The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-02-01
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THIS COLUMN Is OPEN TO ALL
t"r Tho C"ctl WE.
TAXATION AND ITS BURDENS.
TUnkEYTowN IanuaIN aH,h- lSrH

MH. EDlToR:-l have. for some timo
past, wanted iew words with the readers
Of your paper on subject of paramount
ImportancS to each one of them, but have
deferred 1t uLtIl now. and probably might
have still further post poncd it had no: the
subject been forced into notice by discus
sion before the Jackson Lyceum. Oh Mon.
day evening last.
The discussion referred to was on the
question. How can the burden of taxa.
ii"n he reduced without injury To the pub
lie service? On this question there an.
peared to lie but one opinion and that was
that the burden Of taxation was quite in.
t"lsraslr. and. under existing cIrcum-
stances, simply oppressive. IL was urged
that we have too many officers and that
their pay is unreasonably high: that there
are too many terms of court and that they
are unnecessarily long; that there is no
necessity for three Judges and that they
receive twice as much pay As they earn:
that there are far too many lawyers and
quite too many bailiifs and officers hanging
around the court, tending To profract It's
sessions aud increase its expenses beyond
all reasonable amount. At this time when
farm produce is low and some of our best
farmers are nearly 1t their wits end to
make the ends meet, those cormurants at
the public CRIB are perfectly at their ease,
well knowing that so long as the sun shines
and the rain falls their plumber is secure.
even if the tIllers of the fields have nothing
left for their families. One of the charges
preferred against the KIN. of England in
the Declaration Of Independence. was that
- lie has sent hltheI Swarms Of officers To
haIrass our people and eat out their sub
stance. The Revolution drove away the
ntSt. but another swarm. inOIe numerous
ana with maws more unsuitable than thew
have settled down on the people ana are
now devouring their income AS fast as it
accumuates.
The public roads now cost considerably
less than they did under tbs. old system.
but there Is no corresponding abatement of
taxation. The question then arises, Where
does the money 90? Tothis question there
can he but one answer and that is, that il
Is absorbed IN great part in tho court
The published statement of the county
expenses Is So obscure that the purpose of
the law requiring the publication is de-
faated, and the amounts paid TO yarious
officers are So smuggled ia that not one
reader III hundred can tell whether the
sum before him is the yearly salary of the
officers whose name stands opposit. that
sum ~ what part OF a year it stands for
he only knows that the taxes are contin-
ually on the increase
| have III my possession a tax receipt,
dated 1916. for State and county taxes on
thirteen acres of land. improved by dwell.
ing house. The receipt is full for that
year and the amount is only thirty. four
cents That same property, increased by
fourteen acres of rough creek hill land and
small stable, with the same house. but
oil less value, as II is thirty three years
Older. now pays Sl5 -. Free men of
Cecil county, look At this picture and de
termine whether you will longer submit to
these intolerable expressions or whether
you will rise as did your patriotic sires
against the expressions of King George
Ill, and assert your rights to enjoy at least
part of the fruits of your own Labor
In dealing thus plainly with this subject
make no charges of dishonesty or incom-
potency against any officer in the county,
nor have | any but the klndest feelings
toward any If them. Ii is the svsteua that
Is wrong. Nor am | actuared by an; par
tlsan motives. Parties are all alike
Abuses OF such long standing and Of such
m"nstrous proportions must be reformed
by the people, acting independently of
party politics, or they will never be re-
formed
Let the tax payers of Cecil meet in con
ventIon At an early day and consider their
grievances, and determine on some measure
OF relief Some legislation will be neces
saty. The whole system of salaries ices
and pcrqaisit,s must be overhauled, re-
dundant officers must be pruned ont, and
the expenses Of the county reduced sa as
To bear some reasonable relation to the
means of the people
The farmers and mechanics of the county
are Obliged To retIeuch their expenses, and
To practice the most rigid economy and
then To work late and early in Winters
cold and Summers heat to support brood
OF idle druurs who iaircn and flourish IN
ease and ailrcnc-. What reason is there
that he, VIII" pushes pen for a few hours
daily, should he better paid than the man
who pushes the plane or holds the plowa
No wonder that young men prefer office
holding to toni on the farm or in the shop.
when there is .uch difference in the pay.
Every term al court matches out A new
brood oi lawyers 10 be fed by the pcopl,
VII" are already overhutdened by the mum
Der of dronrs and dead heads already QUAR- +
tered on them. EQUALIIY.