Evening star., 1920-03-19
AGREE ON BILL TO
BENEFIT SCHOOLS
Prince Georges County Men
in Maryland Legislature
| Will Support Bond Issue.

ANNAPOLIS Md. March 10 (Spe-
ciaD.-Following n visit to Annapo-
lis of President Charles a. Ryon of
the county commissioners OF Prince
Georges county, and other members
of that board and the board of county
school commissioners an agreement
has been reached on the bill pro-
Nlding for the issuance Of bonds to
the amount of 100000 for additional
schools and enlargement of present
;. schools in Prince Georges. The bill
as amended will be supported by
Senator Metzerott and all the MEM
Ders or the Prince Georges delegation
in the House.
Amendments to Bill.
The amendments are such that the
thorized, but not made imperative:
nor are the localities of the schools
or the amounts to be expended def
nitely fixed. 1t is provided that
these bonds can be issued upon the
approval of the county comm issioners
and school commissioners within the
limit stated. and those bodies will
Jointly designate the schools upon
which money is to be expended. and
the amounts, as we'll as other de-
tails in the matter of the time and
manner of awarding contracts
Delegate Roberts bill providing
Tor a referendum of the question of
whether $4,000 should be expended
Tor street improvements at Mount
Rainier. and bonds issued to PROV ide
that sum. has passed both branches
OF the Legislature, and now awaits the
approval of the governor to become
q law.
Other Measures Approved.
An greement also has been reached
by Senator Metzerott and the Prince
three bills connected with improve
ments for Laurel These bills have
now passed the house and are on the
third reading file in the senate and
ready for final passage.
Two of the bills authorize the is
suance of $4,000 and $1,000 worth of
bonds. respectively, for the purposes
of providing a system of electric
lighting for Laurel and for paving
Main street The third authorizes a
special tax of Is cents OH the 500
for public improvements, to be levied
by the city council of Laurel.
Montgomery County Bills Waiting.
Proposed local legislation for Mont
gomery county seems to be practical
ly stationary, though some sort of
an agreement may be reached during
the closing days of the session. The
differences in political complexion be-
tween the senator and members of
! ences among the latter, have compli-
Gated the workings of the Montgom-
cry delegation, and has been respon-
sible for the SlownesS in the move
ment of measures proposed for that
county.
The decision of the Maryland court
of appeals that there is no legal au-
thority for any horse racing in Prince
Georges county makes it likely that
the Bowie and Upper Marlboro racing
81
this year, at the very earliest. The
court held that the act of 1892, under
which the racing had taken place in
Prince Georges. until the act of 1898
was passed. did not revive upon the
action of the courts declaring that
act invalid.
Attention was called to the fact
that the act of 1898 provides that no
racing should be held in the state ex-
cept under it's provisions. This act
was declared invalid because it con-
ferred the duty of issuing the license
upon the circuit court, a function
which the Jburt of appeals declared
extra judicial and improper.
The situation is now that no racing
can be held in Prince Georges county
unless the Prince Georges county
racing commission bill, now pending
in the senate, passes, and then not
until July 1. unless an emergency
clause is attached. If this is done it
must, in order to be effective, secure
the votes of three-ffths of the SEN
ators and be returned to the house
and secure the same proportion there.
1t is extremely unlikely that this can
be done.
1t is also known that Senator Met
zerott is considering an attempt to
have a clause attached to the bill by
which the matter will be submitted
to the voters of Prince Georges
county. Finally. whether this is done
or not, the opponents of racing in
Prince Georges can. by securing a
certain number of names to a petit
tion-which they will have no trouble
in doing-suspend the operation OF
the bill indefinitely. Altogether. the
opinion of the highest Maryland
court has dealt the Bowie and MARI
boro races a body blow, and 1T is al
most certain that they will not oper-
ate this spring, and even may be sus-
pended for longer period.