The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-06-23

jority of the taxpayers of Cecil county
will sustain the objection, to Albert Con-
stables personal use of the county pa
tronage in carrying out purely selfish
plans in politics, and in the prostitution
of an important public office to ends
solely personal. And especially will
this objection be sustained when it is
remembered that the course thus pur-
sued was vindiCtive one, and solely
in fulfillment of threat uttered many
months ago against the editor of this
paper, because he saw proper to raise
his voice against the barter of judicial
place.
Besides, the county interests have
already too long been disregarded by
The Boss" in playing his little game
of politics. He has debauched more
voters, and, by the ways that are dark
and the tricks that are vain, done more
during the period that he has manipu-
lated politics in Cecil county to lower
their standard than can possibly be
computed. He has set up purely
personal standard of politics, and esti-
mating the value of every man only as
he could be made contrbutory to his
interests, has elevated this one, or put
down that one in his party, solely as
his interests dictated. No question of
character or reputation has ever stood
in his way in securing the defeat of any
opponent, nor has he ever hesitated to
uaduce and Willy those that he could
not suborn to his personal uses.
His political ends have always justi-
fled the means used to attain them.
Frazer, individually, may be fool,
but, as the plastic tool of "The Boss"
he has his uses.
Now the issue we raise over this re-
cent award of county printing is not
one that can be obscured by abusive
epithets, or be lightly put aside by out
spoken traduction of, or whispered ma
Lightly towards, the editor of this paper.
We assert that the contracts for public
printing of the nature of advertising,
and which, from its very character,
should be given the widest publicity,
ought to be awarded upon a business
basis, to such newspapers as have the
greatest circulation in the county.
This has been the plan heretofore
pursued.
Acting in their capacity as the bust
ness servants of all the people of the
county, the circulation of The WING
has been recognized as one of the two
best mediums of reaching the tax-pay-
ers Of the county by previous Demo
cratic Boards of County Commission
ers.
1t was not by virtue of its being an
"organ " only, but as the medium of
reaching the greatest number of read
ers of class and as a reasonable and
just concession to the Republican tax
payers, who constitute the bulk of its
patrons, that this has been the case.
Upon what BUSINESS ground, then,
do the County Commissioners withdraw
this advertising from a newspaper, with
an aggregate circulation of twelve hun
bred subscribers, principally Republi
cans, to award it TO 4 hermophrodite
paper, with a bona lide circulation of
only one fourth this number?
Had this advertising contract been
in any sense of the nature of 4 subsidy
the ground we take would not be tena-
bic.
But reference to the bills passed
year after year shows that the county
advertising has been charged at the same
commercial rates paid by other adver
tiserS.
More than this.
On the work done at THE WIG
office the most liberal discount has been
allowed the county.
For nearly nine hundred dollars
worth of work done last year and COM
puted at regular rates, this newspaper
is to be paid the sum of five hundred
dollars.
However unpalatable the statement
may be to the gentlemen composing
the Democratic majority of the Board, |
their action in this matter has been
that of narrow partsans. There is not
an intelligent tax payer in the county
who will not concede that the further
the business of the county is removed |
from partisan influence the better for
the public interest.
Messrs. Hess and Gillespie have
weakly yielded to the opportunities and
demands of men who treat all public
printing as patronage only. They have
carried out the will of their political
Boss" and have by their act, estab-
lished precedent that may soon prove
a plague to them and their party.
An exchange states it as fact that
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