Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-08-02
VOTERS WILL PASS
UPON HOME RULE
Proposed Amendment to State Con-
stituion Of Great Importance
to the Farmer As Well As
City Taxpayer.
AT NOVEMBER ELECTION.
Two Propositions to be Voted UpOn---
What the Bill Provides.

What the Bill Provides.
At the November election in Mary
land voters will be called upon to ap-
prove or reject proposed amend
ments to the State Constitution. Prob
ably the most important OF these is
one rpoviding home rule in a greater
degree for Baltimore city and the sew
eral counties of the State.
II is claimed that the amendment is
crudely and imperfectly drawn and
that that If enacted it would lead TO
complications and litigations to such
an extent that it's rejection would lead
TO a measure which would more fully
meet the requirements Of the situation
in Baltimore city and the counties. AS
far as discussion of the amendment in
Baltimore has gone, it has been inim-
ical to the proposition. In the event
of its adoption. the legislature. al the
next session, would pass a law author
izing the city of Baltimore and each
of the counties of the State to form q
by which the machinery OF
government for home rule would be
provided.
In Baltimore city and each of the
counties this permiisson to form a
charter could be put to a vote of the
people affected, and upon demand of
the Mayor and City Council or the
County Commissioners. respectively,
or upon petition from 10 per cent. Of
the registered voters. When such a
demand is made the Board of Election
Supervisors must provide for a vote
by the people at the next election, pro
vided there be not less than sixty days
between the doate of the demand and
the date of the regular election.
At this election two propositions
will be voted on First, the question
whether the charter shall be formed
to put into effect the authority TO en-
act local legislation; second, the per-
sonnel of fifteen men TO form a char
ter commission. II the proposition
for charter is lost, the election Of the
fifteen commissioners amounts to
nothing; if the proposition for a char
ter is carried, the men elected are to
go ahead with the preparation of the
charter.
Nominations for the fifteen commits
sionerships.w when made by the Mayor
and City Council or the County Com
misisoners, must be filed at least forty
days before the election; when made
by petition of voters, they must be fill
ed at least twenty days before the
election In the event that only fifteen
men are nominated, they serve with
cut going on the ballot. If more than
fifteen are nominated, the high men
in the election are chosen. If the
proposition to form a charter is car
ried, the fifteen men named to go
ahead with their work, and when il
shall have been completed, the people.
vote whether they will adopt the char
ter or reject II.
The bill provides generally that on
demand the Mayor and City Council of
Baltimore or the County Commission
ers of any countyor on petition signed
by 10 per cent of the registered voters
of said county, the election supervis-
ors shall provide at the next general
election within sixty days of said de-
mand for the election of charter
board of fifteen nominations, but this
board may be made forty days before
the election by the Mayor and City
Council or County Commissioners. or
twenty days before the election by
petition Of 10 per cent. of the register
ed voters. In case only fifteen are
nominated, they become the charter
board memebers.
The ballot provides also a vote for
or againts the creation of such board.
said charter board, when elected, pre-
pares within six months the charter
for the city or county government,
which is reported to the Mayor or the
president of the Poard of County Com
missioners, and is published in at least
two newspapers within thirty days of
such report. After advertisements such
charter is submitted TO the voters at a
special election hello between sixtyand
ninety days after such a report to the
Mayor of President, and if the major
ity of voters arc for the charter at
said election. thirty days after it the
charter becomes law of the city or
county, subject only to the Constitu-
ton and the public general laws Of
the State. ANY public local laws in
consistent with il are TO be repealed.