The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-03-30

by ministers is the practice to meet
the competition among clergymen.
We have virtual marriage bureaus es-
/ tablished by travelling parsons who do
not hesitate to stoop to this means
of livelihood
eve don't want Cecil county the
washing place for New York, Philadel-
phia and Wilmington. There are be-
tween 1000 and 5000 marriages a
year in Elkton and the absence of a
law such as l have proposed is re-
sponsible for the condition. Many of
these couples separate Immediately
and the majority of them come from
outside the State.
There is no opposition to this bill
except from the so-called 'jitney
trust and clerks of the courts who
profit by the condition"
The bill does not affect residents of
Maryland, who may take out licenses
to marry as they do now without the
As hour registration. Senator Can't
well said he felt the Elkton evil would
be cured by applying the proposed law
only to nonresidents.
His bill followed a far more dras-
tic measure which the Wilmington
Conference of the Protestant Episco-
pal Church would have had introduced.
The latter applied alike to Maryland,
ers and nonresidents and would have
made it a felony for an unordained
minister or one not in charge of a
parish to perform a ceremony. 1t
also provided for a fine for clergymen
and jitney drivers violating certain
clauses and contained a section to
prevent fee-splitting.
Unexpected opposition to the SEN
ate bill changing the hours for open
ing and closing the polls on election
day developed when the bill was hand
ed into the House with a favorable
report from the Committee on Elec-
tions. As the bill came from the
Senate it provided that in Baltimore
city the polls shall be open from a.
m. to ) p. m. and in the counties from
z a. m. to Up. m.
Delegate Joseph, of Baltimore city,
chairman Of the Committee on Flee
tons, said the hours prescribed for
Baltimore city were acceptable. but
that some delegates from the counties
had said they preferred to retain the
present opening hour, which is 6 a. m.
To test the feeling of the county
members, he said he would offer an
amendment making 6 a. m. the open
ing hour for the counties and he
pledged the city delegates to refrain
from voting on it.
After considerable argument among
the county members the motion was
put and lost, Then various counties
asked to be excepted from any change.
1t ended by Garrett, Washington, Car
roll, Montgomery, Calvert, Dorchester
and Wicomico counties and Precinct
No. ? Of District No. 3. of Worcester
county, being exempted.
If the Senate concurs in the amend
ment, polls will be open from am.
to p. m. in the exempted sections.
from 6 a. m. to p. m. in Baltimore
city and from 7 a. m. to z D. m. in
the remainder of the State.
Ten Democratic Delegates boltei
party lines in the House yesterday
afternoon, and the Fewer Elections
bill, designed to carry out one of the
chief pledges of the Democratic plat.
form. failed for want of a constitu
tional majority. Unless the House re-
considers the vote, the bill, which
passed the Senate by vote of % to
5, is dead.
The vote in the House was 81 for
the bill to Al against it. Under the
law three-ffths vote, of Ga Dele.
gates, is necessary to pass a consti-
tutional amendment through third
reading.
After fight brought on by Senator
Robb to get $4,000 slice of the
funds for Cumberland, the Senate
finally passed yesterday the One-Cent
Gasoline Tax bill designed to raise
S1,179,555 for State roads. Approx.
imately half this sum is to be devoted
to removing a deficiency in the main
tenance and reconstruction fund of
the State Roads Commission and the
remainder for construction of State
roads through incorporated towns and
cities to connect up the States arter-
lal system of roads.
Senator Robb voiced Cumberland's
claim to part of the funds because.
ne said, that city already having built
a boulevard connecting the State road
on either side of the municipality.
could not profit under the proposed
disposition of the funds. He said he
felt the State should share in the ex-
penditures already made by Cunber-