Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1883-12-14

ers OF this, and probably some other coun-
ties of Maryland.
The statute law applicable to this coun-
ty, while it invests the county commits
sioners with the exclusive power to col
lect and receive into their own hands the
whole of the money derived from the peo-
pie by taxation excepting only the incon-
siderable jury fund.- makes no provision
whatever as to a bond or bonds to indem-
Nifty the people against a misappropriaion
of this money. The sum thus placed at
the disposal of the county commissioners
amounts in this county to from $4,000 to
$4,000 per annum, and yet these officials
gre no bond achaterer, and many and per-
haps most of the persons who under the
present domination are put in those offices
if so required, would doubtless be unable
to give any adequate or satisfactory bond
for the proper discharge of the trust.
Now it only requires the slightest glance
to see that this is essentially and gravely
wrong. That it is most mischievous and
dangerous anomaly in the theory ofpopu-
lar government which urgently demands
a prompt and adequate remedy. There is
no shadow of reason why these officials
should be invested with such large pow
ers, which are SO easily abused, without
giving any guarantee at all for their hon
est administration. 1t is difficult to see
why, while the Treasurer of the State, w no
is always man of the highest personal
integrity of character, is required to give
large and ample bond for the honest dis
bursement of the public money that comes
into his hands. that these local officials
who, by virtue of their office, a. now re-
gulated by law, are made the custodions
of the public money of the county, should
assume this large trust without giving
any guarantees or indemnities whatever
except their personal integrity of charac-
ter. In the best days of the county when
these officers were elected by the free vote
of the tax -payers and intelligent people Of
the county, and were chosen with special
reference to their high character and
standing in the communi V, this would
have been an undeniabe truth. Surely
everyone will admit that the manner in
which these officials are now put into
those places does not lessen the force of
the objection.
Now the remedy to this most extraor.
binary defect in our law lies in one of two
thiugs; either the county commissioner
should each be required to give an ample
bond for the discharge of their duties. or
they should be deprived by law of all
power to handle the pub ic money. and
the exclusive collection and disbursement
of all the taxes levied should be invested
in county Treasurer, who should be re-
quired to give an adequate bond for the
discharge of his trust
The latter seems to be the most adequate
as well as the most appropriate and econ
omical remedy. Many of the counties of
this State have adopted that plan, and the
county commissioners are thus restricted
to their Legitimate duties; viz. the general
of the affairs of the county
and the auditing of its expenses, while all
creditors are paid by drafts upon the treas
urer. The advantages of this system over
that now in force here are many and great
In this way the financial affairs of the
county are always kept in an accurate and
exact manner; the people are amply pro-
tected from all embezzl ments and misap-
preparations, and the expense of collect
ing the taxes is greatly decreased. In
some of those counties where they have
county treasurers, it is customary for the
grand jury of the county annually to make
an examination of the treasureI's books,
and that official, being an honest, as well
as reasonable man. does not generally,
as far as we can learn, regard this as any
serious affront to his integrity.
The economy of the county treasurer
system is one very important argument in
its favor. InPrince Georges county where
that system is in force, if our memory
serves us rightly, the treasurer receives 2!
per cent for collecting and disbursing the
taxes, while in this county we pay our
collectors 6 per cent. for that work
The passage of a general law for the APP
pointment of treasurer for each county
was, we believe, among the measures re-
commended to the Legislature by Gov.
Hamilton as a means of diminishing the
heavy defalcations in the payment of the
State taxes; but for some reason or other,
probably the fact that many of the coun-
ties have already by local Iaw such an Of
ficer, no such measure has yet been enact
ed. 1t is probable that this measure will
be brought to the attention of the coming
Legislature, and it is to be hoped that
such general law will be enacted. IT.
however. the measure should fail to pass
as a general law, then urgent efforts ought
to be made to secure the passage o. such
a local measure for this county.
Much has already been accomplished
by making it known to the commissioners
chat it is their duty to render an exact
and detailed account of the disbursement
of the county money, and that they are
subject to Indictment and fine for a failure
to do so; still this does not furnish any
ample indemnify to the people, and the
only true remedy will be found in the
measure herein referred t..
The latest freak in the way of masque-
rades, is costume that is intended to
represent an oyster. What next? Why
the future masqueraders will have bottle
of DR.. Bulls Cough Syrup moving among