"shall be," and inserting "are now or may
be hereafter;" so that it will read—"and
perform all other duties that are now or may
be hereafter prescribed by law."
The amendment was adopted,
On motion of Mr. STOCKBRIDGE,
The words " general assembly " were sub-
stituted for the word "legislature" in this
section.
Mr. ABBOTT. I would inquire whether
"the third day of each session" gives the
treasurer time enough after the first of Janua-
ry to make his returns. I know that in
many organizations it is difficult for the treas-
urer to do so. I know that in the city of
Baltimore it would be difficult for the treas-
urer to get his accounts ready by the third or
fourth day after the council meets.
Mr. HEBB. it has been customary to have
the retarns made on that day, as the fiscal
year ends in September.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. I move to insert the
word ' ' regular ' ' between the words ' ' each ' '
and "session." If there should be an extra
session, I presume it would not be necessary
to have any report made then to the general
assembly.
The amendment was adopted.
No further amendment was offered to the
fourth section.
Mr. SCOTT. I rise to request some member
who voted in the majority yesterday, on fix-
ing the salaries of the comptroller and treas-
urer, to move a reconsideration of those votes,
in order that our work here may be made a
little more consistent with itself. We have
increased the salaries of other officers on the
ground that the increased cost of living makes
it necessary and proper to do so, without any
pretence whatever that the duties of those
officers hare been in any way increased. It
is notorious that the duties of the office of
comptroller have been greatly increased by
the war and other causes, and I think it but a
simple act of justice to that officer either to
reconsider the vote fixing his salary, and
increase it, or reconsider the votes by which
the salaries of other officers have been increas-
ed, and reduce them to their original stand-
ard. have no particular choices to which
course shall be pursued. I voted in the mi-
nority yesterday, and cannot make the mo-
tion to reconsider. I would therefore ask
that some gentleman who voted in the major-
ity would now move to reconsider,
Mr. MILLER. I move to reconsider the vote
by which the salary of the comptroller was
fixed at twenty-five hundred dollars.
Mr. SMITH, of Carroll. I think the sugges-
tion of the gentleman from Cecil (Mr. Scott,)
that we reconsider the votes by which the
salaries of other officers were increased, would
be much more acceptable to the majority of
the members of this body; and lam sure it
would be more acceptable to the whole body
of the people. So far as these two officer? |
are concerned, I know that one of them has
said that he accepted the office knowing what
the salary was, and that if it was increased he
would feel obliged, in consideration of his
oath, not to accept any increase, but to pay
it over to the treasury. We are legislating
now, provided this constitution shall beadop-
ted, for twenty years to come. in all proba-
bility, in a few years, times will be reinstated
as before. If we increase these salaries, how-
ever, they must continue under this constitu-
tion, no matter what changes might take
place. We might obviate the difficulty by
fixing the salary at a maximum, and author-
ize the legislature in their discretion to
decrease it until a given minimum is reached.
I think, however, twenty-five hundred dol-
lars is quite enough for these officers; and I
think plenty of people in this State can be
found competent to discharge those duties,
who would be satisfied with that compensa-
tion. I think it would be better to reconsider
the salaries of other officers which have been
increased and bring them back to their pre-
sent standard.
Mr, SCOTT, My only object was to preserve
consistency in our action.
Mr, BERRY, of Prince George's. I think
there is a great deal of force in what has fal-
len from the gentleman from Cecil ((Mr. Scott)
in reference to increasing the compensation of
all the officers of the State. It is well known
that the cost of living is twice as great now as
it was when these officers were elected, and in
all probability it will be years before things
will return to their old standard of value. I
think it is but justice to increase the salaries
of these officers. Without we give good sala-
ries we cannot expect lo obtain the services of
good officers. No man will leave a lucrative
business to accept an office where the salary
is inconsiderable, not rap to a supporting stand-
ard. I hope no decrease will be made in the
salaries we have already fixed for officers;
but that there will be an increase of at least
five hundred dollars in the salary of the
comptroller. And I am willing to increase
the pay of every other officer appointed or
elected under the constitution. Even if we
increase the pay of the comptroller in the
ratio I have indicated, it will not then be as
much as two thousand dollars was at the time
of the adoption of the present constitution.
There are many strong and urgent reasons
why this should be done. I am in favor of
giving all our officers a fair compensation for
their services.
Mr. MILLER. I shall vote in favor of the re-
consideration of the vote, by which the salary
of the comptroller was fixed at twenty-five
hundred dollars. I voted yesterday for
the highest sum, three thousand dollars,
proposed by the gentleman from Baltimore
city (Mr. Thomas, ) because that was an in-
crease of five hundred dollars over the present
salary. I did so for two reasons: because |
