The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-01-13
BALTIMORE LETTER.

The General Assembly met in the
State House yesterday, and organized
by the election of Senator William l.
Norris, of the First legislative Dis
trict, as President of the Senate, ana
Delegate John l.. G. Lee, of Hartford
County. as Speaker CT the House Of
Delegates The usual desk officers
were chosen, the biennial message of
the Governor was read and after the
transaction of other business prelimin-
airy to the session, both Houses adj
journed. In the meantime the >preSid
ing officers will make up their list of
committees. which will be announced
next week The subordinate officers
will also be chosen soon, after the
opening session next week, and the
work of the following three months
will be taken up. Most of the impoF
tant bills will be introduced early ant
by the middle of the month the pro-
cess of considering, annuling, passing
and rejecting measures intended for
the benefit of the people, will be fully
under way.
Governor Richie is ready for the
work of the session. In his strenuous
way, he has prepared the great num-
Der of bills for consideration, and has
all in shape for presentation to the
two Houses. His message, which is
lengthy document, taking up oven
seventy pages of printed matter, is
complete and thorough statement OF
the condition of Maryland, and is re-
plete with suggestions and recon-
mendations as to what should be done
by law making body of the common
-, lna On
ditions now existing, to remedy GER
tain well-known evils and defects in
the administration of public affairs
and above all else, to provide for more
rigid economy in the public expendi-
lures, and a consequent reduction OF
taxes and lessening of the public bur
dens. In the preparation OF his mes
sage, the Governor shas used the
knowledge he has acquired through
his two years experience as Chief EX
ecutive of the State, his four expert
ence as Attorney General, and his eX-
acting and thorough experience as
Peoples Counsel before the Public
Service Commission 1t is probably
the most thorough and capable mes
sage ever delivered to any General
Assembly at Annapolis, and was re-
ceived with the warmest commenda-
lions by all-even by those who do
not agree with all the suggestions and
recommendations made to the Assem-
bed law makers by His Excellency.
The preliminary conferences and
caucuces. indicate that this will be a
turbulent and STORMY session almost
from the start. All sorts of conflict
views are found among the members
as to what ought to be done. The
small army of office holders, whose
places will be abolished by the enact
ment of the Governors reorganiZa-
tion scheme, are on hand, knocking
and Directing to the drastic changes
to be made which will leave them out
of jobs. Others favoring and others OF
fering changes for diverse reasons
are here to force their views on the
Assembly. Politicians who want jobs
are here in large numbers, either
seeking offices for themselves, or for
friends. henchmen, and relatives. Peo-
pie who want appropriations increas-
ed, Are in hand, while few are here
who favor reductions in the public
expenditures in any degree what ever.
In fact. the great army of taX-eaters
is here in greater force than at any
time for generation-all hungry for
spoils and all anxious to feed for a
while at the public crib.
1t is understood that a determined
effort will be made to abolish the
Public Service Commission, as an eX-
pensive and useless obstacle to any
Just and fair treatment of the people
by the many public service corpora
tions and utilities of the City and
State Wages, salaries, and all sorts
of things are going down and the
cities and towns of the State are fill
ed with people who are either out OF
work. or whose pay has been materi-
ally reduced, so that the means OF
livelihood of a great majority of the
people have been cut down almost tC
minimum In the meantime tre
Public Service Commission, which
was created for the sole purpose OF
protecting the people from corpora
Tion exactionS, seems to have gone
over completely to the side of these
aggregations of corporate greed and
wealth. so far from looking out for the
interests of those whom they were or
ganized to protect, are not only re-
fusing to grant any of the pleases OF
the people but are busy finding eX-
cuses to protect those whose aggres-
sions are public reproach and scan
dial. but are constantly granting in
creases in their demands, until the
people generally say that it is body
of men designed to give nothing but
increases to public exactions, and &c
protect the corporations from the de-
mands of Justice and righteousness in
behalf of a long suffering and cor
poration ridden public. THE rights OF
the people, be damned say the cor
porations. I'VE will charge all we
please" and the Public Service Com
mission say. Amen; we will stand by
you in YOUR demands, no matter how
unjust they may be-"
There are other laws now on the
books, which are administered in such
a way as to increase the burdens on
the backs of the people, which should
be amended or wiped out-there are
numerous arrogant, swellheaded and
useless officials who should be thrown
out of the public service, and there
are not a few evils which are the
growth of centuries of careless and
SlipShOd legiSlatiOn-manV of which