Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1915-10-28

EdIf0T 81 Mays BEACON:
The Maryl2Bd newspapers have
very generaIly pabiishsd the text Of
the COnstsfafiOnal amendments 60
be voted upon this fnll. The State
Democratic Platform recommended
AL the amendments 90 the favorable
considerable Of The people Of the
State. The Repabliean Platform
recommended the Referendam
amendment and the C0znty Hone
Rule amendment and l. silent but
NOD opposed - 20 the remaining
amendments. Therefore. we may
anticipate the adoption Of al the
amendments by overwhelming ma
j0ritles- As one who wznts to see
MARYLAND possessed Of the l1Resa
vel thought Oat improvements in
government, I rejoice over this. al
though n the same time recognizing
thai much work r-maias 70 he d0ne
before Maryland s1izins thai emf
nence in the administrators Of rs
public affair ne shoal1 all wish Il
20 Possess-
IL may De worth CIR while hsrse4y
70 consider What the posir1os e the
people Of The SE&is Of Maryland Ean
Be after the AdOp1iOz Of the several
amendments.
THE kEFEEENDCM AMENDMENT
When this shall be AaoEaed. II
the Maryland General Assembly
shall Pass any Law creating. for eK-
ample, FDoDOpOlies obnoKiOas 10 the
people, or conveying aEAy parf Of
wh4t should be our common wealth,
without proper compensation. or m
fringing the liberties Of the cifiEens.
or creating useless Offices Ne political
or personal rewards. without thought
Of the public good, or creating pub
lie debts, and increasing our taxes
in Questionable Ways. ten thousand
voters Of the State, not more than
Eve thoassnd in Baltimore City. or
amy one county, can call q halt By
signing petitions within sixty days
after the adjournment Of the Legis-
lalnre. demanding that the objec-
ti0nAble proposition be submitted
70 the vote Of the whole people be-
fore Il ssall be allowed 20 90 into
full force and effect Therenpon
the Governor will cause the measure
10 be 30 submitted and the people
can directly protect their own in
terests In saeh respects.
In our several counties the LeRis-
lsiare, with knowledge Of the fact
that, BY this amendment. ten per
cent within the counties can, a. 20
local Law, compel is Submission
20 the county electorate, will De
slow 20 pass bills multiplying Offices,
increasing county expenses, or in
any other manner outraginR local
sentiment. Laws Of such deserip-
tiOn have been passed By the Legis-
lature affecting counties and n
everyone n all yersed in Maryland
politics well knows. in their nsssage
the wishes of the majority of the
citizens Of the counties have often
been entirely ignored.
All of this will mean that here
after a new public spirit will be
created in Maryland. The people
will feel themselves directly part Of
the government and there will be q
constant growth in political intelli-
geDce as people grow accustomed 20
forming and expressing their senti-
ments with regard 10 propositions
Immediately affecting their interests.
In this way the people will be bet
prepared TO exercise their powers
under the Initiative when il shall
once be adopted.
with reference 70 the several
other amendments which, owing 70
the lack Of space we have been fore
ed 70 cut out, Mr.. R.lston goes on
20 say) 4:
congratulate the members Of the
the last General Assembly upon the
greatness Of the work performed BY
them. Appreciation Of its magnI-
tude will grow with time, and the
people Of this State, about to adopt
al these amendments, viii felicitate
themselves for scores Of years to
come upon the high statesmanship
their representatives displayed in
the session Of 1915.
JACKSON II. RALsToN.
fayetteville. Nd, Oct. 20.