xiii

It is impossible for me to reach the delinquent parties, un-
less the officers appointed by said Act will co-operate with
me; otherwise it will become a dead letter.

Table No. 19 shows a list of the "Incorporated Institu-
tions" indebted to the State for taxes, whose accounts require
to be adjusted before the amount of their indebtedness can be
ascertained. Some of them have been merged in other Com-
panies, and others have become insolvent and abandoned.

The commission appointed by Governor Swann in accor-
dance with a provision of the Constitution of 1867, made a
report to the Legislature of 1868, which was adopted. It
places greater restrictions on the Corporations of the State,
and especially on Insurance Companies, and requires them to
make an annual report in full, of their capital stock, assets,
&c.

AUCTIONS AND AUCTION DUTIES.

By the provision of Sec. 127, Art IV. of Public Local Laws
relating to Baltimore City, the proceeds arising from Auction
Duties to the amount of $20,000, are to be returned to the
city for the purposes therein mentioned. The duties returned
to the Treasury never reach that sum, and unless the laws
are more rigidly enforced, they never will. Many persons in
Baltimore city are daily and weekly engaged in the business
of auctioneering, that pay no license and make no returns.
I have called he attention of the State's Attorney for the city
to the matter, arid requested him to investigate the subject. It
is a source of astonishment that the city authorities who have
the greatest interest and receive the entire duties back from
the State, do not see that the law is executed and enforced.

An examination of Table No. 4, will more fully show the
amount received, and the parties who have taken out license.
INSPECTORS.

The amount received from "Inspectors of Grain" during
the last Fiscal Year, was $7,803.18, and the salaries and ex-
penses paid in connection therewith, $7,848.47; showing a
deficit of nearly six thousand dollars compared with the re-