construed to prohibit the raising of funds for the purpose
of aiding or compensating in such manner or way as the
General Assembly of the State shall deem proper, those
citizens of the State who have served, with honor, their
Country and State in time of War; provided, however, that
such action of the General Assembly shall be effective only
when submitted to and approved by a vote of the people of
the State at the General Election next following the enact-
ment of such legislation.(1)

[34. No debt shall be hereafter contracted by the Gen-
eral Assembly unless such debt shall be authorized by a
law providing for the collection of an annual tax or taxes
sufficient to pay the interest on such debt as it falls due,
and also to discharge the principal thereof within fifteen
years from the time of contracting the same; and the taxes
laid for this purpose shall not be repealed or applied to
any other object until the said debt and interest thereon
shall be fully discharged. The credit of the State shall not
in any manner be given, or loaned to, or in aid of any in-
dividual association or corporation; nor shall the General
Assembly have the power in any mode to involve the State
in the construction of works of internal improvement, nor
in granting any aid thereto which shall involve the faith
or credit of the State; nor make any appropriation therefor,
except in aid of the construction of works of internal im-
provement in the counties of St. Mary's, Charles and
Calvert, which have had no direct advantage from such
works as have been heretofore aided by the State; and
provided that such aid, advances or appropriations shall
not exceed in the aggregate the sum of five hundred thous-
and dollars. And they shall not use or appropriate the
proceeds of the internal improvement companies, or of the
State tax, now levied, or which may hereafter be levied,
to pay off the public debt (or) to any other purpose until
the interest and debt are fully paid or the sinking fund
shall be equal to the amount of the outstanding debt; but
the General Assembly may authorize the Board of Public
Works to direct the State Treasurer to borrow in the name
of the State, in anticipation of the collection of taxes, such
sum or sums as may be necessary to meet temporary de-
ficiencies in the treasury, to preserve the best interest of the
State in the conduct of the various State institutions, de-
partments, bureaus, and agencies during each fiscal year.
Subject to the approval of the Board of Public Works and as
provided by law, the State Treasurer is authorized to make
and sell short-term notes for temporary emergencies, but

' Thus amended by Chapter 327, Acts of 1924, ratified Nov. 4, 1924.