Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1923-12-07
OBSOLETE AND USELESS LAWS.

ter States in the way she makes
laws, in the way they are admin
istered and in her attitude to.
ward the repeal of those which
are obsolete and ridiculous.
One thing which complexities
the Maryland situation is the To-
cal habit of passing State-w wide
laws which do not, however, APP
ply TO one or more counties of
the state. AS a result, you may
be liable to a fine or imprison-
ment for doing q certain thing
anywhere in the State-except
in one little corner, where 1t is
perfectly legal.
For instance, you become a
criminal If you shoot turkey
buzzard anywhere in Maryland
except in the city of Easton.
Sacred elsewhere, the homely
rednecks may, apparently, be
slain at will in the Eastern Shore
metropolis. Why does Easton
cherish a grudge against the
buzzard ? And do buzzards
know the danger they are in
when they visit that delightful
city ?
A second difference is that in
Maryland jury is the Judge of
the law as well of the facts in
any criminal trial.
In most states the presiding
Judge in criminal trials lays
down the law to the jury. "The
law is so and so, and If you find
the facts to be such and such
you must find the defendant
guilty"
There is no such thing as that
in Maryland. The jury hears
the evidence and decides as to
the facts. Then q hears the law
read and decides for itself how
it applies to the facts presented.
How would you like to be a jury
man, for instance, in the trial of
a man charged with violating the
following article of the city code ::
Section rs OF Article A: No
driver upon the streets of
the city shall drive so close
to any vehicle in front that
there shall be less than 10
feet between the rear of said
said vehicle in front and the
head of the horse Of the We.
hicle in the rear at all cross
ings.
A third difference between
Maryland and most of the other
states is that the local State Leg
islature seems to be well aware
of the fact that many of the state
laws are obsolete and useless,
At the last session statesmen
at Annapolis passed a joint reso-
luton calling on the Attorney
General to go over the State
code, make complete list of all
outworn and useless laws and
prepare bills for their repeal.
Attorney General Armstrong
and his aides have devoted a
large part of their time the past
summer to the segregation of
useless laws.
A casual reading of the State
Code throws a startling, if not
amusing light on the punish
ments which Maryland lawma-
kers considered should be i'm
posed for breaking even the Ten
Commandments.
One of the Ten Command
ments, for instance, forbids the
crime of adultery. But the only
punishment provided by the laws
of Maryland for a person con-
victed of adultery is a fine of $40
no more and no less.
Following is literally quoted
Section % of Article "a, of the
Maryland Code, which seems to
have some bearing on another of
the Ten Commandments
Every person who shall
profanely swear or curse in
the presence and hearing Of
any justice Of the peace,
sheriff, coroner, county clerk
or constable shall
for the first oath or curse
be fined twenty-five cents
and for every oath or curse
after the first fifty cents.
AS a matter of fact both the
state and city codes are full of
laws which are obsolete, useless
and ridiculous. Here are a few,
cited without any attempt at ar
rangement :
Each and every carriage of
pleasure kept for hire, when I'M
employed, shall be placed by the
driver in the middle of the street
and lengthwise thereon tart. 4,
Section 10, City Codo).
No street car may cross any
open street within the city limits
at greater speed than 6 miles
an hour.
ANY hotel or boarding house
using q substitute for butter
must print the name of the sub
stitute in large capital letters on
its bill of fare or hang up large
placards to the same effect on
the walls of the dining room.
Theatres, stores. factories,
depots, stations, hotels, lodging
houses, ETC., must provide plen-
ty of cuspidors and have them
cleaned once every twenty four
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