The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-03-25
THE RAILROAD AGAIN.

The bill granting charter to the Hartford
County Railroad, has been at length passed
by both Houses of the Legislature. Is the
the matter to be pushed forward at once and
in earnest is the main consideration now.
VIII not some action in the premises be ma
tured by our citizens and let the question
whether We are to have the road be definite
ly settled by some early day? A copy of
the charter will he obtained as soon as prac-
ticablc, and the time fixed for the next meet
ing of the friends of the road, of which due
notice will be given. Meanwhile, much can
be done by those who will give it their at
tention and make real and bona fide endeav-
ors to forward its interests.
RETRENcHIsNT Of COUNTY EXPENSES.
Statements promulgated for facts by such
high authority as a special committee of the
Legislature, are apt to be received without
much questioning or challenging ftheir cor
RICHNESS by the public; but upon close ex
animation it will be found that even Legis-
lative committees are fallible and liable to
err as the rest of men. The report submit
ted in the House ofDelegates by the commit
tee to take into consideration aretrenchment
of county expenses, seems to contain some
inaccuracies, which are pointed out by our
contemporary the Rockville Montgomery Co..
Sentinel, so far, at least, as relates to the eX
penses Of that county, which makes us receive
with caution its correctness as to the balance of
the State. 1t may and will Of course be said
that the information upon which this report
was based was and could only be derived
no doubt fact, and were we seeking to find
fault, would certainly bring our complaints
nearer home than Annapolis but as we only
wish to impress the fact that even legislative
utterances, which the statements stamped
with their authority become, no matter
whence derived, are to be received and read
with caution, we do not admit the shifting
of the responsibility as generating them from
criticism.
We deem the subject Of retrenching cour-
ty expenses one of most vital importance to
the citizens of the respective counties, and in
their hands are sure that it will receive at
tention at each recurring election of county
commissioners, when those who have proved
faithful stewards will be rewarded according
ly if reward it can be called to be chosen as
servant of the public in that capacity. At
cases BY this S5nH msSeta Is made n
make us doubt the propriety of the State
Assembly assuming to regulate, too far,
county expenses. Better, in our humble
judgment, leave this matter, except as to a
few very general rules, in the hands of the
people themselves, when correctives will be
applied as speedily as abuses are felt. The
article from the Sentinel, upon which we
have prcdicated these remarks, is as fol-
lows:
The committee of the House of Delegates
appointed some time since, to take into con-
sideration a retrenchment of county eXpendi-
lures, submitted a report, accompanied by
tabular statement of the amount paid to
Clerks of Courts, States Attorneys, Sheriffs,
Registers of Wills, Judges of Orphans Court,
County Commissioners, and for local print
ing. We have carefully examined this state
ment and if the balance of the table is rs in
accurate as the part relating to this county,
it would have been better that the commit
tee should have made no report, as it only
leads the General Assembly aslray upon the
subject
There is an unfair statement in one item
given in the table, that of "local printing"
which, when explained, will show that the
item dwindles down to very small proper
tons. The cost of registration is put into the
not be SO, as registration is State law, and
not a county law. The publication of the
list of names was required by the law, and
this of itself forms a large part of the item of
local printing. A committee has been ap-
pointed to take into consideration the pres
ent law, and to suggest such changes rs they
deem necessary and called for, and report
them.
We deem it unwise in the Legislature to
pass laws too restrictive as Ito the power
which the County Commissioners ought to
have and exercise. In order to enable them
to act for the best interests of the people, the
Commissioners should have their powers in
creased itstead of being diminished. 1t is
to be presumed that the Several Boards
throughout the State are honest and faithful
to their trust and that, in my and every
thing they do for their counties, they will
carefully study the best interests of the peo-
pie and will act accordingly This we know
to be the character of our Board of County
Commissioners, and we will not do our sister
counties the injustice to suppose that the
guardians of their financial concerns, whom
they have selected, ale less careful, honest,
or economical than our own. Therefore, we
say, do not curtail their powers, but add to
them such additional as may enable them to
act rs public spirited gentlemen should. 1t
u not reason 1ole to suppose that they will
bankrupt the counties. They have not done
it heretofore, and it is not 10 be feared that
they will do it now. They never engage in
any wild schemes of lending the credit Of the
counties to any corporations but, on the
other hand, are in manner pafsimonious,
knowing full well that if they abuse their
trust, they will have to give an account to
their constituents.
THE MARYLAND CENTRAL RAILROAD. =
In the second branch of the city council,
yesterday afternoon. another application
was made for city aid to railroads. Mr..