The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-02-22


then have . complicated piece Of machinerg
without m0tive power and Il is 70 destroy The
system It's omission u proposed. We say, tnosl
emphalieally, without this provision We had
better reject the whole bill, aud his u our elsa
now pass ON 10 the objection made by some
Of our delegation IA the 3olh section Of our bill.
This provides the mcsns whereby the people Of
those districts 81 our county near the city, al
the option Of tax-paysrs who may desire issme.
deateiy 10 place their Foads IN thoroughly god
condition, shall be enabled 10 do 80 Without IN.
tcrfcring with the general Improvement Of the
roads. BY gradual process, ia other districts.
Iae special objection, | understand, Is urged
that legal voters who pay no taxes may, ia such
elections, exercise The right Of suffrage. This
point was fairly considered aud discussed In
our committee, aud inasmuch as our constitu.
tion recognizes NO property qualification as =
condition precedent n u right 10 vote In ANY
popular election, u was deemed mex pcslicnt 4,
establish such rule ia an Act Of ASsetnbiy. Il
was reasonably concluded by our committee
that, IA an act Of consistency, no resident nf a
district, not interested Ia public roads though
legal voter, would seek 10 influence by his vUtc
the question of special taxation ullon real esl1t.
ior The beneht Of highways. This provision
was inserted IN our law for the sincere purtosc
Of enabling our more wealthy citizens, In the
suburban districts, 10 substantially improve
their roads at once and without delay, II they
desired II, and also 10 meet the expires eli wishes
Of those IT our people who favored the "dis
trict" or local system" We fully appreciated
The Importance OF thi. provision, aud we
compelled I" wonder that objections should be-
made 10 Il from the very parties for whose ben.
eft Il was made. II the committee have erred
IN their estimate oi good sense la the lan,licss.
though productive. classes whose inhuerce Is
feared the Legislature eau guard against Il by
an amendment establishing a property aualiG
cation ~ necessary To the right Of voting. The
committee did not deem this requisite, aud can
sec no reason 10 change their opinion.
now c"ine :" what ] esteem the most repuI-
siv" suggestion conveyed to me in all my CORES.
ponstrncc ~ Information In reference u the
read law that II referring the whole question
back I" the people at n popular election. Ia
discussing this insane suggestion feel scarcely
conpetent e. master my impatience. We have
all agreed. nr years past, to manifest, in clam.
oTous groans. our utter disgust at our present
road system We have unanimously decided
that any change would. of necessity, be for the
better We have met in primary meetings, aud
We have met ia mass meetings, aud We have
met ~ regular county convention, aud then
and there decided upon system and appointed
committee" Ia dFnh n law IN accordance with
the instructions given by a full INVENTION, aud
that committee. Ia faithful obedience 10 out
commands. after careful aud arduous lALors,
have prepared a law and system. and now, 10
crafty Pers"nnl pride. or pique. or seiishncss,
or else because. like Bob Acres. "our courage. l.
c"zing "u, at our fingers ends. We are. forspoth.
to send the matter sgrin tothe people. I Garnet
conceiv" greater insult to the rom ian
just this silly proposition. w. elected rrpr.
sentative Ia eVact laws. not 4" frame isolated
propositions b. De- turned over g. Us for leyisla.
lion in popular elections. aud we cannot enter.
tain a doubt tina, they will perform the part ~.
signed them aud spurn such counscls. The
people are always prone 90 admire brave men
and they are always una nanimons Ia forgetting
errors 81 judgment. but trimming politicians.
such advise this reference and who scent
az he laF .sfil hon Al.
iurc dors the caTrion. the people quickly learn
a. despise. Such men are the very curses Of
any government, always shifting. harlequin.
like, from circumference 10 centre. We will
never believe they can influence any 81 the
members Of our delegation 90 become 50 derilect
a. the instincts of manly duty as Ia put of this
indispensable measure 10 the remote period of
two years, or else neccssitate q special election
which would cost Us the half of years taxa.
ton for road purposes. simply 10 crafty per-
sonal or selfish purposes. II such an expedient
should be for a moment entertained. we cannot
too seriously. IN the kndest friendship, urge It's
hasty abandonment IS the most whitening 81.
rocco that ever swept political desert.
Our county. Of al. ia Maryland, geographi
cally has the most superior advantage. Sur.
rounding. territorially, the great city Of Balti-
more. IL furnishes the most accessible and most
desirable locations for country seats, and for
investments in sites and farms, Of the accumu-
lated capital Of that emporium. Outside Of
Boston, New York aud Philadelphia you may
find elegant mansions aud home ut the distance
Of forty miles. owned aud occupied by men who
daily transact business in those cities. With Us
they are all congregated within few miles Of
Baltimore. Why IL this! II il easily answer
Ell IN the fact that our wrctchcd roads aud H.
liberal facilities i"r travel compel them To- shun
the rich lands and elegant sites aud charming
ait Of more distant localities. have not time
land must confess. now. scarcely the patience
u had the tiine) " enlarge upon this Import
ant point; bu, we have essayed, BY grand
flourish Of trumPcts and august Asacm6lagcs
and grave speeches, al once Ia" mend our
ways and shall We stop short aud become stu.
pid objects of well merited ridicule. because We
cannot all agree upon every detail of a new
system, aud hence have no improvement at all
shall dismiss the subject now, once aud for
all. 81 far rs We Of the committee are concern.
ei, by The statement oi the fact that, carefully
aud conscientiously. with no object Of personal
interest ~ view, and assuming all required res
possibility on our part. step by step, We have
prepared law for the Inauguration Of u new
system. We do not claim IL 10 be perfect, aud
yet W. demand that IL Is as periect could be
made to harmonic our wants with our resour.
ces. The retention Of every provision submit
ted by u save the second section, ordered 10 be
omitted isessentiai 20 the success Of the system.
We cannot, therefore, consistently, aud shall
not, make any further changes. The people
expect at III" hands of our representative, at
Mis session, the. enactment Of n new law, aud
they 'rW not. aud ought aot, 10 be satisfied 9th.
erwisr. II the bill We have submitted a. a
'choic cannot be accepted. let il be- rejected Cd
ire aud in its place something else substituted.
But let Us not fail in obtaining some change
The Senator of our county struck the key note
Of popular road music when he said, In the
convention. - ii the committee could not agree
upon plan, the session should not close with
out some new law" Others Of the delegation
spoke welcome words to the public ear when
they declared. "ior the sake Of reform they
could take safely whatever the committee would
honestly recominend." We have done our work
the issue Is with the Legislature. Better had
we all DO borne back, politically, lifeless upon
our shields 10 our spartan parent, the people.
than a. meet her rifh0Hf our shields In an in.
glorious retreat. Yours. respectfully.
Law X. BowKS.
Pom s.0n n.su0eanen