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

lature which should be devoted to
matters of general import is now
spent in the manufacture of laws af-
fecting only counties. The last As
sembly ground out TIA acts and nine
joint resolutions. The British Par
lament, representing Immediately
more than fifty millions of people
and controlling the destinies of a
world Empire, contents itself with
passing yearly one-f1fth as many laws
as a session of the General Assembly
of the State of Maryland. OF the
numerous laws provided for us at
the last session, it is safe to say that
three-fourths were local and should
have been treated by the counties
concerned without ever consuming
the time of the legislature. We can
readily imagine which chooses the
better part, the English Pertinent
or our legislature.
Consider the kind of legislation
1923 members Of the legislature Of
Maryland spend their time in pass
ing. Within recent years, to Illus
trate, we have at Annapolis forbid
den the running of swine across the
Court House yard at Prince Fred
erickton; we have made criminal the
hunting of Musk rats on Namjemoy
Creek and the expectation OF mad
toms and scaly cats from Washing
ton County. The delegates from
Baltimore City have helped to pro-
vide a license tax on dogs to create
a fund to protect the sheep industry
in Garrett County and the delegates
from Somerset have spent valusp pie
moments on bills looking to the re-
pair of public roads of Calvert Coun-
ty: the delegates from Wicom1co
have gravely voted eyes" or NO
ON the erection of school-house for
colored children in Calvert County
and Prince Georges delegates nave
helped determine the disposition
that Hartford County might make OF
part of its Aims House farm.
It needs little argument to sno"
that Baltimore City should have the
highest need Of home rule ana tnat
Cecil County should attend to It's
affairs, and other Counties likewise
without being controlled in so doing
by Baltimore City.
The real interests Of the State are
failing to receive proper thought anu
attention and are sacrificed because
the members of the legislature with
their innumerable clerks and ASSIST
ants are occupied with local ques-
tions of the nature of those ABOVE
indicated, questions that should be
determined by the counties. consist
emit reform within the counties Is not
possible today and no advantage may
be taken locally of the latest III
proyements in county government
no one having sufficient continued
interest and power to accomplish
anything, legislative work Delne
niece-meal and occasional.
Under the constitutional amend
ment, if it had been properly supple
mented by legislation, the counties
would have taken care of their own
affairs and would have exercised
for the constitutional amendment
gives ia local initiative enabling
the citizens of the counties when
ever 20 per cent petitioned for
change, to correct their own, local
government. Let us hope that lne
next legislature will not fail as dlo
the last in completing the necessary
furthering of county home rule.
There was no CONSTITUTIONAL
amendment that appealed to The
aympatheitc interest of the people or
the State than that which authorlz-
cd the General Assembly to grant
the trial courts judicious control
over punishment of those charged
with crime. Private interests, now
ever were allowed to outweigh the
vellbeing of the State, and the oe-
sires of the people were defeated
It is to be hoped that the next legls-
1a+,ire will rise above all petty con
alterations. relieve the people OF the
State and insure higher quahty
of Justice than has often been ao-
ministered in the past.
Hyattsville, Md,
March %, 1917.