Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-05-29

OPINIONS OF TIE PREss.-We give below
the opinions of the different editors in the
county, in reference to the refusal by the
county commissioners to pay for the pub
LEGATION of the local laws. Naturally, we
should expect to find the opinions more or
less biased by personal interests but we are
so we'll satisfied that the intelligence of the
county commissioners, individually and col
lect;vcly, falls so lar beneath that of the gen
tlcmen who conduct the county press, that
we unhesitatingly publish their comments;
being fully satisfied that their opinions weigh
much heavier with the people than does
that of the board Of county commissioners.
DISCONTINUED The publication of the
continued story which was begun in these
columns few weeks ago, entitled "Pnblic
Local Laws" has been abruptly discontinued
Such of our readers as may wish to scan the
remaining chapters of this interesting mar
rative are referred to the columns OF the
Frederick Examiner and Union these being
the only papers in the county which have
received authority from the County Com
missioners to publish the same. TIE REG
1srER, which is the best read paper in the
county, ought to have been selected for this
work but it was not Valley Register.
Our County CoMMrssroSERs.-We have
not the least objection to our County Com
missioners saving every cent to the taxpay-
ers that they can in q legitimate and jnstfia-
BILE way but we do think that they should
connect Justice with law in their de-
cisions. Whilst we believe the citizens OF
Frederick county all favor low taxation, as
is quite natural for them to do, yet we do
not believe they possess such niggardly
disposition as to he unwilling to pay for
real benefits And under this head we class
the publication of the laws.--Any fair mind
would suppose that the people, for whom
the laws are made, should he made acquaint-
ed with such laws. If not, how can they
obey them? Then we say, it is false economy
to refuse to appropriate money to enllshte n
the public in laws. When published in but
two papers, not one-quarter Of the people in
the county ever get to know anything a
bout them. 1t seems that heretofore our
commissioners have considered it necessary
and a sound policy to have the laws publish
ed in all the county papers, and for years IT
has been done and paid Rand this, too,
without any previous order from the com
missioners. Acting under the same custom,
the county papers, without any forblddms
order, published the late laws, with the
expectation of getting paid for it. On
account of the custom and the prece-
dent set, they believed their bills were
lust, and swore to them. 1fthe commission.
ers did not intend to pay for such publication,
they could easily have ordered their clerk to
notify the papers to that effect. But instead
of this nothing was published, officially or
otherwise, in regard to their determination i'll
the matter; the laws were published as usual
TO the great benefit of the public, but to a loss
to all the papers save two. The commissions
crs did not even propose 20 pay for type
setting. It's a false policy, gentlemen, that
will hide the law under bushel. But as
economy is the foundation Of your actions,
and MS we have heard it hunted that you in
tend to "cut orr your mileage" fee, we sup
pose we can bear, with you, our loss Of the
golden grist. Banner.
The Chronicle informed itself in advance
and by its prudence has saved the expense
of publication; all the others, save one, pub
lshcd the laws expecting to hepaid; that one,
The Calls says, published the laws mot e1-
pec,ing anything" Knowing, rs we do, OF
all the different accounts that were presented
to the commissioners, we are somewhat at a
loss to discover who it was that expected
nothing.
We lefraincd from expressing an opinion
last week; it is not always best to comment
upon the actions Of those who have disap-
pointed you, while you are yet suffering the
first pangs ofsuch disappointment; we there
fore have withheld our comments until we
had passed into condition promising cool
er judgement We are now prepared 20 as
sert it as our decided opinion that harsh
judgement should not be passed upon our
board of county commissioners for their re-
fusal to dotray the expense Of publishing To-
cal laws
We reason thus;
Men who have proven themselves to be
utterly devoid of all conception of equity
should not be expected to hold the value of
full knowledge ofthe law by the people gen.
orally, at high estimate hence, to their
minds, the matter of informing the people OF
the purport ofthe laws they are expected TO-
obey has only rs consequence, expense
without any equivalent. lnasmuch as the
people are themselves responsible for the Sc
lection of commissioners of such peculiar
capabilities, we do not see that there is any
ground of complaint left saving that the pco-
ple Jointly and severally are an ass if they do
not improve their choice at the first oppor-
tunity.
We have been extensively quoted during
the past two weeks. Give US Little Rope"
and the "Gold,ln Grist," has been served up
to us in "all sorts" and we are now just as
willing to laugh a little as any of you, but
n week ago, we didn't dare risk a smile for
fear that it would take on the "ghastly" or
break down into genuine scowl. The fact
that our press was running, printing that
rope" business, at the same time we were in
the commissioners Office feeling as though We
had fallen into the moose, is too good a joke