MARYLAND. 



495 



!dcd to tin- Slate'- revenues from the tax 



ii n.- ijits. while the benefit to i lii'M- 



ii r counties in tin- increa>e of 'lu-ir taxable 



v.'llld have been \cry great. MoreoM-r, 



c jiri'jt-i-i wa~ to extend lh<' proposed railroad 

 Din Georgetown to Baltimore. M> as to nmku 

 at cil v it-, n-al terminus, and thus In give to it 

 c manifest and great ad\ antages of being an 

 outlet for i lie coal lmm \Ve>t Virginia over tlio 

 Virginia Central and 1'ittslmrg Railway, 

 mid mitn-oM-r lead to commercial tind business 

 relation-^ of incalculable value with that great 

 HIM! growing region. The experiment of con- 

 tinuing to spend money on the cunul in the 

 i making it pay, however well meant, has 

 n a costly one to the State, whilo to the 

 ndliolders of 1844 it has thus far proved to be 

 \ thing '"it a Mieee>s. The long-cherished 

 iiey of the State to secure for the people two 

 competing lines of transportation from the coal 

 fields has been reversed, and both of these high- 

 ire now under the control of the same 

 rporation, and the rates of toll and trans- 

 lation can be fixed without the check of 

 petition. 



The Oyster Industry. The general meas- 

 r> at Baltimore report that the sales in that 

 ity from Oct. ir> to Dec. 15, 1890, were 1,701,- 

 bushels, and from Oct. 15 to Dec-. 15, 1891, 

 i9,410 bushels, an increase of about 33 per 

 nt, which must be credited to the Culling 

 ,w, as the percentage of decrease had pre- 

 riously been in a greater ratio ; but to make 

 law effective it will be necessary to extend 

 its provisions to all Arsons having small oysters 

 in possession, and thereby destroy all marketable 

 ,lue in them. The Governor, in his message, 

 omtnends the limiting of the time for taking 

 oysters with scoops or dredges to Nov. 1 ; and 

 that all licenses to take ovsters, either with 

 tongs or with scoops or dredges, should expire 

 with the close of the season. He adds : 



I must also call vour attention to the condition of 

 the oyster fund. Tne receipts from licenses to dredge 

 mrp constantly decreasing, while the expense of main- 

 taining arid Keeping in order the boats of the fishery 

 force is incrcasiiiiT :is the boats get older. The total 

 receipt* for this fund were in 1889 $61,562.08; in 

 1890, $. r >8,178.67; and in 1891, $52,260.33 ; while the 

 expenditures were in 1889 $63,306.09; in 1890, $70,- 

 955.91 ; and in 1891, $73,645.81; showing at present 

 an annual deficit of over $20,000. The license to 

 dre.L'c. which is at present the only source of revenue, 

 is as great as it will bear, and a tax on the bushel is 

 objectionable. I can see no mode of relief except to 

 require the scrapers and longer* to contribute to this 

 expense. If the licenses to tong or to scrape were all 

 issued from the Comptroller's office to the clerks of 

 the circuit courts, and one third of the receipt** 

 therefrom were paid over to the State, it would 

 probably be sufficient for nil present emergencies; 

 and if the license to t<>nr was made personal and 

 tixeil at $."? it would hear more uniformly on the 

 longer and at the same time give a greater revenue 

 ti> the counties. A thorough revision of our oyster 

 luws seems to be absolutely necessary. 



A cause of must embarrassment in the enforcement 

 of our laws is found in the lack of harmony between 

 the laws of Miirvland and those of Virginia. The 

 Legislature <>t that State is now in session, and 

 has the oyster question under consideration, and I 

 feel sure 'that this is an opportune time to secure 

 their co-operation; I would, therefore, recommend 

 that you pass a joint resolution early in your session 



apjH, inting a committee to confer with that body on 



tlim subject. 1 would ulito nuggeiit thu< 



tiTellee xliollld cllllini.-c the ijuertj.... .1 W ilh 



the common ri^'h 1 u n<i 



I'oeoinokc. The hirv'e and valuable "\*tcr i/rouu.U 

 of tin- i'oti>iiiuc. which In-long ciiiin-ly'to Murvluml, 

 are a Miliject of concurrent MgWatioa. and inj<-\e.l 

 b\ the eiti/i-iis of Virginia equally with our own, 

 while the eiti/eiiN of Maryland are 'entire)} i-.v 

 from any rights in the l'oeon : okc. 



The eighth article of the compact of 178/5 pro- 

 vides that all laws and regulations in relation to 

 the preservation of fish in tin- I'.itoma 

 Pocomoke, within the limits of Virginia, shall 

 be made with the mutual consent and approba- 

 tion of both States. 



The Penitentiary. The annual report of 



the Maryland Penitentiary shows that financially 

 it. has been more than self sustaining. The 

 Board of Directors, after paying all expenses, 

 paid into the State treasury in !>!)(; a surplus 

 of $1,991.64. and are ready to pay for 1891 a 

 surplus of $3,022.35. 



by an act of the General Assembly of the last 

 session $25,000 a year was appropriated for ten 

 years for the purpose of purchasing additional 

 grounds for the extension of the Maryland Peni- 

 tentiary and for the erection of necessary build- 

 ings thereon. It also says that : 



It was suggested two year.- n^<>. with a view of the 

 State's doing what it could to aid the fanners of the 

 State, to have binding twine manufactured at the 

 Maryland House of Correction by the prisoners con- 

 fined therein; but upon investigation it was deemed 

 inexpedient, owing to the fact thai mosl of the in- 

 mates were under short sentences, and are a class of 

 persons generally unfitted for such work. Hut with 

 the extension of the Maryland Penitentiary, it would 

 be entirely feasible to erect the necessary machinery 

 ala comparatively small cost for the manufacture of 

 binding twine ; in doing so the State would not con- 

 flict with any similar manufactory in the State con- 

 ducted by private enterprise, while, at the same time, 

 it would "be a vast saving to those engaged in wheat 

 raising throughout the State. Under the present 

 s\>ti in the prison labor is hired out to manufacturers, 

 and should the Slate erect a factory and manufacture 

 binding twine, by charging Ihe consumers with the 

 coslof Ihc raw material and the cost of the work, al 

 the price now charged for such labor, the farmers of 

 the State would be able to secure their binding twine 

 at a much less price than thcv are now compelled to 

 pay for such material, and, therefore, the enactment 

 of such a law is recommended. 



The Australian Ballot Law. The General 



Assembly at its last session passed the Austra- 

 lian ballot law, providing for the printing, at 

 the expense of the State, of an official ballot, 

 and the appointment by the Governor of elec- 

 tion officers, with a view of securing greater 

 fairness and freedom in elect ions. From all sec- 

 tions of the State where the law applies it has 

 received approval and commendation. There 

 are counties where the provisions of the law do 

 not apply, ami it is recommended by the Gover- 

 nor that the law shall be extended to all the 

 counties in the State, and that the whole of the 

 election laws be revised and re-enacted. Indeed, 

 the application of the Australian system to 

 primary elections is advised by him. 



Political. At the election held in November 

 for Governor the Democratic candidate. Frank 

 Brown, was elected, receiving 1 ()*..">:!!' 

 while the Republican candidate, W. J. Vannort, 



