The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-03-04
CITY EXTENSION BILL
STILL In BALANCE
Appropriation Bills, Anti-Race Track
Bills And Others Occupying The
Time of The Maryland Lawmakers
State House, Annapolis, March 4 ID.

State House, Annapolis, March 4.
The General Assembly is in a rush
as usual. in the last third OF the ses-
sion, making Up for tim eiost and
wasted in the earlier days. All the
important bills are still in commit
tee, unacted upon, and in most in
stances even unconsideed, and the
only real lineup there has been. has
been on the ratification Of the prohi-
bitiOn amendment to the Federal
Constitution. In this dilatGry policy
this General Assembly has only fol-
lowed the Unbroken precedents of a
century. and the usual rush and con-
fusion at the close of the session will
be evident as il has been in all pre-
Vious years. Changes may be brou-
ght about in many things, but it ap-
pears to be a hopeless task to change
the methods Of procedure in LegiSla-
tive bodies in Maryland.
What will be the fate of the City
Extension bill is still d problem. The
measure at the present time seems
to be well tied up in Legislative red
tape. Mayor Preston and the adyo-
Gates of the bill are vigorously work
ing to solve the problem, but even
the most astute observer of affairs
here in the State House can see no
solution except as matter of COM
premise, and the city people and
their allies, are opposed to anything
except the bill as it stands, without
amendment or change. In the mean
time the Statewide Temperance bill
seems to be coming to the front and
the result may he the side-track for
everything else until the dry people
have gotten their pet measure out of
the way. And in the back ground
are looming up all the important ap-
preparation bills, the anti-race track
bills, the bills to reduce the size of
the various State commissions, and
last, but not least. the bills to pro-
vide revenue to pay for all the lux
uries the people enjoy in the way OF
officials, new roads, schools, and all
sorts of public institutions, and hun
dreds of other public and private
things for which taxes are necessary,
and for which the people must pay.
But all these matters will be attend
ed to before the final adjournment,
as they have been attended to in the
past sessions. Whatever else may
fail in the last days, however, one
all the revenue and other financial
thing is assured. the tax bills and
bills will be passed, even if the
clocks have to be turned back, and
no offices will be abolished. AS the
late Governor Hamilton used to say,
the great army of tax-eaters must
be fed and all the money bills will
go through in due time.
The latest candidate to be discuss
ed in connection with the Democratic
nomination for the Governorship is
Senator Orlando Harrison, of Wor-
cester county. Mr.. Harrison, it is re-
ported, will be backed by the dry
forces of the State. The general be-
lief here is that State Treasurer
,laeksonsXill be the Republican nom
S, N csslns-- to offset .ackncw-
lodged strength on the Eastern Shore
the Democrats may be obliged to
nominate an Eastern Shoreman.
Whether such contingency may or
may not. arise, there is no doubt but
that Mr.. Harrison's friends are seri-
ously considering him as possible
candidate. He has come to the front
this session as, easily, the most for
ceful man in the Senate, as well as
the most untiring worker in that
body. He is also rapidly coming TO
the front as the most promising man
for future leadership on the Eastern
Shore, and when he really starts out
after anything he usually gets it, no
matter what may Ee the obstacles in
his way.
Senator Kaufman, of Frederick,
has attained the position as the most
independent man in the Senate. He
refused to vote for Mr.. Jackson, al
though the latter was the caucus
nominee of his party for State Treas
urer, and his position on the anneXa-
ton bill is we'll known. While he is
a Republican, ne reserves the right
to decide for himself what are really
party matters, and he has an old
fashioned, honest way of expressing
his views on peopb and affairs, so
that his position i: never miSunder-
stood. He is personally popular
with his colleagues of both parties,
and his word is hii bond in all that
he says or does. When he does not
approve of persol, course, or a
measure. he says ST in plain and un-
mistakable languase, and his views
rarely ever undergo change. He is
an honor to his comfy and to the
Senate. and whethG one agrees with
him or not. one is bound to respect
him.
PAUL WINCHESTER.