Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-11-26
Retrenchment.

Now tina, the newly elected officers are being
installed into their respective Offices, it is,
perhaps, suitable time 10 advocate general
retrenchment in all OF the public departments.
There is no possible doubt hut that our taxes
could be reduced twenty-five per cent. with
judicious and economical management. The
great and crying evil of the present times is,
The inordinate desire go live fast" and TO
s1uander The public funds with reckessness
and prodighity that have had no parallel in all
the previous history Of our existence. In ev-
cry department Of government is TO be seen
this general indifference towards the proper
outstanding Of the resources of the public
treasury.
The epoch-the critical period of our finan-
cial exisicnce-has at last arrived, when it
behoovcs every citizen 10 pause, reflect and re-
trench, or else cer,nin and swift ruin will be
his lot There rs annually enough money
wasted b. our public officers to justify the re-
ducton of our taxes from twenty to thirty per
cent. 1t is not necessary for us TO point TO
any particular mode or officer whereby this
measure could he put into practical operation,
but il suffces TO call the attention of our pa
irons to the fact that il should be done, and
then leave ii 10 the wisdom of those whom the
people have entrusted with the manager Of
their affairs TO put our views into practical eff
feet and relieve ,heir constituents from the
weight of taxation under which they now
groan.
BY adopting the wise suggestion of our last
Grand Jury-whose fidelity and wisdom de-
serve especial commcndation-the people OF
this county could, by eleciing a County
Treasurer ard nholshing the present system
of collecting the taxes and public dues, save,
at least, two 10 three thousand dollars a year,
and base more satisfaction in The receipt and
disbursement of tie public funds.
Then again, we think great Deal could he
saved and the substantial ends of justice better
promoted by aboishng the present three
Judge system in both the Circuit Courts and
the Or hans Court and having only one Judge.
whose duty it should be TO preside over and
conduct all three OF the courts of this county,
viz: the Circuit Court The Equity Court aud
the Orphans Court. The County Commits
sioners could well aud probably be reduced
from FIVE TO three.
Roads should be granted with the greatest
prudence, and the road supervisors select
ed from the most intelligent an6 vrtuous
Of our citizens and paid only when the
Commissioners are satisfied that their work
and attention have been conscientiously de-
voted 10 the public service.
The Grand Jury should meet on the first
Monday of every jury term of court and The
Petit Jury should not meet until the subse-
quent Monday, and the Court should require
all cases that are TO be submitted to the Court
TO be tried the first week Of the term, and all
Mat are 10 be submitted TO jury should be
postponed until the second week, always first
requiring the affidavit Of the party applying
tor jury lin person or by attorney TO the
effect that il is no, done for the purposes of
delay or procrsstipation. but in good faith.
The school system should also he carefully
conducted and with the least possible expense
compatible With the efficient and thorough
training Of orr youth, for it is readily eonced-
ed by every intelligent and patriotic man that
there is nothing commensurate with the great
good that can he alone arrived at through the
fundamentally of an effective and wisely con-
Quoted pablo school system. Then, too the
taxes should be levied fairly and impartially
on all manner and classes of property. In
deed, nothing should he exempt from the pay
ment of the taxes, save the silent resting places
of the dead and departed humanity alone
should escape the tax collector.