Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1917-10-20

AND DEVELOPMENT. TO majority
of the voters who have settled just out
side its boundarises ? II would be just
AZ reasonable to submit law imposing
license tax on automobiles to u ref.
erendum to the owners of automobiles.
In the interview above referred to
Judge Harlan also said:
III there is anything wrong
in 1ubjecting people 10 city
government and city taxes, with.
out their consent or without the
consent of majority of them.
il has never been thought so.
because il has been the almost
unbroken practice of the Legis-
lature to do that very thing.
With only TWO exceptions. EVERY
ONE OF THE ONE HUNDRED OR
MORE ACTS which the Legislature has
passed incorporating cities and towns.
and extending their limits. have been
passed without any referendum. In
fact prior to 1861. there was no limita-
ton on the power of the Legislature to
divide counties and create new counties
out Of the old ones or out of parts of
old ones. II was the common practice
Of the Legislature to change county
lines and city lines. and no one ever
thought that any principle of home rule
or fair play vas violated. In the War
Constitution of 1854 for the first time
the Constitution imposed limit on the
power OF the Legislature to change
COUNTY lines In 1867 this limitation
was continued. with modification
which makes il apply ONLY WHERE
THE CHANGE IN THE COUNTY
LINE Is MADE FOR THE PURPOSE
OF TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF ONE
COUNTY AND putting them in AN
OTHER COUNTY. This was done to
prevent gerrymandering which had be
come quite familiar with regard to con-
gressional districts. and which but for
this limitation. could be very easily
worked in Maryland today A little
change in the dividing line between
Baltimore County and Carroll County
would make two solidly Democratic
counties instead of one Democratic and
one doubtful county. and would give
Carroll County two more members Of
the Legislature without any loss of
members in Baltimore County; 80. a
change in the line between Charles and
Prince Georges Counties would make
two safely Republican counties instead
of one Republican and one doubtful
An extension of the limits of Balti-
more City will not effect the political
complexion of Baltimore and will not
give the city single additional vote in
the Legislature nor take one vote away
from Baltimore County or Anne Arun-
del County.
The limits of Frederick. Cumberland.
Annapolis. Hagerstown. Bladensburg.
Easton. cambridge. Centreville. Ches-
tertown. Crisield. Denton. Elkton, oak
land. Salisbury. and other cities in the
State. have been extended without a
referendum. The LIMITS OF BALTl-
MORE CITY HAVE BEEN FOUR
TINES EXTENDED WITHOUT A
REFERENDUM
The Two Exceptions.
BY the Act Of 1874 Chapter 22l. the
Legislature provided for extending the
limits of Baltimore City one mile east
one mile west and two miles north, but
the Act contained a referendum to the
voters in the territory to be added and
the extension was defeated at the cleo.
ton and city extension set back for
fourteen years.
BY the Act of lSsS. Chapter rs. the
Legislature provided for extending the
limits of the city two miles north. two
miles west and one mile east, but the
Act contained separate referendum
for each section. and the eastern sec
ton which then had the largest popu-
lation voted to stay out: the northern
3 NcsNttii sCNkious NobCh W SOtilc iit
In order to get even this lopsided extern
sion. it was thought necessary to offer
terms which were grossly unfair to the
city. 80 that to this day on millions of
dollars worth of real estate in the heart
of Baltimore City. tax rate of only 65
cents is being paid to the city.
! l.. Al
of Baltimore into this territory in any
systematic way. it has been found
necessary to tear down thousands OF
houses which had been built. in hap
hazard way. where streets ought to
have been. ALL THIS WASTE.
AMOUNTING TO MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS. WOULD HAVE BEEN
PREVENTED If THE CITY LIMITS
I