The Baltimore County union., 1883-01-06
Cors .poai.poe Bal'ino-e CoHaiy Caia
MORE LIGHT WANTED.

EtEyFsTu DIsrEicr. Dec. 9Th. iSs9.
E3ifpr. gf tie Union In matters that so vaal-
Is aTec the interests of the county a. the proper
collection aud uiicious disbursements Of the taxes
10. il j. right for persons tn speak out what they
know ani Rri,e i1r public inform ,tion what they
ihink ought % be ioae % throw all possible light
on our financial Affairs au get the Grand Jury,if
possible 20 discharge their whole duty in the ca
animation of ;hc book. of the Treasurer and the
Caun,y Commissioners. You have two eorrespon-
dents who are enleavoGing 60 guide the commit.
tee oi the Grand Jury in the way that they con.
.ider will lead 10 full exposure not only of the
methods o: book keeping in the county Offices. bu,
also o. the Kind of report that will tell the tax
payers Of the unity hoW much taxes remain un.
collected. Thee ,hiag. are of more consequence
O. the ci,scas than a casual thought might lead
one 60 believe. and il /. for ih. reason that join
your othc. .corre,pondSn;. in hoping that the mem-
bcf. oG the Grand jury will furnish the court with
u full report uf the condition and status Of the
Treasurer aui County Commissioners' books. |
have hcaTi ,ha; there nave bren Grand Juries that
received reports of the committee appointed to
anime those books AMI aiieFH ards either suppTess
c1 them entirely Or altered them that they were
wholly unke the ori sinal report Of the committee
II thi. l. 80, by what authority or by what aldi-
tional ight va. this iouc. Tho should know
well what the con litiDH us the books was the
gentlemen appointed 60 examine them Who
could report as correctly wheth0r the books were
all right Or all wrong; such proceedings, IL true
must have been Tor the purpose nf shielding some
delinquent. AMI they should not characterize the
Grand Inquest who your correspondent says "aFe
sworn ia open court O. true p'csentnents make
without favor. affection or paFiiality. The eyes
of justice shogli be blind 10 these preferences and
their report of the examination Of the books which
they are required By Law 10 make. ~ all their
other reports. should be such as 20 leave no doubt
in their minds pr upon the mind of the community.
Long delay ia making fail aud thorough reports
of the condition nf the Treasurer boass and of the
different leyics has not uniTequently lei 10 loose.
hess in the Transaction of public business. The
report of the Auditors made fes years ago l.
conclusive of what here state. II the present
Auditor Who assisted in making that report, had
some Other compe;cn; person appointed by the
County conmis ssioners 10 assist him in making
another report AEa :hcy would begin where that
len OF aud re-aaiit tie financial affairs Of the
county 10 the present ;imc. the Tosi of the labor
put upon the Grand Jury in investigating the
county books would be removed and there would
Le les occasion for any sapicians connected with
the mana cement Of county affairs. II the Grand
Jury have not the time to examine the books ~
thoroughly a. tlsy believe they should be exam
incd might they not recommend that an auditing
committee be appointed whoge duty Il shall be io
investigate and report ii detail every financial
transaction Of the County Colnmssioners since the
close Of the last report of the Auditors up TO the
present time.
I admit We are as much in the dark now regard
ing The financial condition of the county as wo
were ii 1873. when the County Commissioners
levied for an esiimatcd expense for that year Of
Sii9.2?O, which wa. about Sso.0Oo more than was
necessary. But this state u Affairs necd not ex'
1T. The Grand Inquest can act OF the sugges.
tions Of your correspondents and make reports on
the different levies 20 show how they stand, aud
also on the County Commissioners with regard 10
their contracting dsLis and paying them in an
ticpatipn of thelevy, aud thus cnlightcn the pcO-
pie aud DO them the service they 80 much require
aud for which they are most anxiousiy looking
! entertain the opinion that your correspondents
know more Of what they arc writing upon than
they are giving 10 the public. and I hope they
will not cease their intelligent and interesting
contributions 20 the columns Of THE USIoS.
MoRE LicHT