The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-04-06
SIARYLAND GENERAL AS
; SEMBLY VOTES MILLIONS
Showed Free-Handed Abandon
With Appropriations At End
Of Session.

ton for the bland and free-handed
abandon with which it disported with
millions. This distinction is the more
extraordinary when it is recalled that
several of the most important meas
ures on the legislative program were
designed, at least ostensibly, in the
interest of economy.
The budget bill in itself accounts
for more than $15,000,000 a year for
each of the next two fiscal years.
The pruning done to the budget was
negligible, and indeed, now that the
thing, can be regarded in retrospect,
almost ludricrous when all the talk
about cutting is compared with the
actual results. And the Assembly,
feeling perhaps that it had been mig
gardly in making any cute at all,
raised the judges salaries by way of
compensation.
The budget was at least a pains
taking document, compiled with pa
tient care by Governor Richie, and it
is quite possible that much legisla-
tive tamperng with it might have
worked the State no little harm. But
the Assembly demonstrated in its
closing days disregard for the eX-
penditure of millions which made its
earlier solicitude about budget items
appear homogeneous.
The House passed the S9,000,000
soldiers bonus bill almost by accla-
nation. Indeed, in view of the over
whelming legislative desire to do
something for the eX-soldiers, the re
straint of the authors Of the bonus
measure in asking for 100000
when double the amount, to judge
rom legislative action, might have
cen obtained, must compel attention
The bonus bill, it is true, does carry
referendum clause. and some of the
eglsIators in both the House and the
Senate who voted for the bill might
Nave done so in the comforting con
Eiction that they were merely giving
hhe Sovereign people" a chance to
express itself on an important mat
Ter Be that as it may, the electo-
hate when voting on the bonus bill
will at the same time be voting on
Ehe question whether to levy a tax
bf cents for the years 1928 and 1924
and 6.3 cents for the succeeding years
up to and including 1887
| Unperturbed by the prospect of a
R9,00O,OOO loan the Assembly nat
1rally made easy work-a work ia
cilitated by the services Of Robert
Craine-of the $1,OOO,OOO loan for
road building in Southern Maryland.
This loan is in addition to the road
construction loan of S3,15O,0OO. The
general construction loan of $500,
900 was raised by a quarter of a mil
lion dcllara, so that it will amount to
$1,75O0O0.
In consideration of the large and
doubtless sane views taken by the
Assembly, it may seem strange that
the Tydings measure providing for
the purchase of the Havre de Grace
bridge for $60O,OOO-a fraction of 4
million-should have occasioned at
tentiOn, much less provoked opposi-
tion, bitter opposition in the House,
to such an extent that 100000 was
made the 7maximum purchase price
and not the fixed consideration EN-
bodied in the law.
The $15,000,000 school loan for
Baltimore city is, of course, in a class
by itself. The Legislature has mere
ly enabled the voters of the city to
say whether they wish to incur this
loan, and if the voters of the city
continue to apply the principle, in
cnlcated during recent campaigns,
that to vote for the loans is to keep
your taxes down." they are likely
to decide in the affirmative.
Now that the session is over it
would seem that the two most trou-
blesome questions have been babies
and booze. The enforcement bill gave
the Legislature agony, the squawks
Of the "baby" law born after long
travail in the Senate Monday night
Ind in the early hours of Tuesday
morning, suggested that the next de-
parture of the associated Federal and
State hygienic authorities might well
be a bureau for the resuscitation of
exhausted Legislators.
Tht racing question, compared with
proB per enforcement and child hy-
gie1 week mo take a back seat, and
Il do MS as greater represen-
business or ,imore City" and "few-
hours today Is ere relatively minor
Of money that Id the defeat of the
Gus war times. would have given
Z reasonable to ask fortunately $1,000
thing"