MARYLAND. 



529 



Thi3 shows a small surplus. But it will be 

 observed that the public schools received but 

 $510,413.08, while the amount really collected 

 for them from the tax of ten cents was $543,- 

 771.78, showing, also, that this difference of 

 $33,358.70 went into the ordinary or usual 

 receipts, which, if paid to the public schools, 

 would have left a deficit in the Treasury of the 

 large sum of $31,269.14, to be supplied from 

 receipts absolutely appropriated to other speci- 

 fied purposes. This, too, occurred in a year 

 when there was no legislative session. In a 

 legislative year the deficiency would have 

 amounted to upward of $200,000. The Gov- 

 ernor calls attention to the diversion of funds 

 from the sinking fund, and other guaranteed 

 objects, and to the extravagance which results 

 therefrom. He thinks the people will not 

 justify a new loan or additional taxation, but 

 that further deficiencies must be prevented by 

 retrenchment. He recommends more stringent 

 measures against tax-collectors to enforce the 

 payment of overdue taxes. There was due the 

 State, from 1845 to 1880, inclusive, the sum of 

 $546,613.54, from collectors of taxes in the 

 city and the several counties. There was due 

 for the same time by the sheriffs the sum of 

 $27,833.44, and also by incorporated institu- 

 tions the sum of $102,796.31, making alto- 

 gether an aggregate of $677,243.29 thus due, 

 a portion standing for a long time. 



" The whole tax and collection system," says 

 the Governor, in his message to the Legislature, 

 " needs revision, and I would respectfully sub- 

 mit to your consideration the propriety of au- 

 thorizing the Executive to appoint a non-paid 

 commission of gentlemen, who would take an 

 interest in the subject, for that purpose, and to 

 report to the next Legislature." 



He recommended the reduction of the num- 

 ber of tax-collectors from eighty-four to twenty- 

 four, one for each county and the city of Balti- 

 more, as tending to simplicity and efficiency. 

 As tending to economy, he recommended the 

 abolition of various unnecessary offices. On 

 the subject of retrenchment the Governor re- 

 marks : 



The extraordinary legislative expenses for a series 

 of past sessions have been the subject of great public 

 concern and of just complaint. There were 111 mem- 

 bers in both bodies, and at the last session there were 

 105 officers and employe's. The per diem, mileage, 

 and stationery of the members was $57,767, while that 

 of the officers and employe's was $59,194.25. This 

 exhibit can not be repeated without causing wide- 

 spread dissatisfaction among the people. This large 

 expenditure for officers ana employes was made up 

 by regular per diem, additional pay, and extra com- 

 pensation. 



There is no law prescribing the number of officers, 

 or fixing compensation, with the sole exception of 

 that of 1868, chapter 61, which provides only what 

 officers of the preceding session shall return to the 

 opening of the new session, and confines the number 

 to five for both Houses. Besides this one provision, 

 the whole subject is left without system or law. To 

 avoid like excesses and abuses in the future, it is in- 

 dispensable that a well-ordered system be established 

 bylaw for the regulation and conduct of this branch 

 ot the service. 



VOL. xxi. 34 A 



A well-considered bill was matured at the last ses- 

 sion, limiting the number of such appointments for 

 both Houses to thirty-nine, an ample number, in my 

 judgment, and fixing their aggregate compensation at 

 $17,330, a retrenchment in this service alone of $42,- 

 000. This bill failed to pass, but I take the liberty of 

 commending it to your consideration. In any law to 

 be passed upon the subject, great care should be taken 

 that any compensation other than that fixed by the 

 law itself, should be expressly forbidden to be paid by 

 the Treasury. 



In view of the general laws providing for so many 

 interests in the State, and winch before applied for 

 legislation, the session, with diligent application to 

 business, ought not to extend over sixty days, if even 

 that long. 



The public printing, that for the Legislature as well 

 as for all the departments, requires your earnest con- 

 sideration. There is now no system whatever regu- 

 lating this important and expensive branch of the 

 service. In no other branch has there been a more 

 inconsiderate or wasteful expenditure of the public 

 money. 



The printing of the Legislature alone, including in- 

 dexing, etc., for the last four sessions, amounted to 

 $187,636, averaging $46,909 a session, and that for the 

 departments, including advertisements, from $5,000 

 to $10,000 annually, depending upon the work done. 



Here is an unquestioned opportunity for a sterling 

 retrenchment. 



The publication of the laws is another subject to 

 which public attention has been attracted. The ex- 

 penditure is so large, and at the same time so monop- 

 olized, that it could not escape inquiry and criticism 

 with just men or with tax-payers. It is a system of 

 comparatively modern invention. Prior to 1865 such 

 systematic publication was unknown. 



The act of 1865, chapter 31, first inaugurated the 

 practice, and by act of 1868, chapter 67 and chapter 

 440, it was more definitely defined by directing the 

 publication to be made at the expense of the State, 

 and to be paid on the warrant of the Comptroller. 

 This act provides that every public general law to 

 take effect before the first day of June is to be pub- 

 lished daily for one week in two daily newspapers in 

 Baltimore city, one of which shall be in the German 

 language, ana one newspaper in each county having 

 the largest circulation. No terms are prescribed nor 

 price fixed, and the Treasury Department paid the 

 sum of $1,200 to each county "news paper in some in- 

 stances dividing it between* two and $5,550 to city 

 ne\yspapers dividing it among three for the publi- 

 cation of the laws of the session of 1880. The^ aggre- 

 gate amount paid for this session for the counties and 

 the city was $33,150 ; for the session of 1878, $33,- 

 064.70 ; for the session of 1876, $31,689; making an 

 aggregate of $97,_903.70 for these three sessions. 



In these three items of expenditure alone the leg- 

 islative expenses, the public printing, and the publi- 

 cation of the laws there can DC a judicious saving of 

 at least $70,000. 



The origin of the system in 1865 was to support 

 from the Treasury a partisan press not then supported 

 by the people, and, though the cause has ceased, the 

 practice still continues. It should stop ; and therefore 

 I recommend the repeal of those acts of 1865 and 1868, 

 and thus, while relieving the Treasury from a heavy 

 charge, at the same time relieve the press from pat- 

 ronizing influences. If it should be considered nec- 

 essary, from time to time, to make publication of im- 

 portant laws in newspapers, provision could be made 

 for it. 



At the last session there was a well-matured bill 

 prepared, authorizing the Governor and Attorney- 

 General to have such publication made of any laws 

 that might be deemed to be of sufficient public inter- 

 est, but it failed to pass. 



The State fishery force, or, as it is com- 

 monly called, the " Oyster Navy," is now con- 



