The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-10-04
THE COST OF LIVING.

When Tile Democrat is hard pressed for
excuses for the heavy outlay of its party in
State and county affairs, over that of the
Republican party for transacting the same
business, it invariably charges it to the
increased cost of living, which the "Dem-
ocratic-C Conservative statesmen have had
to contend with. This is the excuse of
prices Of almost everything are much lower
now and have been since that party at
tanned power in the State and county, than
they were during and Immediately after
the war. The necessaries of life which
enter particularly into the matter of ex-
pense with the masses, were much higher
then than now. Muslin which sells now at
the country stores at % cents per yard was.
ing 10 cents sold then for 81 to 40 cents per
yard, coffee which sold at 40 cents pound
in war times can now be purchased at re-
tail for about % cents.
The price of grain and hay everybody
knows was much higher. In January 1864
wheat was worth $I.60a175, corn $1.03,
oats Go cents. The following summer
wheat ran up to $2.75 a bushel and corn
$3.50, oats IS cents. These are Elkton
quotations. The theory or rather excuse
invented by The Democrat, that the cost of
living has greatly increased since its party
have been in power, to account for the
increased expenditure, when examined
won't "hold water" Almost all necessa-
ries of life are much low at present, and
have been since they have held power, than
they were during the Republican admins
trations. In those days, gold, the stand
ard of values, was never much, if any,
lower than 140, and part of the time much
higher. In those costly times the Repub
lican Commissioners put up the per diem
of road supervisors, so that this higher
cost of every thing so often alluded to by
The Democrat, ia convenient excuse) as a
formidable obstacle against which the
present spendthrift party have to contend,
was met by the Republican party in its
administration of county affairs.
The real reason for large proportion OF
the expense heaped on the tax payers, is
the chrome failing or weakness of that
party to scatter the public money profusely
among its favorites. There is no proper
scrutinty of supervisors accounts. I'm
mense bills are ran up for doing, not better
than nothing on the public roads. The
general complaint is that supervisors en-
ploy boys and broken down men on the
roads and charge the highest rates for
them. Charges are made for teams, carts
and plows, that stand more than half the
time doing nothing. These are few of
the leaks which must be stopped before
the suffering taxpayers can have a respite,
and which will necer be stopped while the
present party remains in power. If we
lays, the people might be willing to stand
the pressure with more equanimity, but
the most horrible roads that ever conspired
to cripple horse and rack wagons to pieces,
are the rule. Many of them left without
supervision would be better thoroughfares
for travel.
We have very fair specimen of this
obliviousness of the public wish in the
decision to build Il costly bridge at the
Park and Smith fording on Big Elk, in
preference to the fording below. The
community in the proportion Of ten to one,
together with the public exigencies, de-
manded a bridge at the lower fording; and
opposed to this public wish and public
necessity three or four favorites requested
the Commissioners to appropriate for a
bridge at the Park and Smith fording.
This is Credit Mobilier =" in county affairs.