltimore
county, in the HOUSE.
Governor Goldsborough's Prison Re.
form Commissions recommendations on
which will be based the bills for better
ment of M -ryland's penal system reached
the Legislature on Monday.
The State Road Commissions IS. ooo,-
600 loan measure was reported back to
the House this week. Since the Light
street bridge proposition has been dis
cussed there has develop. d much oppo-
sitiou among the county people TO Balti-
more city getting $I,ooo,ooo for the
bridge and an additional $1,000, 900 for
its highway system out of the road fund.
as provided for in the Gorman-Strauss
bill, and this measure is sure to be de-
feated by the county votes.