Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-09-11

ciful in his jokes.
ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS REFoRM.-Fol
the past three years we have been occustom
cd to receiving Mt the hands of the registra
ton officer of this district, the lists of those
registered and those disqualified. which lists
we printed and were paid for, by the county
commissioners. The registrars of two Other
districts during the past two years have sent
us their lists in preference to sending then
to Frederick, or elsewhere.
We will not print any of those lists this
year. And thereby hangs tale a narrative
that will probably be read with interest by
the patrons of TIE CLARION; certainly by
such as are tax-paying citizens of Frederick
county.
How does it happen that We do not gel
printing? Now, don't jump at the conclu
sion that THE CLARION has smother griev
anc, against somebody and that you are not
| ,teresttd, for it will be seen efore you have
concluded this item, that it is not THE CLAIR
ION hut the citizen, the taxpayer, whose
grievance il is, this time.
Why we do not get this printing is because
the organized Board of Officers of Registra
ton in Frederick County have by resolu
ton, ordered that all the printing be done by
The Citizen and Tho Examiner offices, in
Frederick.
They charge the same for printing the lists
that we have been accustomed to charge in
fact we made ours in the first instance, to
agree with them. Then, how can it be OF
interest to any one else, other than ourselves
We will cndcavor to make it plain. II
will be remembered by many that the bills
submitted to the county commissioners by
the registrars, varied materially in amount,
running from $55 to upwards of 800, no
table and remarkable instance of which was
that of two districts the one of which has al
most three times as many voters as the other
and yet the bill handed in by the officer in
the smaller district exceeded by about $40
(ncarly doubled) that handed in by the OH
Ger of the larger district.
Now, it would appear that some of these
officers assume tina, they have been placed
IN that position rs a reward for party services
and being men of extraordinary selfappre-
citation, consequently place high value
upon said services in other words they get
all out of it that is in it and that brings us to
the point at issue,
The registrars who have had the printing
done at this office have never made any
charge against the county for the time re-
quired to get the copy to us, nor of that
required to get the printed lists of us, where
as, it has been the custom Of others to charge
g. for tile first and 81 for the seeond trip -
They are asu allowed day (ft) to post the
lists.
Now, let us sec what it means
Four dollars to take the copy" to Frcder
lex Four dollars to go to Frederick within
day or two for the printed lists; total S.
There are twenty one districts in the coun-
ty, making $l6S the charge for the above
work for one sitting and 1886 for the year
not one dollar of which is legitimate
Why therefore has such an order been
passed by the Board? Simply because there
were those who had the printing done at or
near their home and who did not charge the
county the $S as above explained, which in
the two sittings amounted to SIG and be-
came an item with those who were disposed
to make the charge and in order that they
should reap the benefit thereof and get not
haze the difference in the accounts shoe against
them, they by resolution of the Board force
all to go to Frederick and thus make il q me-
cessity that all make these charges, as a trip
to Frederick means expense.
The services of these men to their party
are doubtless valuable and should be reward
ed, but it strikes us that the party should
find some more direct way than TO permit
twenty one men to put an unearned, unwar-
rnnted and dishonest charge of 81 per day to
take the copy" of the registration lists to
Frederick 81 per day to 60 after the print
ed lists, both repeated at the October sitting;
the party should at least permit the honor
able members of that board to not make those
charges, if they believed that to not make
them were right. AS it is, they will all be
compelled to do it in order to cover partot
their expenses on those trips.
Thus it is that we lose our opportunity to
charge the county $3.50 for printing the
lists of district, while the enforced method
will cost the county the $3.50 and IS besides.
'Rah for Retorml
N b. Since writing the above, the lists
for this district have been handed us for pub
licaton. BY this act, which we learn cores
ponds with at least that of one other, the
Justice of our remarks above is proven; in
this, that were the two registers who have
acted upon their own judgment and in def
ancc of the rule, had they not been fully sat
isfied that to comply with said rule, would
be unjust and unwarranted, so far as the
charges for the two days are to be consider
ed, should and would most certainly have
complied We trust that there may be 9TH
crs, who have the moral courage to refu &c to
become party to such unworthy designs
for mulcting the county in the unjust sum
Of eight dollars and that this erpo@ may re-
suit ia The abrogation, or ignoring, "f the
rule.