Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1921-10-01

prevent duplication of work and eff
fort, and in the interest of economy,
| efficiency and of an adequate, business
| like supervision over all State depart,
ments. The time for this has now
/ arrived.
There Is nothing peculiar to Mary.
/ land about this situation. Exactly the
same thing occurred and is bound to
occur in every State. But Maryland,
under Democratic administrations, has
been among the first of the States to
recognize it and to apply the remedy.
Substantial beginnings have already
been made by our party with the adj
ministrative consultations, which
have resulted in the Conservation
, Commissions the State Board of Labor
/ Statistics, the State Board of Prison
Control, the State Board of Agricul-
ture. the unification. of that board with
the Maryland Agricultural College and
the State Law Department.
Now the time is at hand to complete
the work Of coordination thus SO well
begun and to recast the structure of
the State government, SO that we may
have a practical. working well7bal-
anced whole, capable of operating bet
ter than the present system and at
less cost
To this end we pledge our party to
legislation to promote coordination,
efficiency and economy in the State
government, based upon the plan
which has been recommended by the
reorganization commission, appointed
by Governor Richie, of which Hon.
N. Charles Burke is chairman.
The plan this commission has rec
commended has these outstanding fea-
lures:
l. 1t is distinctly a Maryland plan,
drawn by no outside experts, but by
Maryland men and women, who are
familiar with the needs of our people
and with the history, development and
practical operations of the State gov
eminent The changes this plan
makes are such as will give greater
efficiency and greater economy, and
they square with those State institu-
tons, usages and practices which ex-
perience has justified and which ought
to endure.
g This plan will give a more eff
cient State government. 1t reduces
the SO existing departments to 18
major departments and three minor
ones by combining those whose work
is related and by abolishing unneces-
sary offices.
8. 1t will give more economical
State government. The saving in Off
Gals salaries and compensation alone
will amount to nearly $150,000 year.
The savings from increased efficiency
and system are sure to be many times
this
INCREASED REPRESENTATION.
The Democratic party takes just
pride in Maryland's great city of Bal
more. Its relative importance, its size
and population entitle it to a substan,
tial increase in it's representation in
the General Assembly.
We declare for increased representa-
ton for the city of Baltimore by the
addition Of two (2) Senators and (12)
Delegates, which is an increase OF fifty
$50 per cent, and pledge our party
to the submission to the people of
constitutional amendment therefor
We urge our party to support this
amendment at the polls.
REDUCED NUMBER OF ELEC-
TlONS.
We recognize that elections in this
State are too many and too costly.
We favor abolishing all State and
county elections every second year
to the end that every other year
may be free of elections. We
81 nF
such Constitutional amendments and
legislation as will accomplish this.
The plan drafted by the subcommittee
of the reorganization commission, of
which Hon. Carville d. Benson is
chairman, shows that this will mean
direct saving to the taxpayers of ap'
proximately $350000 a year.
ROADS.
We take just pride in the splendid
road system Of the State, inaugurated
and carried on by Democratic admin.
istratiOnS.
The lateral road plan, enacted by the
last legislature, has proved marked
success. Every county of the State
paid its share of the lateral road fund
and availed itself of its allotment for
1920, and almost every county has done
so for 1921.
We pledge our party to the construc,
ton of needed extensions of and add,
lions to the State roads system from
State funds and Federal aid, and to
the continued building Of lateral roads
from State and county funds.
We were deeply concerned over the
terms of the Federal Aid bill fostered
by the Republican National Admins.
tration, because it would have taken
from the States the right to initiate
their own road projects and itcontained
other provisions which would have de,
prived Maryland of Federal aid in the
future. Federal aid was inaugurated
by the Democratic National Admins
tration several years ago, and any ces'
sation or impairment of its benefits
would be most unfortunate. We are
gratified that it was largely due to tho
efforts of the present Democratic State
Administration that the Objectionable
features of the Republican bill were
eliminated, and the bill at last put in
shape satisfactory to the interests of
this State We deplore, however, the
failure of the Republican Congress thus
far to pass the bill, because this failure
has deprived the State of all Federal
= he nd hac doIoxyad