The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1918-05-17
A Review of Some of the More I'M
portant Local and General
Legislation.
BY CHARLES w. CLAGETT

BY CHARLES w. CLAGETT
Owing to the title of the bill being
left out by the printer, the latter part
of my last article was unintelligible.
The bill | actively supported was the
State wide anti gambling bill, which
passed its second reading with Sc rec
orded votes and was defeated when it
came up for final passage, receiving
about 46 votes. Merrick and Clagett
voted for it.
Among the State Road lays passed
was one introduced by Mr.. Fisher to
construct as part of the State Road
J system, an improved highway from
| Central and Crystal Springs Avenues
at Capitol Heights to the MARLBORO
pike This road when constructed Will
give much needed out let from this
growing section to the County seat.
Senator Metzerott's bill for the con-
struction of the National Defense High
way from Bladensburg to Camp Parole
had narrow escape in the House. 1t
came from the Committee of WAYS and
Means with an unfavorable report. L
moved to substitute the bill for the re-
port and my argument was supported
by one of the best speeches Mr.. Fisher
made during the session. With the
SuppOIL Oh luS GIltlIS uClSSoCioi wv
were successful in passing the bill over
the opposition of the Committee and 1t
is now law. e.
The Chairman of the State Roads
Commission told me that the National
Defense Highway will be the first state
road constructed in Prince Georges.
| was given to understand that the
extention of Central Avenue was a
part of the general plan of the Roads
Commission.
| introduced a bill. authorizing the
Commission to construct State High
way from Hyattsville to the District
line at Mount Rainier. For some I'M
known reason, could not get report
on this bill until the last day of the SEES
sion when it was reported unfavorablys
| moved to substitute the bill for the
report, succeeded in this, passed the bill
through its second reading, had the bill
engrossed and procured its passage by
the House. Senator Metzerott took 1t
up at once and passed it through the
Senate. A few days ago, | read IN the
Sun that the Governor had vetoed this
bill, why, do not know. | do know,
however that a conference between the
Governor, Mr.. Couch, the Chairman of
the Roads Commission, its chief engl
neer, and myself, they all agreed that
this road should be included In the |
State Road Commissions plan for new
roads in our County. The reasons for
its construction are imperative and l |
took pains TO impress them upon tbs |
Governor, Chairman Couch and the
chief engineer. pointed out to them |
that the construction of this road would |
practically remove one of the worse !
grade crossings in the State,-a grade |
crossing where, despite the gates, two
people are killed, on an average every |
year,-that it would make direct out
let from Washington to the towns
along the electric line end would stimu-
late the growth OF the County, in
wealth and population.
The acts requiring the County
Treasurer and the Superintendent of
schools to deposit all county funds in
such banks as will agree to pay inter
est on such deposit OF not less than 2
per cent on the average daily balances
were introduced by me. These laws
should mean an annual saving to Prince
Georges of from 81, 500 to So, 900.
| also introduced bill to require the
County Commissioners, after public
nearing, to fix the price each year for
public printing. The bill did not meet
with the approval of any of my associ
ates and as | knew that local bill op-
posed by our three republican deiegat
IS, in d republican House, could not
pass, | did not press the bill.
Last year the cost of the election
in Prince Georges was in the
neiahborhood of &c. 900 90 The same
printing was done for Montgomery, a
richer and more popular County, for
So, go. Oh. | would not consider any
MEASURE which was not just to the
county papers, but | can not conceive
nat the Commissioners, after full en-
Juiry, would fix rate which would be
Unfair either to the papers or the
PEOPLE.