1904.] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 1079

The Haman Oyster Law, and I want to go on record as
opposing the passage of that or any similar Act for the
following reasons.

First I have presented to this House from my
county petitions signed by over one thousand resi-
dents, asking me to oppose the passage of the Hainan
bill or any similar measure, and prior to the election,
I pledged myself in this and all other matters of legis-
lation to advocate my constituency's expressed wishes
and not my own or the Baltimore Sun's or any other
special interests, desires or demands.

Second. Because the advocates of partition and leas-
ing of the bay do not come here with clean hands in
demanding that the watermen of the Chesapeake sur-
rend what, from time immemorial has been in undis-
puted and undivided possession of any and all resi-
dents of the State of Maryland, who chose to follow
the water as a means of gaining livelihood.

The watermen have a well defined and well grounded
fear. They fear monopolistic control of what now and
ever has been public domain. The free born, liberty-
loving and liberty enjoying watermen of the Chesa-
peake refuse to invite similar conditions in their vo-
cation, that to-day exists in the hills of Western
Maryland, where corporations controlling natures
lavish supply of fuel, depress the price of labor and
force on large numbers of our follow men, conditions
under which no human being should be compelled to
exist, and while depressing the price paid honest labor,
they, at the same time, compel the consumers to pay
outrageously extravagant and extortionate prices for
this monoply controlled natural gifr of the Creator.
The watchmen of the Chesapeake say to us in these
Legislative Halls; snow us your good faith and power
to prevent monoply by abolishing this coal monoply
before you ask us to surrender to similar conditions,
our free rights of lishing.

And the coal monoply is not the only, or most ex-
acting monoply under the control of this State's Legis-
lature and Courts. The gas, electric light, street car
and other public service monopolies in our chief city
and the railroads, the great public highways of the