Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05
DOUBLE VICTORY
WON IN MARYLAND
BYBILLBOARDFOES
Measures Regulating and
Making Advertiser Respon-
sibIe for Signs Passed.
METZER0TT BILL PUTS
TEETH IN PRESENT LAW
Legislation Gives State Roads
Commission Right to Remove
Traffic Hazards.
BY GEORGE PORTER.
STAT correspe ndent Of The star.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, April 4.-Today
The foes of billboards and unsightly road
side advertising in Maryland scored q
double barreled victory.
Following half an hour of spirited de-
bate, the Senate passed the Engle bill
to regulate and tax billboards within SOC
feet Of State highways in Maryland
The vote was IS to 0, with only is votes
being needed to enact it into law.
Less than an hour later the Senate
passed without debate the Metzerott
bill making the advertiser responsible
for every Illegally placed sign.
Passage Of the Engle bill marked the
successful elimination Of three months
of arduous work on the part of those
sponsoring the measure, but the nine
votes cast against it on its final passage
were the only ones recorded in opposi-
ton to the measure, which passed the
House and the first stages of its trip
through the Senate by unanimous bal
lots.
Richie to Get Bill.
The bill will have to be returned to
the House for concurrence in a minor
amendment made in the Senate to cor
rect typographical error, and then viii
60 to Gov. Richie for his signature.
Under the terms Of the bill. which will
go into effect June !, all billboards will
be placed under the supervision of the
State Roads Commission, which is given
authority to remove those signs endan-
gering traff1c. An annual tax of one
half cent per square foot will be i'm
posed on each sign. while the outdoor
advertising companies maintaining
more than so signs will be required to
pay an annual license fee Of $500.
The bill was characterized as a thigh
ly meritorious and long-needed meas
ure," by Senator Emory L. Coblentz Of
Frederick County IN the debate which
preceded its passage.
Answering arguments that had been
advanced by Senator's Dudley @. Roe,
Queen Anne County, and j. Allan Coad,
st. Marys County, that the measure
marked another step IN the tendency
toward overrestriction of the farmers.
Mr.. Coblentz pointed out that reason
able restrictions are necessary to liberty.
Public Endangered.
I'VE must take into consideration
other people besides the farmer" the
Frederick County Senator said. The
general public Is being endangered by
many signs which ! see when I drive
to washington"
Scores of signs on the Frederick
Washington road are dreadful look
beautiful panoramas behind the lad
yertising zone" along the States high
ways, he added.
Both Senator CobIentz and Senator
Robert G. Hilton of Montgomery Coun-
ty, another Of those who supported the
measure during the debate, said they
would be opposed to the bill If 1t i'm
paired farmers revenue.
Mr.. Hilton declared he had many
farmers with billboards on their prop
critics among his constituents but that
their income would not in any way be
impaired by the measure. Some of the
signs which the State Roads Commits
sion finds endanger traffic will merely
be moved from their present location to
a safe position, he said. Senator Hilton
also cited examples of dangerous signs
in his county, some of which, he said
were located near his native town OF
Rockville.
Senator David G. Mcintosh of Balti-
more County, former president of the
Senate. recalled that representatives OF
the billboard companies themselves had
appeared before the Senate Finance
Committee and joined with officials OF
the Southern Maryland Society, the
garden clubs and other organizations
in urging the enactment Of the bill.
Mentions Sunday Base Ball.
Regulatory measures are continually
being passed by the Legislature con-
corning all sorts of things, he pointed
out, mentioning specifically the bill to
permit Sunday base ball in Hagerstown
voted for Friday by the same men who
were opposing the billboard measure
Even the tobacco industry, in which
Senator Coad is interested, is governed
by some form Of regulation. the Balti-
more County Senator recalled.
Senator George Arnold Prick of Bal
timore City lent his support to the bill
with the argument that the advertising
value Of the land is enhanced by the
construction of the State road and not
by any direct effort on the part Of the
farmer.
Senator Wallace williams OF Cecil
County announced 1t would be pleas
ure for him to vote for the bill because
it would help preserve Marylands
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