Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-11-21
mr.. Editor THE silence Of the tax-pay-

Mr. Editor The silence of the tax-pay-
ers during the latter part of the election cam
paign which ended in the triumph of the
Democracy on the 4th inst, was not due to
disappointment, abatement of interest or
want Of conviction Of necessity fora further
prosecution of their efforts but to the fact,
that the leading candidatesfo Governor and
for the Legislature SO squarely placed them
selves on the platform Of the Independents
and the Taxpayers by none more conspic-
uously than by the Governor elect. At the
great ratification meeting in Baltimore, Mr..
Hamilton, after dwelling upon national,poli
tics, turned to State affairs, announced bold
ly and unequivocally that reform and re-
trenchment and a. reduction of taxation
were the watchwords of the campaign in
Maryland. He exhorted the taxpayers and
Independents not to let their patriotic work
cease with the election, .but to persevere I'M
til reduction of many of our offices; a
lessening of fees and salaries, and curtail-
ment of public expenses was an accomplish.
ed fact / am told at Rockville he was
equally bold, decided and emphatic, upon
the same subject
Now, to have continued the assault, with
an expression of distrust and unbelief in the
sincerity of such declarations would have
been as unjust to the high character Of the
parties making them, as inconsistent with
the declarations Of taxpayers and indepen
dents. In tho onset they disavowed person.
al and partizan objects Relief to the peo-
pie and to the oyerburthened taxpayers,
was then their song and their chorus. They
cared not whether it came through Demo-
cratic, Republican orr Independent organiza-
ton. Relief was the necessity-relief was
the object. This must come, if come at-all,
as Mr.. Hamilton well said, by curtailment
of officers and reduction OF fees and sala-
ries. None dare disown this patriotic OBJ
ject. Now that the election is over, and that
The Democrats have triumphed upon this
platform-distinctly uttered and avowed in
their resolutions and in their speeches.
triumph in which claim an humble share,
the question now is-shall we have Reform?
or shall it, as on former occasions, be made
"only to the ear and broken to the hopeY-
For one, will not indulge such gloomy
fears and doubts. | belive Mr.. Hamilton
meant what he said, when he declared that
reform, retrenchment and reduction of taxa
ton were the watchwords of his platform.
/ believe the delegates from this county will
give a cordial response, and firm and reso-
| lutte support to all Just and proper means Of
retrenchment. They well know, that the
| words-iust and proper-mean real and
substantial reform; no sham retrenchment,
but retrenchment that will bring relief to
the people, without regard to office-hoders,
office-seekers, ofiice-breakers or contractors
These are the teaches, the barnacles upon
the body polite, that has brought 80 many
burthens and so much distress They must be
Laughed off and scraped from the bottom of
the ship. The people, as you well said, In
one of your recent editorials, demand it; and
as the Hon. John Richie, in one Of his re-
cent speeches said: "Woe be to the party, or
the legislature that disregards the just de-
mands of forbearing and long-suffering
people" sas
The taxpayers mean to take Mr. Hamil-
ton at his word, and even before he uttered
| it, had resolved to keep up their organiza-
ton with the Hon. Judge Merrick at its
head to revise the laws of recent prodgal
legislation, and recommend the repeal or
modification of such as unnecessarily and mn
properly Cypress and burthen the people. Z.
In this county our new Board of County
| Commissions can do much for the relief of
the taxpayers. In this connection the new
Board of County Commissioners have it in
their power to effect many salutary and bene-
fetal reforms. The code says, "they shall
allow no claim against the county not prop
erly, chat is rightly and JUSTLY chargeable
to the same, and which is not legally
vouched" Here is an opportunity for the
exercise of judgment, discretion and scru-
tiny. The account is not to be allowed
simply because it has been legally proved
The items and charges must be no more than
what is just and right between man and man,
and the Commissioners are the arbiters, and
have been elected by the people to deter
mine what is just and right against the
county. 1t is the taxpayers money, not
their own, of which they are guardians and
| trusteps, and we havo the ~cry highest au-
thorit} for claiming that it, is required in
stewards that man be found faithful"
This view is presented not because of any
reason TO distrust the fidelity and watchful-
ness of the new board, but because very
loose views of the power and discretion OF
the Board of County Commissioners has
been entertained in some quarters.
No one can read the law creating the
Board of CountyC without be-
ing impressed with the extensive power and
large discretion TO that honorable board,
and have full confidence that the new board
coming in under the promise of economy
and reform, will prove themselves equal tc
the responsibility which rests upon them
That responsibility is to guard the resources
of the county and the money of the tax.
payers. A. b. d.
| Mr. Gilfllan TTnitod Stotas T,raaeurar