Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1917-09-07

Ot duutAs
No Reason for Referendum.
There was no reason for giving o
the people In the territory immedi-
ately surrounding the City a veto
power upon the progress and devel-
Opment of the City, and when, after
the passage of the Act of 1855, the
Court Of Appeals decided that the
Constitution did not so require, the
way was cleared fJr proceedings
upon logical principles. These prin-
ciples demand that matter which
so vitality involves the welfare OF the
entire State as the growth and de-
velopment Of its chief city and har-
Dor should be finally decided by the
representatives of the people OF the
entire State. viz: the Legislature;
and that the will of the people Of the
State so expressed should not be
subject to be vetoed or thwarted by
bare majority Of the comparatively
few people OF the State living in the
territory proposed to be added to the
city.
Your Committee, therefore, have
prepared the Bill, to become effec-
tive upon being passed by the Legis-
lature, so that the City limits will be
extended by the Act OF Legislature,
without any referendum, just as the
limits Of Hagerstown, Frederick,
Cumberland and other cities OF the
State have been extended, and as
the limits of Baltimore City, hve
times in its history, were extended.
The only Acts, in the history Of the
state extending the limits OF a city
or town ever submitted to a refer
endum, were the Act Of 1874, at
.empting to extend the limits OF Bal
more City, when the will Of the
Legislature was thwarted by the ad-
verse vote of a majority of the peo-
pie in the territory proposed to be
added, and the Act OF 1888, when
ne wise purpose of extending the
city on three sides was Dullified by
he adverse vote of majority of the
eastern section, with the result that
ne development in the territory tc
ne east has been hampered and re-
.arded, as compared with the deyel-
lpment to the north and west Of the
lily limits as they existed prior to
1888.
/ These two Acts were passed under
mistaken view as to the require
nent of the Constitution, and as
hat mistake has been cleared away
1y the decision of the Court Of APP
leals. the Committee feel that there
should be a return to the presidents
which governed the extension of the
Units OF Baltimore City five times
and which have governed the extern
sion of the limits Of other cities and
towns in the State.
Opportunity for Great shipping and
Manufacturing Center.
There is a magnificent opportunity
Immediately at hand for q tremen-
Ious development of manufacturing
at Baltimore, and as an encourage
ment to manufacturing, we have en-
bodied in the Bill a provision ex-
empting not only the plant and ma
chinery, but all raw material, stock
in trade and other personal property
of manufacturers within the terri
tory to be added, there being an or
linance now pending in the City
Council providing the same exemp-
tion for personal property used in
manufacturing within the present
City limits.
Our City is enjoying an era of
splendid progress and Improvement,
both public and private. The ad-
vantages of the harbor and the sur
rounding land as a place for one OF
the great shipping and manufacture
ing centers of the world is becoming
widely known. The Committee be-
lieye that in order to realize the
highest and best development of the
City and harbor of Baltimore, the
whole territory connected with the
development should be under the
one government of Baltimore City,
rather than partly in the City, partly
IN Baltimore County and partly in
Anne Arundel County. and that it is
Of great importance to have the ex-
ension of the City limits made by
.s Legislature of 1918, in order that
ne City may get the advantage of its
$40.