The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-09-04
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ELKTON, SEPTEMBER 4, 1869.
The Road Question.

The time is fast approaching when the
voters of our county will be called upon to
choose officers for State and county gov
eminent; and in anticipation of this I'M
portant event we propose to offer few
suggestions touching the Importance Of
selecting such men as have
First, the interest of the public and tax
payers at heart, and second, such men as
possess public spirit and administrative
ability, sufficient to originate and carry out
judicious reforms in our county govern
ment The first and most crying evil re-
quiring attention, and able and practical
minds at the head of affairs is our road
question. The public road question has
and nothing short of a radical reform; or
change in the entire management, will suf-
flee to produce the required results. Some
system must be devised by which Supervi-
sors can be held responsible to the County
Commissioners. To attain this desired
end, it seems to us there will have to be in
structions given to Supervisors embracing
certain specifications which the Supervisor
shall be compelled to comply with, before
receiving the amount of the appropriations
There are several modes by which this end
may be accomplished, which it is not our
purpose, in the present article, to discuss
1t matters little, however, how perfect in
theory any plan OF system may be, if men
of ability and the requisite experience are
not selected to carry out, and put in sue
cessful operations that syetem, the results
will be utter abortion. If after the cleo
ton, the claim is set up by Tom, Dick and
Harry, on the grounds that the party is
indebted to them, and the price of that
obligation is an ''office," and their imagin-
airy obligations are acknowledged, and ap-
pointments made in conformity with such
absurd claims, as has been the habit there
fore, the public must continue to be prey
to this miserable peculation for party sake.
We are satisfied that the people, without
distinction Of party, are sick of the heavy
road tax levied and squandered year after
year, with no improvement; but on the
contrary decidedly worse condition of the
public roads. In order to stop this great
evil we propose to the Republican party to
select the very best men to be found this
fall for the Commissioner ticket. By this
we mean men of Judgment, of decision,
of character, and ability to inaugurate and
carry out needed reforms in our road sys-
tenn. If such men are selected by the
Nomination Convention, men in whom the
public can place confidence, and who are
pledged to reform our frightful road sys-
tenn, they will be elected triumphantly.-
The great swarm of small Office hunters
have pretty much all ranged themselves on
the side of the Democratic party, as the
party from whom they could look for i'm
mediate favors, and to which party we may
reasonably calculate they will adhere till it
shows signs of losing ground, when they
will desert and fly to its opponent. But
the great body of the people have an over
whelming interest the public roads, and
the payment of taxes, which will influence
them to support the men for the Office of
SouHty COMMISSIONERS, WHO Ihey nave COLI
fidence will afford them relief by inaugural
ting needed reforms in the management of
our public roads. Let the Republicans of
the districts examine among their neigh
bors for such men, and when such are
found-it will matter not if they have not
been politicians, if they are only honest,
capable men-let their names be presented
to the Convention.