The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-10-25
THE STATE FINANCES.
ADDRESS OF THE STATE CENTRAL
COMMITTEE TO THE PEOPLE
OF MARYLAND.
A Paper that Taxpayers in Cecil County
Ought to Read Carefully.

i''toe -Nt''-e"S y Lf"| ythItN.
The time draws near when YOU are to
elect officers into whose hands the whole
control OF your State affairs is to pass.
The Governor. Comptroller and Treasurer
are by law charged with almost the Ell
tire management of State finances. The
Governor and Comptroller you must elect
by your ballots in November. and the
Legislature then chosen will elect the
Treasurer. 1t is, therefore, your duty.
as well as your interest, to examine the
mode i'll which the finances Of the State
have been managed in the past, SO that
you may intelligently judge as to the
course likely to be adopted in the future
In the year 1867, the whole control of
the State passed into the hands of the
Democrats. Their Governor, Comptrol-
Ter and Treasurer gave exclusive direc-
ton to the finances, and in the legisa-
ture there was scarcely heard the voice
of the minority. For twelve years past.
they have created loans, issuing the bonds
ofthe State therefor appropriated money,
made new offices. increased salaries.
levied taxes, sold and exchanged the
States securities, at their unquestioned
will and pleasure. They have been Who'll
ly unembarrassed in the prosecution of
lllCll IlHdilCldl SClltHlcS anu HOW nave no
right to complain if the people institute
searching investigation into their con-
duct.
In order that you may clearly under
stand the acts of that party who now ask
to be retained in Office. with unlimited
control Of the power Of levying taxes
and spending the money thus obtained.
it will be necessary to go back a few
+i,at, l,,,, \
compare their methods with the previous
management of State affairs.
On the 30th of Scptcm Der. 1861. the
total debt of the State, exclusive of
stocks. &c, held by the sinking fund,
was 50, 1S9, s2S.64, as follows:
Total debt. Observation-Disclosures l4, $50, 166 63
Sinking fund. Observation-Disclosures. 5,G95, ;5i31 90
For years prior to that period. there
had been steady decrease in the State
debt. Although the receipts into the
State Treasury had only averaged about
one million two hundred thousand dollars
per year. yet so carefully had the govern
ment been managed. that with compare
lively light burdens upon the people,
they looked forward to the day when the
debt would be entirely wiped out. or SO
reduced that the ordinary sources of rev
enue would provide the means of its ex-
tinction without any resort to direct tax
alton. But with the early days of the
year 1861 came the civil war, and with it
came higher prices for everything, the
premium on gold to pay interest on ster-
ling debts amounting to over one hun
dred thousand dollars per year. With
the war also came tho necessity of pay
ing bounty to volunteers and providing
support for their families; also, of paying
the war tax levied by the General Gov
eminent. Up to the Both of September,
1866, there had been paid for these items
the enormous sum of four millions seven
hundred and Seventy-two thousand dol
lars, and yet, notwithstanding this i'm
mense drain. the bonded debt of the
State had been increased and her invested
capital diminished but in the sum of
s1.34l. G95.9l. During the five years end
ing 3Oth of September. 1866, the total
receipts into the treasury had been $11,
9.01220.
Now, let us contrast this management
with what followed after the Democratic
party got into power, and for this pur-
pose take the same period of time up to
Both of September, 1871. The receipts
during this period were s14. 695. $50 90, OF
/ two million seven hundred and fifty-six
thousand seven hundred and seventy
eight dollars and seventy-two cents more
/ than were the receipts during an equal
! period under anti Democratic administra-
ton. By the report of Comptroller
/ Woolfsrd for the year ending September
! 80. 1870. the total debt was THIRTEEN
/ MILLION THREE HUNDRED AND
| SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FOUR
HUNDRED AND SENENTY-FIVE
DOLLARS AND SENENT1-SEVEN
| CENTS. Thus. notwithstanding the
enormous increase of receipts into the
Treasury since 1866. the debt Of the State
was increased to the extent of Two
MILLIONS TWO HINDRED AtSST
HUNDRED AND SEVEN DOLLARS
AND FORTY-TIIREE CENTS. a:
shown by the following statement. taker
directly from the Comptroller's report:
Total debt Sept 80, 1870. SIS, 81 ,475. Il
Deduct Sinking Fund Sept. 80
| 1870. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. l,I6i 100. 0:
Leaving actual debt Sept. ---
| 80, 1870. S1l ,553, OPS. =
Total debt Sept.
80, 1866. $40, 7o1, S02.32
Deduct Sinking
Fund Sept. 80,
| 1ccc ,cc 90, n,