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1876.] OF THE HOUSE OP DELEGAES. 1101
port upon House bill entitled an Act to pay sundry persons
for publishing the list of defaulters, in compliance with Sec-
tion 6, of Article 69, of .the Code of Public General Laws,
which was reported favorably to the House by the majority of
the Committee on Claims, and yesterday ordered to be co-
grossed for a third reading without affording the undersigned
an opportunity to offer an amendment to said bill, which, cer-
tain facts and proper regard for the pecuniary interests of the
people demand.
Your Committee dissents from the report of the majority
for the following reasons:
First. The award of two hundred and thirty-seven dollars
to certain papers respectively, for publishing the list of de-
faulters, is arbitrary, and is not based upon the amount of
work done, and the usual rate of advertising charged by said
papers.
Second. It was in the power of the Committee to determine
upon a just and proper compensation for said work, by in-
quiry into the amount of work done, and the rates charged
by said papers, as presented in their advertising columns.
Third. There was presented to a majority of the Commit-
tee, the list of defaulters, as published by a paper in this
State, whose circulation is extensive, and whose space is con-
sequently valuable, and the rates of advertising in said paper,
from which facts, it was easy to demonstrate, that two hun-
dred and thirty-seven dollars as compensation for said work,
was excessive and unjustifiable.
Fourth. Among the papers publishing the said list of de-
faulters, there was one paper charging for said work one hun-
dred and eighty-six dollars, which sum seemed to the minor-
ity fair and equitable, and based upon a correct estimate of
the work done.
Filth. Notwithstanding this proper and equitable charge,
the majority of the Committee could not be prevailed upon to
reduce the charge of two hundred and thirty-seven dollars to
one hundred and eighty-six dollars, as charged by the paper
already alluded to, but, adhered to the arbitrary, and unjusti-
fiable assumption that two hundred and thirty-seven dollars
was a proper and equitable compensation to the papers pub-
lishing the list of said defaulters. For these reasons the
undersigned is compelled to dissent from the majority of the
Committee on Claims, and to submit this minority report to
your Honorable Body.
Very respectfully,
J. McP. SCOTT.
Which was read.
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