The Republican., 1923-12-27
STATE OFFICERS OFFER
PROGRAM ON LEGISLATION
Twelve Departments Submit
Recommendations to Gov
ernOr Ritchie

mitted to Thomas L. Robinson, Attor-
ney-General, memoranda of legisla-
tion desired by the various State de-
partments. Mr.. Robinson is to have
bills drafted in accordance with this
data. The measures will introduce
at the coming session of the Legis-
lature. Some of them will have the
sanction of the Executive department
and others will have to take their
chances in the legislative mill.
Discussion with the Governor of the
legislative memoranda was Mr.. Rob-
insOn's first act as AttOrney-General.
He was sworn in by the Governor
Thursday at Annapolis, and imme-
diately after qualifying went into
conference with the executive regard
ing the proposed legislation. With
Mr.. Robinson was one Of his assist
ants, Robert H. Archer, of Hartford
county. Mr.. Robinson has appointed
only two Of the four assistant attor-
ney generals so far. They are Mr..
Archer and Edward II. Burke, son of
the late Charles \. Burke, former
judge.
Twelve State departments have sub
mitted to the Governor, at his request,
abstracts of the legislation which they
desire. They are: Comptroller, Bank
Commissioner, Tax Commission, De
partment of Health, Roads Commits
sion, Conservation Department of
Forestry, Commissioner of Labor and
Statistics, Commissioner Of the Land
Office, Industrial Accident Commission
and Public Service Commission.
Departments which later will sub
nit legislative programs include the
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, In
surance Department, Purchasing De-
partment, Board Of Supervisors of
Elections for Baltimore City and the
Law Department.
One Of the recommendations Of the
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles will
deal with the reorganization Of the
Traffic Court. This question is con-
sidered Of such Importance by Gov
ernor Ritchie that he will make it a
matter Of administration policy, and
the resulting legislation, whether it
be an adoption or modification Of the
Motor Vehicle Commissioners pro-
gram, viii be an administration meas
Ure.
The measures discussed recently by
Governor Ritchie, Mr. Robinson and
lIr. Archer are those which do not in
volve appropriations. The Governor
has been handling the budget himself,
together with the kindred subject of
tn State tax rate.
The departmental legislative pro
grams set forth during the confer
ences, is as follows:
To create a license department in
the Comptroller's office providing for
three inspectors in addition to the
chief inspector, authorized by the last
Legislature and now operating.
TO require justices OF the peace to
be bonded
To require bonds Of all State off
cials to be filed with the Comptroller.
To permit no appeal to the Comp
troller and Treasurer from decisions
of the State Tax Commission.
To require that capital of banks be
fully paid in before they start busi-
ness.
To empower the bank commissioner
to authorize any State bank to act as
a trust company.
To prohibit banks and trust compa
MES from making loans on their own
stock as collateral.
To require railroad corporations to
file annually with the Tax Commits
sion valuations of their rolling stock
and to authorize the commission to
apportion this valuation among the
political units Of the State.
To require a uniform tax levy date.
To authorize the commission to del
egate to employees the power to ad-
minister oaths.
To require tax assessors to take
oath.
To require the Commissioner of Mo
tor Vehicles to furnish the Appeal Tax
Courts and the Commissioners Of the
various counties with information ev-
cry 30 days concerning the issuing Of
automobile licenses.
To abolish State tax by ascertaining
total cost Of State government and di-
viding this charge among the political
units of the State in the ratio their
taxable basis bears to the total taxa
Bile basis of the State. This would
probably entail an amendment to the
State Constitution.
(This last recommendation was sub
mitted by J. Enos Ray, chairman Of
the Tax Commission, who explains in
his letter to the Governor that the
recommendation are his as an indi-
vidual and not Of the commission as a
board).