Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-03-31
EIGHT REASONS
AGAINST ANNEXATION
Baltimore, City That Canno
Govern Itself, Wants to Govern
and Control Others.
ANARCHY, OUTRAGE AND RIOT.
Considerations Why Portions Of BaIti-
more and Anne Arundel Counties
Should Not be Annexed TO
Baltimore CITY.
(Contributed.)
Annapolis, Nd. March 30

Messrs. Editors OF The Capital
There are a number OF practical con-
siderations why portions OF baltimore
and Anne Arundel counties should not
be annexed to Baltimore city.
First-That the forcible annexa-
tion OF these sections OF two separate
political divisions OF the State against
the will, or without a test of the voice
of the legal voters in the districts
sought TO be annexed, is a violation OF
the principles that the government
should have the choice of saying who
shall govern them. ami of the further
right that majority Of the people le-
galiy affected by any law should rule
This was observed in the late local
option liquor law passed by the pres
ent Legislature. 1t is true that this
principle gives way TO the manner in
which that majority is ascertained. OF
course the State had the right TO pass
on the question OF selling liquor or not
IN baltimore. because the State is a
political unit Just. in the spirit OF
that right which would force con
stitutional amendment upon the EN-
pire State of the Union that it aid not
wish, provided the constitutional ma
ioriy of the states favor the addition
our Federal constitution 1t is true
that the State Constitution has been
interpreted to give the Legislature the
right TO arbitrarily change county lines
aud to annex Them to Baltimore with.
out consulting the viii OF the people
in the sections annexedLaw is not al
ways right, justice ami equity. Ia
spite Of the case OF Morgan VS. DAILY
Maryland Court OF Appeals, the mora
question is yet open whether or not the
Constitutional section so determined
was ever intended to be so adiudica-
red for ii rests ON an omission, and
not an-eXpressed declaration It is a
serious exercise of arbitrary row er.
even II resortel TO by the State in its
right OF domain TO change the poiit
zeal lines of counties and cities without
consulting the residents of the local
tiles affected. Citizens are thus fore
ed to live under jurisdiction offensive
TO them; to be associated with con
,iitions politically odious to their feel
ings, and to assume situations of live
lihood over which they hau no choice.
Second Ii takes from Anne Adunde
county an assessable basis already
pledged 10 the payment OF a boaded
deht This principal was adjudicateo
to be vicious in the Virginia and Wes
Virginia debt case, recently decaled
in the Supreme Court of the United
States. After fifty years, because Vir-
ginia was without her consent divided
into two states, the highest tribunal IN
the land, dectied that West Virginia
must pay seven millions of dollars to
Virginia on account of its public debt
for which the whole state was obligat-
ed
Third. The annexation viii lessen
the representation of the county o.
Anne Arundel in the legislature. and
it viii increase that of Baltimore. OF
course. not at the instant of annexa-
ion, but il viii in the near future The
hand of the high game of wrong is only
partly displayed. 1t win be the next
move. Two wrongs together woulI
alarm some now sleeping al their
posts of duty
Fourth Tho unnatural and ever
whelming political power of Baltimore
VIII be so heavily increased that the
other part of the State viii be a vassal
TO it, No doubt the hypocriticsl query
Will be raised, why should a city hay
ing so large a population cf the State
not have its due pro atarepresentatioE
in the General Assembly? At this point
it is well to state that the urban popu-
lation is largely due TO the legislative
robbery that few years ago took one
of the most populous and growing sec
tons of Baltimore county from it. ane
ruthlessly annexed it against the will
of the people. once legally, by ballot
aseertained against it, No wonder
Baltimore grows and the counties de-
crease in power. when the county
members are silly enough to make
them SO. and thus cut their own locks
10 weaken themselves and strengthen
a great metropolis.
Fifth-Instead of building up one
great city in this State to rule all sec
tions, the policy of the commonwealth
should be TO encourage the growth OF
other large cities to modify. correct
and balance the political power in the
State. To this end. other cities, still
I IN the political domain OF their respec-
tive counties, should be erected. both
in Anne Arundel and Baltimore couR-
| ties. The three cities. Baltimore be
| ing one. could easily arrange the reg
| ulations of their harbor rights as is
done now by Maryland and Virginia
regarding the Potomac river" Harbor
lines" is very good shihboleth TO
| cover other designs but they have no
real weight in this great cause.
| Sixth The cry of reform for Anne
| Arundel and Baltimore counties from
| Baltimore city is farcical in the light
| OF its past history and the late Vice
| Commission. the ink with which it was
written being scarcely dry. It is a pure
oner Of Satan asking 70 be allowed to
reform Satan.