Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1924-02-01
LOAN AND TAX BILLS
TO LEGISLATURE
Governor Sends Administration
Measures In
100000 FOR ST. JOHNS
Levy Rate Fixed At IT 1-s Cents For
1926 And 27 rs For Next
Two Years-eovernor'
Statement.

Annapolis
With the introduction OF what are
known as the administration bills, the
General Assembly is provided with
plenty Of work for the Ways and
Means and Finance Committee for
some time to come The bills, pre-
pared by Governor Ritchie, were in.
troduced in the Senate by Senator
Mitchell and in the House by Dele
gate Given.
There are four Of these bills, the
main provisions Of which have already
been printed and were discussed BY
the Governor in his message. The
only new matter is the addition by
the Governor in the general construc-
ton bill Of 100000 for st. Johns
College, $4,000 for Frostburg Normal
School and the elimination of the
Item Of $4,000 for improvements at
St Marys Female Seminary. The
Governor said the net addition Of
$4,000 will not affect the tax rate.
Governor Ritchie made the follow
ing statement in reference to the
change in the General Construction
bill:
"The General Construction bill pro.
vides for the same items outlined in
my message, aggregating s2,1OO, 900
except:
/. The $4,000 for improvements at
st. Marys Female Seminary. The
omitted because the seminary was de-
stroyed by fire, and whether the State
will assist in rebuilding will be for
The Legislature to determine.
2. Forty thousand dollars is given
to the Frostburg Normal School to
acquire strip of land and buildings
adjacent thereto, which | find to be
essential for health and sanitary pur.
poses.
g. One hundred thousand dollars Is
given St. Johns College for laboratory
equipment and to supply its library.
and for general construction purposes.
on condition that it raises an endow-
ment fund Of $4,000
This is in accordance with the rec.
concentrations Of the college commits
sion, which reported after my mes
sage had been prepared, and which
shows that either St Johns must
close or else the State must do at
least this much to help It become self
sustaining. The 100000 endowment
fund is practically assured.
"The fact that the bill contains no
similar provisions for Washington Col
lege is not intended in any way as a
discrimination against that college.
The college commission recommended
$4,000 for Washington College on
condition that 1t raises an endowment
fund of S150,000. st. Johns has shown
that its fund is assured, but there Is
nothing to indicate that Washington
will be able to raise such a fund. If
It can give assurance that it can, and
will. then it will be for the Legisla.
ture to determine whether the State
should aid Washington"
The second bill provides for a $780,
900 loan, to be used for the construe.
tion Of bridges and the elimination Of
dangerous railroad grade crossings,
for paving in Baltimore city and in
substitution for the Susquehanna
bridge loan OF 1922. now in the sink
ing funds. one-third Of the loan is 10
be issued in each Of the years 1924.
1925 and 1926 The rate of interest is
not to- exceed Az per cent.
The third bill authorizes a road loan
of s4,500,O00, which will be supple
mented by funds from the United
States Government and the counties.
1t also will be issued in three yearly
installments of $1,5O0,O0O each and
will draw not exceeding Az per cent,
Interest
The bill fixing the State tax puts
the rate at 27 Is cents for 1926, 271-5
cents for 1926 and the same for 1927.
The bill specifies in detail the cents
and fractional parts Of cents levied
for Is different objects, schools head
ing the list with IL S-20 cents for 1925.
1915 cents for 1926 and 114 cents for
1927.
Under a bill introduced by Senator
Frick, of Baltimore city, no applicant
for registration to vote would be re-
quired to state his or her exact age.
The amended law, however. would re.
quire all registTants to state whether
he or she would be at least 21 years
Of age on the regular election day next
succeeding the day of registration.
The bill is similar to one introduced
last week by Senator Towers, but ap-
plies to both sexes. Senator Towers
proposal affected women only, and the
wording of the measure he submitted
specified that the entry for them
should be merely. "21 years and over. .
The Consolidation Coal Company
would be authorized to issue preferred
stock under a bill introduced by Sena-
tor Gambrill. 1t also would be per
mitted to issue common stock for less
than par value and Of no par value
Senator Gambrill said the charter of
the company, granted in 1860, provided
cor the issuance of common stock at