xiv REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY.

to the several counties and the city of Baltimore, in proportion
to their respective population, both white and colored, between
the ages of five and twenty years, which opinion I have scrupu-
lously observed.

FREE SCHOOL, BOOKS.

Statement "M" shows the receipts and disbursements on ac-
count of this fund, together with a summary showing a deficit
of $213,983.88 to the Treasury since 1896, at which time the
fund was established, the tax rate never having been sufficient
to relieve the Treasury from bearing a part of the expenditure
for this purpose.

STATE TOBACCO INSPECTIONS.

Table No. 7 shows the receipts and disbursements on account
of this fund during the fiscal year, the receipts being $55,265.74,
while the disbursements during same period were $54,786.29,
leaving as net earnings to the State the sum of $479.45.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

The new State Building at Annapolis, known as the Court of
Appeals Building, provided for under Chapter 607 of the Acts
of 1900, is now virtually completed. Besides the Court of
Appeals, it contains the General Public Library, the Law
Library, the offices of the Comptroller, the State Treasurer, Tax
Commissioner, Land Commissioner and the State Fishery
Force, thus bringing together, in commodious and comfortable
quarters these various departments of the State Government.
The Annex to the State House, authorized by Chapter 200 of
the Acts of 1902, and which is now in course of construction,
will add greatly to the convenience and comfort of the General
Assembly, and will, when completed, be in every way a credit
to the State. The old State House, of Colonial times, and
about which cluster so many historic associations, is untouched
in this improvement, remaining as it has for years, the pride
of all Marylanders. It will be necessary for the Legislature
to make an additional appropriation for the completion of the