454 



MARYLAND. 



Farm Animals. The number and value of 

 these in 1896 are given by the Department of Agri- 

 culture as follow : Horses, 134.955, value $6,040,- 

 939 ; mules, 13,213, value $806,321 ; milch cows, 

 150,477, value $3,686,687; oxen and other cattle, 

 116,045, value $2,241,000; sheep, 129,884, value 

 $348,375 ; swine, 318,659, value $1,800,651. 



Legislative Session. The Legislature met on 

 the first day of the year, and remained in session 

 ninety days. But little legislation was effected un- 

 til after the election of a United States Senator to 

 succeed Charles II. Gibson, which began in joint 

 session on Jan. 14. On the first ballot the vote 

 was : George L. Wellington, Republican, 14 ; J. C. 

 Milliken, Republican. 7; A. L. Dryden. Republican, 

 7; S. E. Mucld, Republican, 1; R. P. Dixon, Repub- 

 lican, 1 ; H. C. Forbeyt, Republican, 1 ; J. W. 

 Smith, Democrat, 21 ; S. M. Henry, Democrat, 9. 

 The ninth ballot, on Jan. 22, resulted in the elec- 

 tion of Mr. Wellington, the vote standing as fol- 

 lows : Wellington, 63; Goldsborough, 1; Smith, 

 23; John R. Pattison, Democrat, 7; James E. Elle- 

 good, Democrat, 1. Several legislators who had con- 

 scientious scruples about voting for any but an East- 

 ern Shore candidate were excused from voting. 



The most important measure passed was the elec- 

 tion bill. Its sections are manifold, and introduce 

 many changes. It provides that every two years 

 the Governor shall appoint supervisors, who shall 

 select judges of election and clerks, these judges to 

 be the registers of voters. A new registration is to 

 be made in the counties at intervals of eight years 

 after the registration of 1896, but the registration 

 in Baltimore must be annual. Any voter may be 

 present in the place of registration with the right 

 to challenge. Nominations for office may be made 

 by convention or by primaries, or a certificate signed 

 by a certain number of voters, and filed with the 

 proper official will constitute a nomination. Bal- 

 lots must be provided by supervisors, and sample 

 ballots must be conspicuously and securely posted 

 in each precinct four days before election ; for 

 marking the ballot when voting, something other 

 than an indelible pencil may be used. Canvassing 

 boards shall consist of the supervisors. Twenty- 

 seven sections of the bill cover punishments for 

 offenses, the provisions regarding the revelation of 

 the ballot and against intimidation being especially 

 stringent. Among the miscellaneous provisions is 

 one to the effect that the Attorney-General shall 

 prepare full instructions for voters at least thirty 

 days before any State election. Before the first 

 general registration under the law, and before 

 every subsequent general registration next preced- 

 ing a presidential election, the election districts 

 and wards must be reprecincted by the supervisors, 

 and no precinct in Baltimore city shall contain 

 more than 450 voters. The passage of this bill re- 

 peals the Eastern Shore law. 



Provision was made for a reassessment of the 

 property in the State. Listing is i-equired of every 

 taxpayer, for real as well as personal property, and 

 every person is required to put a valuation upon 

 his own property, this valuation to be used only as 

 a guide, to the assessor. Scales for the valuation of 

 mortgages and for the valuation of bonds are 

 adopted. The mortgages of homestead and build- 

 ing societies are exempted from taxation. The 

 measures providing for reassessment were intro- 

 duced in the House of Delegates, were altered by 

 many amendments, and, though not satisfactory in 

 all their provisions, were passed during the last 

 week of the session because both parties had 

 pledged themselves to reassessment. 



Much time was given to the discussion of a civil- 

 service bill, with the result that it was determined 

 to submit the question to popular vote. 



At the request of the Legislature of Virginia, a 

 joint committee of the Senate and House was ap- 

 pointed to confer with a similar Virginia committee 

 to consider questions relating to fishing in the Po- 

 tomac and Pocomoke rivers and Pocomoke Sound. 

 A commission was created to prepare and report a 

 modification of the Australian Torrens land regis- 

 tration system. Provision was made for the ap- 

 pointment of a board of commissioners for the pro- 

 motion of uniformity in laws. 



Bills were passed regulating the oyster industry 

 and providing for increase of revenue therefrom ; 

 abolishing compulsory pilotage; providing that la- 

 borers employed by coal-mining corporations in 

 Allegany County shall be paid at least once in two 

 weeks ; fixing the maximum charge for telephone 

 service between any two cities, towns, or villages ; 

 making criminal written or oral threats to accuse a 

 person of something which, if true, would bring the 

 person into disrepute: allowing witnesses in ;in 

 equity suit to be examined orally in open court ; 

 providing for free schoolbooks : and regulating the 

 sale of liquor in various localities. 



Among other laws enacted are the following: 



To exempt from taxation property used by sur- 

 vivors of the civil war as sites for monuments or 

 monumental parks, with an amendment that the 

 exemption shall extend to all such monuments and 

 parks in the State, and not be confined to those at 

 or near Antietam battlefield. 



To enable the Mayor and City Council of Balti- 

 more to appropriate $5,000 to the Association of 

 Mexican Veterans to aid in erecting a monument. 



To direct the collection and safekeeping of flags 

 carried by Maryland organizations in the civil 

 war. 



liaising the age of consent to eighteen years. 



To prohibit the sale of spurious articles marked 

 "sterling," " sterling silver," or " coin silver." 



To provide penalties for willfully placing tacks, 

 broken glass, etc., upon any public highway, in case 

 a pneumatic bicycle tire shall be punctured 

 thereby. 



To punish the manufacture of clothing under 

 circumstances liable to transmit disease. 



To provide for protection of workers in sweat- 

 shops. 



To protect reporters in refusing to disclose the 

 source of their information. 



To do away with days of grace on bills of ex- 

 change and promissory notes. 



To punish desertion of wife or child with im- 

 prisonment in the House of Correction. 



To appropriate $30,000 to compensate heirs of 

 the late ex-Governor Bradford for property de- 

 stroyed during the war. 



Political. The Populists of Maryland held the 

 first State convention of the year at Baltimore, 

 April 16, 55 delegates being present. Delegates to 

 the St. Louis convention and candidates for presi- 

 dential electors w T ere selected and a platform was 

 adopted which, after a preamble, consisted of this 

 single resolution : 



" That the delegates from this State are hereby 

 instructed to use all honorable means and their best 

 endeavors to effect a union for the coming cam- 

 paign of all who are opposed to the rule of the 

 money bags, if not under the same name at least 

 under the same leaders." 



The Republican State Convention met at Balti- 

 more, April 22, and selected delegates to the Na- 

 tional Convention and candidates for presidential 

 electors. The platform declared " for protection to 

 American industries, believing that only in pro- 

 tection can prosperity again come to this nation " ; 

 in favor of reciprocity, as tending to build up our 

 commerce with our South American neighbors"; 



