1904.] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 2017

and abuse of his franchise which was granted and has
been used to carry out their parry managers' pro-
gramme, that have been so offensive to the thinking
public that no white majority could be created to
give to them the power so to do, but with so large an
element of non-thinking and cohesive voters, any mea-
sure, no matter bow inimical to public welfare, no
matter how corrupting have in many cases been made
the law of the land to the detriment of a whole people.

The Chair distributed the following message from
the Senate:

House bill, File No. 316, entitled "An Act to es-
tablish and promote the industry of oyster culture in
the State of Maryland."

Endorsed: "Read the third time and passed by yeas
and nays, as amended."

AMENDMENTS PROPOSED.

In lieu of original bill and all amendments.

Strike out all after the words "A Bill," and insert
the following in lieu thereof :

"Entitled 'An Act to establish and promote the in-
dustry of oyster culture in the State of Maryland...

"Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That any bona fide resident of Maryland
shall have the right to plant and cultivate oysters in
the waters of this State, and such right shall be exer
cised in the manner prescribed in the following sec-
tions of this Act, and shall be subject to the regula-
tions, provisions and limitations hereinafter set forth
but no corporation or joint srock company shall be
permitted to lease or take up, or to acquire by assign-
ment or otherwise, any lands of the State for oyster
planting or cultivation.

"Sec. 2. And be it enacted, That all natural beds
or bars shall be excluded from the operation of this
Act, and no person shall be permitted to plant or cul-
tivate oysters thereupon, or in any way to appropriate
the same to his own use. The term, natural bed or
bar, wherever the same may be used in this Act, is in-
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