The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-04-01
SENATOR SHEPHERD
GUSTS SOLICITOR FIELD
City Solicitor Field And Clerk
From The City Senator's Room At
tempt to Perform Duties of Regu-
lar Proof Readers.

Senator James S. Shepherd, of this
county, was righteously indignant
Wednesday evening, when, upon re-
turning from dinner, he learned that
City Solicitor S. S. Field, of Balti-
more, and one of the clerks from the
City Senator's room, had gone to the
Senate Engrossed Bills room and had
| taken possession of Senate Bill No.
| 135, known as the Annexation Bill
and were preparing to have the bill
railroaded through the Senate on it's
third reading, and in no uncertain or
unmistakable language he made this
! fact known to the City Solicitor.
! The bill had been passed on its
second reading the night before, in
the Senate, by the adoption of what
| Is known as the Cloture rule, under
which all debate upon the measure
was shut off. In the meantime the
State Printer had been notified to
come to Annapolis early in order to
get the bill and get it printed for it's
third reading. He was given this
bill along with several others, but
acting under instructions from some
of the Baltimore people he had rush
ed the work of printing and got the
printed bill back to Annapolis late
In the afternoon, neglecting other
bills that had been in his possession
several days and the bills which he
took along at the same time, in or
der to do SO. Upon arriving at An
napolis Mr.. Field got the bill and,
with a clerk from the room of the
City Senators, went to the Engross-
ed bill room, where all bills are COM
pared by four experienced men, en-
ployed especially for this work, start
ed to comparing the bill. The plan
was for them to read the bill, have
it calendared and rush it through the
third reading.
AS soon as Senator Shepherd, who
is chairman of the Printed Bills Com
mittee, learned of the high-handed
proceedings, he went to the room and
demanded the bill, and gave it to
the Chief Engrossing Clerk with in
structions to place 1t in the vault,
where all such bills are kept, and to
keep it there, and in plain and no
uncertain terms, told Solicitor Field
just what he thought of him.
This action thwarted the plans of
the Solicitor, who has been in charge
Of the Furst-Field-P Preston Annexa-
tion bill ever since the active fight
began for it, and who has been con-
spicuous on the floor Of the Senate.
The plan was to rush the proof-read-
ing.sset the bill on the calendar, anu
get X through the Senate, blocking
all other legislation in order to do
SO. Senator Shepherd had no objec-
tion to the bill taking its regular
course, but he keenly resented the
overbearing and audacious methods
employed. Other bills are read by
the regular proof readers, but it was
planned to have this bill read by the
man who drew it and one Of the City
Employees, not to let 1t take its
course on the calendar, but. Ii need
be, to again stifse debate by the ap-
plication OF the ciOture rule, Ia noId
up other bills which were ahead OF 1t
and in this manner to rush the bill
to the House.
Senator Shepherd stated very
frankly that he was surprised that
Mr.. Field should think Of even at
tempting to override the custom o,
the Senate in any such way, and that
his action showed very plainly that
he had no regard for right methods
or fair dealing in attempting to put
one over on the opponents Of the
measure. Practically every member
of tbs Senate was squarely behind
the Senator in this action, and he
was warmly commended for his de-
termination to refuse to let this COM
mittee be made a tool of by the gen.
tleman of the "Pink Whiskers.''