The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-08-16

ton WAS to get honest and enlightened men |
to serve their fellow citizens. They will |
not do it unless We save their self-rcspect |
from being dragged i'll the mire of partisan |
intrigue and contention. 1t is enough that |
good men should sacrifice their comfort and |
dedicate their labors upon the altar OF pub |
lie duty. We should honor them too much |
to expect them to sacrifice personal indie |
pendence That | may not seem to those |
who have not considered the subject TO be |
advancing crude ideas, | will mention that |
when Jefferson was Governor of Virginia |
he appointed to the bench gentlemen with |
out regard to politics. Your county com |
missioners, like the judge, should know no
man in administering the finances, i'll which |
men of all parties have equal interests and |
equal rights. The Board of Commission APP |
pointed by Gov. Tilden, of New York, com |
posed of eminent men, at the head OF which |
was Mr.. EvartS, Il distinguished lurist and |
able statesman, known to You all, making |
report to the legislature in their discussion |
of municipal reform, declare that, above all,
local affairs should be separated rs far as
possible from State and National politics. |
The city of Boston, perhaps the best regu-
lated city in America, acts upon this maxim
practically and fully, and think the Mayor |
of Baltimore. in his last annual message, |
comes as near to it rs he could venture,
when he urges that the affairs OF this city
should be conducted upon business prlncl- |
pies. | do not remember his exact IAN
guage. At all events, gentlemen, You Will
agree with Inc that we must so far llber;tllZe
ourselves us to discard all party acts and
insist, with whatever party dominates III
our respective counties that it shall give us
men of a moral and intellectual standard,
so high that they will command the respect
and confidence of the whole community,
and we must cultivate the sentiment that
office is honorable in proportion to its utility
to society, and not i'll proportion to its ernol-
umentS. In my own country, am glad to
say, the nominating convention, being warn
ed of the danger of tritling with men whom
they knew to he in earnest, have selected
for county commissioners gentlemen whom
the taN-paying citizens pointed to as their
choice. One of them is II member of this
convention. Gentlemen, we have initiated
by this gathering the ions-delayed reform OF
government. The voice will go hence
through all the counties of the State and
will find reSponSein all. Applause. Our
work will not die. Applause. Soon those
who are watching and waiting upon our
sincerity, our disinterestedneSS and our
tirmness, will cooperate in the common
cause, and Il strong, united public Senti-
ment Springing into life will render impoS-
Sible the recurrence of that necessity which
has drawn us from our quiet homes
lGreat applause.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. Albert, Chairman of the Committee
on Resolutions, reported series of reSolu-
tions, observing that the communication of
the Temperance Alliance ON the relation of
the liquor traffic to taxation, on account of
Its great Importance and the short time left
for its discussion by the committee, had not
been considered, and was referred to the
convention for its action. The resolutions,
as finally adopted, with few alterations, are
as follows:
| l. Resolred That local self-governmeut
being the germinal principle ont of which
Tree institutions OF the Anglo Saxon tyne
have grown, its spirit should be tostered
and laws should be SO framed us to vest as
much as possible of administrative duty in
! the counties, and, whenever practicable, in
the yet smaller divisions of the body polite
/ :, That it is the duty of all good citizens
/ to excite generous pride in our respective
counties, and to use all means to elevate the
standard of our local offices, so that no
man, however exalted, shall feel it beneath
his dignity to share in the obligation OF
watching over and taking counsel with his
/ fellow-citizens about the public affairs of
his county.
). All unnecesSarypnd SupertluouS Offices
should he abolished, and the salaries and
fees of others he reduced and restricted by
law. In view of the present high purchas-
}
without injustice or hardship to officials,
and with great advantage to the State
/. The next legislature of Maryland
/ should, IN Difference to that spirit of econc-
my which so thoroughly pervades the popu-
lar mind, and which the times so urgently
demand, institute such legislation as will
secure necessary reforms and reduce the ey-
pendltureS of the public money to such a
degree that the outlay shall be comme;lsur-
ate with the services therefor
4 .. That so far as he reform and retrench-
ment OF purely local expenditures in the re-
Spectlve counties is concerned this conven-
ton RENTS them TO the Judgment of the
citlZenS OF the several counties, believing
that they can be best considered and reou-
lated, and as We think very materially re-
( duccd III every county III the State. In
very many counties we are satisfied that
more than ten per cent of the annual en-
penscS can be saved if more efficient and
impartial county officers are selected.
/ u. That the legislature has in its power to
Savea large sum of money every wear from
the current revenue of the State bv the
passage of laws to enforce Il more ripid
compliance with the requirements of sec
non l, artlcle 10, OF the Constitution of
Maryland relating to clerks of court, regis
tiers of wills, and all other officers whose
pay or compensation is derived from fees or
moneys coming into their hands, for the dis
charge OF their official duties, or in any way
growing ont OF or connected with their
( offices, and also Il more rigid observance of
the provisions of article ;, sections 30 and
10, OF the Constitution; and that the lesiS-
lature he called upon to repeal chapter 15l,
acts of 1865.
:. That the laws relating to the inspection
/ OF tobacco should be repealed, to relieve the
/ producers and the State of what has become
a burden to the producers and reproach to
the State.
s. That the Public School laws of Mary
land are capable of great improvement. and
! should beamended.
.. That proper legislation SHOULD be inst-
tuted to reduce the expenses OF the courts
throughout the State, which have Increased
/ Ill the last few years to such large proper
tions as to add materially to Il burtlensomc
! taxation.
| 10. That provision ought to be made by
law Tor the speedy trial Of petty offenders
! before Justices of the peace, with the right
of appeal TO the Circuit Court
/ IL. That Il committee of one from each
county here represented (hc president of
tins convention to be the chairman) he APP
pointed by the chair to prepare and present
TO the legislature IL statement of such Of
/ fees as ought to be abolished, of such Sall-
rleS as ought to be reduced, of such amend
ments by law us will ensure II greater vigil
lance i'll those who have the supervision of
public expenditures.
THE QUESTION OF LOCAL OPTION.
Mr.. NJ. l.. Dunlap, of Anne Arundel,
then offered Il resolution that the question
of local option belongs TO the people, and
that they shall not be denied the right Of
deciding whether it shall be sold in their
respective limits.
Mr.. James $. Hallowell, of Montgomery
county, regretted that the committee had
ln
of local option. Wherever we turn, he said
We see evidences of increasing rowdyiSm
and crime, mostly due to the traffic in
liquor The subject should not he passed
by SO lightly. The people are taxed to
death IN consequence of liquor, and mems
necks are broken and cut for rum, SO that
the fellow who sells out can make a few
cents in the business. The penitentiarieS
are filled because the liquor traffic is al
lowed to go on, and the people must bv
taxes feed and cothe the inmates He
offered the following rs Il substitute, which,
after some unimportan; debate, was adopted:
Resotrcd by this conrention, That the sub
Iect OF local option 80 tOrcibly and ably re-
frrrred to in Il communication from MeSsrS
Daniel and others should claim the serious
consideration of our legislature, and any
county that desires to vote on the subject
should be allowed to do SO, and decide by "A
direct vote of the people whether or not
liquor shall be sold within its limits as
beverage.