The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-10-25
CITY HOT II. COUNTY
6ALTIMORE'S STATUS DIFFERENT
FROM OTHER TOWNS.
Made An Independent Division OF
Maryland BY Constitution OF 1851.
Referendum Adopted In 1864 For
Express Protection OF Suburbs.

Express protection OF Suburbs.
prepared by the Baltimore County Non
Partisan Citizens Protective Commlttcel
Prior to 1851 the city of Baltimore
was merely an incorporated town with.
In Baltimore county. The extensions
of the city by acts of the Legislature
in 1745, 1747, 1878 and 1915 simply
enlarged the city within the county
its inhabitants remaining residents of
Baltimore county. The Constitution
OF 1851, by the votes of the people Of
the entire State separated Baltimore
city from Baltimore county and made
1t an Independent unit of the State,
on the same footing with the counties.
Failure to understand the status Of
Baltimore city before the Constitution
of 1851 and after it became independ.
ent Is not uncommon and prevents
some persons from seeing clearly why
annexation cannot still be made by
simple act of the Legislature, just as
was done in the years above mention
ed. Men so prominent and supposedly
learned as the members of the Greater
Baltimore Extension Leagues" com
mttee say they cannot see why the
limits of Baltimore city cannot be ex
tended, just as had been done With
Frederick City, Annapolis, Hagers
town, Bladensburg, EastOn and Ellicott
City. They overlook the fact that In
all those cases the inhabitants taken
into the towns mentioned remained
residents Of their respective counties.
Republicans Adopted Referendum.
Thirteen years after the COnstitu
ton of 1851 was adopted the Constitu.
honal Convention of 1854 was called
The Republican party had secured fun
control Of Maryland In the struggle
to maintain the Union the Republicans
had been compelled TO deny the
validity of the doctrine Of States
rights, yet the claim of the counties 10
their territorial integrity and in
dependence, subject only to the State
government, appealed to the delegates
so strongly that they incorporated into
the Constitution Of 1854 the provision:
be changed without the consent OF a
majority of the legal voters residing
within the limits of the lines proposed
to be changed"
Made To Fit Present Case.
And the debate in connection With
this clause shows that it was express
ly intended to provide for such a case
as that now before the people. The
clause was offered by MI James L
Ridgely, a delegate from Baltimore
county, who said;
81 know that baltimore city must
increase and expand, until in the pro
cess Of time it shall absorb a large
portion of the area of Baltimore coun
ty, and I say godspeed to it. l do not
propose TO throw any obstacle what
ever in its way. But simply ask that
when they apply to the Legislature for
an extension of its boundaries there
shall be a limitation upon the power
OF the Legislature to grant. which shall
require the assent Of the people resid
ing in the portion Of the county asked
Baltimore city"
In 1867 the Democrats had regainet
control OF the State They made a new
Constitution, but the essential justice
of the provision to protect the coun
ties from arbitrary ACKNOWLEDGMENT Sc
appealed to them that they left it in
the present Constitution, changing the
meaning not all and the words but
little, so as to make them stronger and
palmer. This language seems perfect
ly plain and easily understood and il
Is claimed it does not need lawyer
to explain il to any sane man.
Right Way the Only Way.
AS the Constitution now stands there
is no way to extend the corporate
limits OF Baltimore city without the
consent of the people in the territory
to be annexed. This seems entirely
reasonable, for it is claimed that
whenever any section become city-like
IN character and the city presents
fair bill the people win vote to b9
taken in This was done in 1858. Il
the proposed bill should be passed il
would result in expensive and tedious
litigation, which could only be decided
in one way-agaiust the city.
The Annexation acts Of 1874 and
1883, both provided for the Constitu
Honal referendum The Republican
State Convention OF 1915 fatty re
affirmed the principle but this year
because Of political deal, it is al
legged, the Republican platform de
clares, in effect, that the people of the
Belt shall be taken into the city with
out being permitted to vote upon the
matter, thus reversing the party's IN
broken record. The Democratic plat
form declares sQuarely in favor Of an
annexation bill with a referendum to
the people affected, as required by the
Constitution.
The farmers in the part Of Baltimor,
city known as the Annex of 1888 com
elain that there are many barren stalk,
in their cornhelds this year, which con