The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1922-01-06
THE LEGISLATURE

of us have come to regard as
necessary evil rather than a
blessing, says the Baltimore Sun
of Wednesday. That it is limit
ed to session of ninety days
gives rise generally to feeling
of gratitude, since we have at
least a fixed date beyond which
pernicious legislative activities
cannot extend. The public atti-
tude of uneasiness caused by the
assembling of this class of State
servants is not confined to Mary
land, and may be cited by politi-
cal cynics as an ironic commen-
tary on popular institutions.
The primary responsibility for
this dubious public sentiment to-
ward its own political progeny
is obvious, but that it exists is
clearly shown every two years
by the anxious glances which
are constantly directed toward
Annapolis, and by the general
breath of relief when the Legis-
lature adjourns and we know
the worst.
The session which begins to-
day, however, is one from which
we have a right to expect excep-
tional service, and which has be-
fore it a program of so much
Importance that little time will
be afforded for mischievous or
sinister legislative schemes. The
Democratic party, which con-
trolls both branches of the Cen
eral Assembly, mapped out, un-
der Governor Ritchie's initiative
and supervision last year, a pro-
gram of reconstruction reform
which it is bound to make the
chief work of the session, and
which it cannot materially min
imize or modify without disaster.
It's platform pledged it to 'leg-
islation to promote coordination,
efficiency and economy in the
State Government, based upon
the plan recommended by the
organization commission ap-
pointed by Governor Ritchie, of
which Hon. N. Charles Burke
was chairman. - This plan, it
was specifically pointed out in
The platform. will reduce the
ighty existing departments in
,e State. government to sixteen
ljor ones by combining those
whose work is related and by
polishing unnecessary offices. "
le saving of salaries alone by
reorganization plan was es-
ted in the platform at more
an $3.50, 900 a year, while the
wing through increased eff
hciency and better system was
set down as ''sure to be many
time this.''
AS companion feature to the
reorganization of the machinery
of the State government, the
Democratic platform emphasized
the necessity of reducing the
number Of elections, and declar-
ed in favor of "abolishing all
State and county elections every
second year, to the end that
every other year may be free of
elections. And it pledged the
party to the passage of such
constitutional amendments and
legislation as will accomplish
this, and called attention to the
estimate made by the subcom-
mittee of the Reorganization
Commission that the elimination
of unnecessary elections would
mean a direct saving to the
taxpayers Of approximately $3.50
900 a year,
These two efficiency and econ
omy plans in the platform must
necessarily take precedence over
everything else and must be re-
deemed in spirit and in SUBJ
stance, if the dominant party is
net to be discredited and dis
graced. Any material departure
from the platform promises on
these subjects, any real failure
to redeem them in sincerity and
truth will carry with it an in
efaceable stigma as we'll as a
ruinous loss of public confidence.
The Republicans charged during
last falls campaign that there
was no honest intention on the
part of the Democratic leaders
to fulfill these campaign pledges
and that even if they did they
would turn out to be much less
valuable in practice than on
paper. The time has now come
when the Democratic party
must prove it's words by acts,