The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1917-03-23

Journal
Curious it is, but after all natural
enough, the jerking and hating
way in which our different States
pursue their forward march. At
one point a State is very advanced,
at another, far in the rear of the
procession. In some things-the
Referendum, the Budget system,
freedom (not yet availed of in tax
Maryland leads New York.
In the Initiative and abolition of
capital punishment, Maryland can
learn from Arizona, and in woman
suffrage from California and other
states. So it goes throughout the
entire Union.
Maryland, far down the line of
States before the legislative session
of 1914, then took gigantic strides
forward, the progressive action of
her legislature receiving in 1915.
the emphatic sanction of her cleo
torate. For genuine constructive
work in the interest of the people,
opening new avenues for further ad-
vancement, the legislature of 1914,
should long be remembered. Amend
ments to the Constitution submitted
by it and afterwards ratified by the
people provided for county home
rule in the City of Baltimore, for the
referendum in statewide and local
legislation, for granting power in the
State and subordinate jurisdictions
to adopt improved methods of tax
alton and giving power to the Gen.,
eral Assembly to authorize a trial
court in criminal cases to suspend
sentence, to adopt any form of indie
terminate sentence and to release on
parole.
h Great as was the work of the Cen
eral Assembly Of 1914, it found an
efficient successor in the Assembly of
I GIG, which failed to appreciate the
expressed desire of the people en-
bodied in the constitutional amend
ments referred to. 1t was its duty
to make these constitutional amend
ments effective in so far as legisla-
ton was needed. This high duty
imposed by the people was, in every
respect ignored. Under the county
home rule amendment it was direct
ed to prescribe the express powers
the counties were to exercise and
this subject was ignored. While the
referendum amendment was self
executing and on one occasion has
been since called into operation, the
General Assembly referred to should
have facilitated by legislation the
exercise by the people of this great
power. The constitutional amend
ment relative to taxation made it
the duty of the General Assembly to
classify improvements and personal
property. This subject was left I'M
touched, only the claqsiGcatioDs, I'M
scientific and entirely informal
which prevailed without constitu-
tiopal authority before the con"titu-
tional amendment Of 1914, on Lhe
subject of taxation now existing
The General Assembly of 1916
should have given to the courts the
powers the people intended the
Courts to possess in criminal cases,
but the evils which the people had
condemned at the ballot box by an
overwhelming majority remained I'M
disturbed.
If the people possessed the. right
of initiating legislatiOn-somethi
1 shall desire to discuss on future
occasion-this would not have been
important. The legislature of 1914,
however, with all of it's good work,
failed to submit proper initiative
amendment and the people remain
without power to remedy themselves
the omissions of those who are call
ed their representatives. The one
hope of the people until a proper
initiative amendment is submitted
and adopted will lie in the chance
that some future session of the Gen
sral Assembly will be more consider
ate of popular desire. In the present
letter let me urge the necessity OF
} legislation which will make effective
home rule in the counties provided
for by our constitution and so far
denied by the General Assembly.
There is no state in the Union
needing county home rule more than
Maryland The time of the legiss