xi

it would, I think, be competent for the people of those
Counties, provided the question could be put to them at
some general election, by authority of the Legislature, to
direct that the money due to those Counties from this source
should be applied to the purposes of education. Almost all
of these Counties have systems of Education, and these
systems are largely supported by Taxation.

The sums due to several of the Counties, as yet unclaimed
by organized Internal Improvement Companies, would by
the interest thereon, produce nearly or quite as much for the
support of Public Schools, as the entire School Tax now
imposed upon the Tax payers of those Counties.

This disposition of the money due to the Counties alluded
to, would thus greatly, if not entirely, relieve the people of
such Counties from taxation for the support of Schools, or
permit them to improve their systems and extend the bene-
fits of Education, whilst the State would have the advan-
tages which always flow from the. spread of knowledge,
and the increased intelligence of the people, without the
expenditure of additional means to secure these results.

The receipts from Auction Duties, as will be seen by
reference to Table No. 4, of the Appendix, are not en-
couraging.

The money derived from this source, to an amount not
exceeding $20,000, is placed, by section 127 of Article 4 of
Code of Local Laws, at the disposal of the Mayor and City
Council of Baltimore, for the improvement of a Channel in
the Chesapeake Bay and Patapsco River.

The returns and receipts from this source have been, and
continue to be, irregular and defective.

Some of the Auctioneers have steadily refused to accom-
pany their returns with the form of oath prescribed in sec-
tion 120 of the same Article, and others neglect to report
entirely.

Whilst section 95 makes it the duty of the Auctioneers
to report to the Comptroller, under oath, quarterly, there
is no power conferred on that officer to compel such returns.

The remedy for this difficulty is placed with the Treasurer
by section 121.