Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-04-17

OUT We tnlnk, at the same time tnat our peoPie
should be released from opportunities for addl-
tional aid to the Southern Maryland Railroad
until equal aid or something approximating 1t
has been furnished from other quarters"
We should not object to our friends in
dulging in this little piece of self-praise of
their own liberality, if, in so doing, they
had not by inuendo, if not directly, accus-
ed us and our neighbors of Prince Georges
of want of the same spirit, when, as they
allege, we are as much interested in the
completion of the road as themselves. We
have, therefore, to say, in the utmost kind
ness, that the Beacon is simply mistaken
when it says that Charles and Prince
Georges county "have as yet contributed
nothing" and that St. Mary's county has
contributed to this work 100000. These
are bold words, but the facts and figures
will sustain us in using them. When the
Beacon asserted that ",ce have already con-
tributed $163, to this work" it should
have paused moment and reflected where
1--WE" got the money from. If it had done
so, perhaps it would not have supplement-
ed that assertion with the more rash one
that Charles and Prince Georges had con-
tributed nothing. Let US not follow the
example of our friends, but pause to en-
quire where did they get this large amount
of money, which, with so commendable a
spirit of iberality, they contributed to this
so-called railroad. AS many of our read
ers are not familiar with the subject, We
will state the facts as briefly as may be.
By the Constitution of 1867 it was pro-
vided that the sum of 100000 might be
appropriated to works of Internal I'M
provement in the counties of Charles, St
Mary's and Calvert. The act of 1868 pro
vided for the proper distribution and con-
troll of this fund. BY it $4,000 was al
lotted to this county, $17S, 900 to ST. Mary
and $152, 900 to Calvert. By the same act
it was provided that certain prerequisites
having been complied with the Commits
sioners of these respective counties might
designate the particular work of Internal
Improvement to which their proportion OF
the fund should be dedicated. Charles
county selected the Baltimore and Poto-
mac Railroad, Calvert the Drum Point
Railroad, and our friends of st. Mays
l"contributed" theirs, with marked impair
TALLY, first to the Washington and Point
Lookout and then to the Southern Mary
land Road. Our friends were wise in their
second sober thought, aud doubtless put it
where they thought it would do the most
good. Ultimately the two companies COM
promised the matter by dividing the fund
between them. But we are wandering
from the subject. 1t will thus be seen that
this Internal Improvement Fund of $780,.
600, allotted to the counties, came out of
the State Treasury, and was levied on the
tax payers of the whole State-the power
to nominate the particular works to which
Retrospective proportions should be dedi
Gated being left to the three named counties.
On the assessable basis of the whole proper
ty Of the State for the year 1878, brief cal
|culation will show that of the whole $780,
900 St. Mary's paid about $1,000, Charles
So, 81 1, and Prince Georges $9,0S9. Thus il
appears that Charles and Prince Georges
counties have each contributed more to
this fund than the taxpayers of st. Mays,
and so, in the same proportion, they have
paid actually larger amount of the fund
contributed" by our friends of st. Mary's
to the Southern Maryland Railroad, than
they did themselves. OF the amount a
warded to the Southern Maryland Road,
$163,O00 $4,000 having previously been
|spent in preliminary survey Prince
Georges paid about 1926, Charles 81 III,
and our friends of St. Mary's $1,1Os. We
think these facts and figures fully show
that instead of St. Mary's county having
contributed" 100000 it is only entitled
to credit for the sum Of about 81 los paid
by it. Certainly if by the payment of this
sum the people of that county should be
released from opportunities for additional
aid to the Southern Maryland Road" we
think the people of Charles and Prince
Georges should be placed in the like for
| tunate position.
What we have said is in the kindest
spirit, and because we do not wish our
friends of st. Mary's to think that we are
lacking in the proper feeling towards them,
for whom we entertain the utmost affection,
and to whom we are bound by so many
ties. Indeed, in this matter of railroads,
we should be wonderfully sympathetic, for
the people of both counties have been ca
| joled out of their Internal Improvement
Fund, and are not likely to derive
much good from it. But our friends of
old St. Mary's are better off than we are
their railroad is not yet completed, and if
they are wise they will pray that day may
never come, unless they can have the as
surance that it will be run in the interest
and for the accommodation of the people
We, here in Charles, have completed
road which is run to suit the within and
caprices of imported potentates, who are
too grand and mighty to trouble their capa-
cious self.esteem with anything so insight
icant as thought of the people of Charles
county. May our friends elsewhere fare
better.