The Cecil Whig., 1873-06-21
TOWN FINANCES.

Mr.. EDIToR:-Your comments in your
issue of the 18th instant upon the reply by
the secretary of the late Board of Town
Commissioners to the unkind charge in
your issue of the 7th instant, "will not
fail to strike every one as the sort of lit
tie smarty smart in frequent use among
children, but never practised among men,
either in the discussion of questions of
common interest, or in public assaults
upon the character of individual members
OF community.
You think the late Secretary "shows
undue excitement in replying to, or rather
rctortng Oh, the simple questions regard
ing the town finances, rs given in the brief
statement published by the retiring Board. "
We are willing to admit that it might ap-
pear thus to those who have neither an
exalted idea OF honesty, nor jealous care
OF their own good names; but to us it
seems different.
The late Secretary did not "retort on
questions but answered them in the way
they deserved; he then bestowed some
attention to the author, who seems to have
received the courtesy with a very bad
grace; for while he denies all intention to
impute unfairness or dishonesty to the late
Board, he still "thinkS the statement very
unsatisfactory to any one who might seek
to derive information from it, regarding
the expenditures Of the town taxes"
The statement was not given as detail
ed account, but merely to show the amount
collected and disbursed. To any one wish
ing further information in the matter the
Secretary and Treasury of the present
Board could furnish it from the accounts
and vouchers placed in their hands by the
late Board.
Mr.. Editor, don't you think this would
have been the better way of ascertaining.
what you pretend SO much to desireo 1t
would certainly have been more gentle
manly than seeking to traduce thu charac-
ter of gentlemen, and endeavoring to bring
them into public scandal.
1t was not the inquiry that was objected
to, by the late Secretary, but the manner
in which it was put. We hold that every
taxpayer has right to know what has
been done with his money; and if the
statement did not satisfy him, it is his right
to be referred where he can obtain the
information. From such, an inquiry re-
speetfully made, would be respectfully an.
swered. But sir, you needed no such ref
erence-you knew where you could obtain
full and complete statement-a statement
SO full and complete, that it would occupy,
at least, two columns of your paper, and
would have cost i'll the aggregate some $40
or $15 extra for publishing. This would
have gone into the Editors pocket. Per-
haps this is why you complain?
Again as to the "novel mode of financer-
ing in vogue with our Town Commission
ers. Money which Mr.. Denny holds re-
ceipts for from a former Beard is charged
to an incoming Board, and by that Board
handed over to the next, without appar-
emily any effort to ascertain where the
default is"
This is very plausible indeed; but when
you write Of "apparent effort to ascertain
where the default is," you should either
write upon information, or leave off writ
ing entirely. We remember very distinct
ly having 4 conversation with you upon
this worry topic, and we then told you that
Mr.. Denny had been cited before the late
Board, and that he had receipts for the
greater part-but that he wa. unable at
that time to furnish a complete statement
and desires more time, which was given.
In the meantime the term expires and
the statement was rendered in the only
way it could have been made. You knew
all this; yet, rather than depart from your
usual course, you pitched "in medias res,"
without a thought of right or wrong; urged
on by the only cause you could possibly
have for complaint.
Perhaps you would term your course in
this matter, "master stroke of policy -
we doubt if your policy will bear inspec-
ton.
If you really aspired to the honors of
why did you conceal facts of
which you were perfectly cognizant?
MIR. Editor, suppose we test the sincerity
Of your intentions? We would prefer an
Demand that committee
be appointed for that purpose, and prove
yourself all you pretend to be, by publish
ing full report of the investigation for
the information of the town free of costs. |
We would suggest that the cammittee be
appointed by the present Beard from among
the citizen tax payers Of the town, and that
you be made chairman, as recompense
for your sagacity. B.