Maryland

The legislature, or general assembly, meets biennially, on the first Wednesday in January in odd-numbered years, at Annapolis, and consists of a senate and a house of delegates. Senators are elected, one from each of the 23 counties and one from each of the six legislative districts of the city of Baltimore, for a term of four years, the terms of one-half expiring every two years. Delegates are elected for a term of four years.

The administration of justice is entrusted to a court of appeals, circuit courts, special courts for the city of Baltimore, orphans' courts and justices of the peace. Exclusive of the city of Balti more, the State is divided into seven judicial circuits, in each of which are elected for a term of 15 years one chief judge and two associate judges, excepting the third judicial circuit which elects one chief judge and three associate judges. The seven chief judges so elected, together with one elected from the city of Baltimore, constitute the court of appeals, the governor with the advice and consent of the senate designating one of the eight as chief judge of that court. The court has appellate jurisdiction only.

Finance.

Maryland was one of the first States in the Union to adopt the executive budget to control its finances. A consti tutional amendment providing for such a fiscal plan was adopted in 1916. The governor prepares the budget and submits it in the form of a budget bill to the legislature. The legislature can reduce or eliminate appropriation items, but cannot increase them. The bill, when passed by the legislature, fixes appropriations, and becomes a law without the approval of the governor.

The comptroller's report for the year ended June 3o, 1932, showed receipts disbursements $116,869,498, and a balance in the treasury of $12,270,980. The gross debt of the State and all subdivisions, less sinking-fund assets, was $261,167,767. The chief sources of revenue, other than bonds, were : a general direct property tax; the motor licence fees; a motor vehicle fuel tax; a tax on the gross receipts of corporations; an inheritance tax; traders' licences; and franchises on ordinary business corpora tions. The main expenditures in the order of their importance were: protection to person and property, $1,417,000; highway maintenance, $5,023,000; education, $6,044,000; maintenance of hospitals, homes and asylums, $3,680,000; and for the general government, $2,567,000. On an assessed property

valuation of there were levied in 1934 taxes of $6,275,197.

Population.

The population of Maryland at certain selected censuses was as follows: 319,728 in 1790; 341,548 in 1800; 04o in 1830; 687,049 in 1860; 934,943 in 1880; 1,042,390 in 1890; 1,188,044 in 1900; 1,449,661 in 1920; and 1,631,526 in 1930.

Of the total population of the State in 1930 there were 1,354,170 whites, 276,379 negroes and 977 of all other races. Of the whites, 95,093 or 5.8% were foreign-born.

The population of those cities in Maryland having in 1930 more than 12,000 inhabitants was as follows.

. The Roman Catholic Church, which was prominent in the early history of Maryland, has the greatest membership. Other de nominations in the order of their numerical strength are: Metho dist Episcopal ; Protestant Episcopal ; Lutheran, General Synod; Baptist ; Methodist Protestant ; and Presbyterian.

Charities and Corrections.

State institutions controlled by boards appointed by the governor comprise two penal institutions, the Maryland Penitentiary in Baltimore and the Maryland House of Correction at Jessups; a training school for boys and an other for girls, one for feeble minded and one for the deaf ; three hospitals for white insane, Eastern Shore State Hospital at Cambridge, Springfield State Hospital at Sykesville, and Spring Grove State Hospital at Catonsville, and one for coloured, Crownsville State Hospital at Crownsville ; two general hospitals and four tubercular hospitals, three for white, State Sanatorium in Frederick County, Eastern Shore Branch at Salisbury and Mt. Wilson Branch, and a coloured branch at Henryton. The State aided institutions include a school and workshop for the blind, reformatories for coloured boys and girls, tuberculosis sanatoria, homes for children and the aged, schools, colleges and hos pitals.

Education.

A completely revised code of school laws was passed by the legislature of 1916, supplanting the common-school system established by the act of 1865. At the head of the edu cational system is a State board of seven lay members appointed by the governor. This board elects the State superintendent for a term of four years.