Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-05-28
com ATED.
Gov 5 81 AIInN Nh, 0Ith 1909

Co.'s STATION, May 24th 1886
Editors Of The TIRES:
Ge"tlsme" Permit ne % getrln thanks for
the publication OF my le,fer OF the l7lh inst,
and MS the subject is one | consider of grave
interest TO the praple o this o Init. With YOUR
PERMISSION | will again Irr>ptss uppa your
space in presenting nay Vie vs. Inun lie subject
and IN answering, IN Sp..ii OF fairness and
Aind!y HiSt u>Itioh soma" Gi IuuI objections and
criticisms would gr.a'ly gler INIT some
ether ;han mNseit. 18th Moe time and oppor-
tun'y 10 'nvr'll-a Ate The ~ jet, IL all IL bear
ingS-i'g gal and practical, would unierin ke to
present II To tn" consideration o. our people -
Still, with the four mouths cxp.Iienre | had
with III = rtsent system OF ketqiag the hooks
Of tie "untN Commissioners aud liz .tIethods
OF conducting the business # III - afii - | will
endeavor to present - Cle.T - can the OBJ
lecuIns that :orred themselves upon me. and
tl~o prcSeat some changes " Inch think would
manifesny simplify ho'h the keeping of the
hooks ami Al. IN Conducting the business OF
he Commissioners Court
In nay 'o'm-r l.l'rr, viii IA VS. lat, nied
merely 10 cypress my regret IhrI the TINES
should feel Justified ia at.vocalirg \ coutipu-
tnre Il th- pr sent methods - against any
change, could Mt conceive Of any reason,
other than its 'antiqniy' whi,h coula com
mend II 10 any one, and hence M character
zlng II as "O5Scitte and dbsurG . was more in
comparison, than at StrsCth | intended hv
mug as did, that u e present system OF
ewing the taxes. and coiitcftHg and iisBursiD0
ne same, us simply impossible" when. il !.
lalned that II can he done correctly aud in
entire compliance with the law Iceutesd the
principle IS liseif iatse that requires the same
men, to both collect and dishurse public funds
1t leaves open the door 10 fraud and peculation
" corrupt and dishonest officials Besides,
under the present system, the law r,o4res the
Commissioners 10 know oI and pub ish the dis
oui sement OF money they never see nor han
iie, and after they levy il as taxes they never
Know what becomes OF it, whether it IS collect
ed, or II co lected, II Is ever properly diShursed
To illustrate the Ia" requires the Commission
4rs 10 levy upon the as-tssahle property Of the
cesnty ten cents on the SIUU Tor public schools
u my rstoie ton serves me right, The sum OF
about ~ 600 TO 81 500 has been annually .cv-
led for t'is purpose tor several wears past. and
y ct the toanty CommIssio ers have no record
Of how this mone, has been collected or how
dIshursrd, or "helhrT tue school Comm >siou-
srS have ever received 1t. How then can they
IN their publication % the excuses of the
COUNTY show the proper expenditure OF his
moae.? To my positive AID reEisjn ksou.
edge, there IS case on tie docket OF The Cir
cat Court tor the past N.Y term against on,
o. the eK coli Ctors for $3.50 90 " hich vas lev
cd for School tand PRIOR 10 The appointment of
the Collector, Mr.. Nicholson u kuse tGud las
been sued ter X.
Now, | contend. that If when tn. leyy i,
mad, and 1t has been aSgertsia-d what the
gross amount at the expenses arr that thi,
gross amount >hcu ! be irFI,i ia al and the
eoi.etii0" o. III" taxes tor ibr pay prnt Of tie
sI.ie. shou be divided into the, r.ftts'loas. To-
e made tx The four Collectors would sag
gsst-l,t Of uriourr. la OF J.uu,ry and Let Of
March succeeding The lew. would suggest
= igs ounl - ) psr crnt ra tx. p.Ed ht l,i
o. tC'snsr, prr cent ~ - II J.ausrS sod
'1xe> not p~fi osssrr l.; o. NIB. \ oglt
shsrs, Interest upon fsoru I,t Of January. sni
al taxes at pad y that i,G,~, wa ! require
the collectors TO proceed 60 go ret hy ssN.
With the sccrusd lstcr-st a.i ep,ts 81 yul!rc-
tious. MN. Il understand. tie objection 10
su,a system IS. thar The collectors Would nave
no beaded oiaser to- - HON - psy over the
money collected al thrs. stated umee con
tend, that ia order to trr TO inaSgar,tc some
system .ess complex ani Ilc1rgraru, than the
prs.sar, that the Clerk 20 Ihr CON urs>jonsrs,
~be Is already und-r a hnni Of 81 900 FOR III
sNie-AsrfIEg sad proper Disbursement of the
jGTr-;an4. s1u4 also enter into a. additional
sosi TO faithfully account FOR sad d'.tur,e The
money received 6y him from the collectors,
lncuaV.nience. or - yOa put u. - .llc proc
ao.y act 81 couveHtgat 10 ne tax g.ying e,si-
Itor, | coated u sou!i be more rnuvrn.ruE.
as bellev~ It would enable lhts srsaitor TO re-.
ceivc What VAS due hIm more promplIy zud
ioaS before Nay creditor % the cogafI receives
ansf hing under tbe Yresea; system.
There ar 50 ris7V tacouE ruiites IN ne p:4r.
t,c.i Sorkin. Of the present .sstrm. ih.i nv
great reason for ehsugc . bassa glop the
opinion ~D'~Etsin Ehs. 20 irtl sav tu.5ayr.
nrnt al lhr present system, 'te ne>t as i. %
substitute entirely = a-W ea~ +, TIE TIE bod
I k.r, sagEssiri, the Books ro4ii tr <sr, a.
cur...'y, ali The asgoua,s -s,ily ,g.'vi .si
TIC C0rnml'sIoG~-s. o. rsvsr cIsgA discussing
The money collected. roggf .lssvs svr far
voucher for mnnsr pei, SUI tss So roo arr
Ing anrasi Statement 10 be rHa8ist.rl eeu3t
be eoFrectlF carried GU.
Now 10 deal no. defa5I-Is sah some 81
your criticisms would cali rolr 4'.~rusa
la lkAi ps.t % ToEr srlir.e Of he isssv 4 the
3isI Iust.. n herr yua ss'i oar correspondent
coacurs ~I;h th- TIHEs 30 me tsrcs vi The
objection that 'h~rs q no legally bonded ct
fc-r. {sKrep: the collector TO receive aud d.
"urs~ the maa-r collected a. tsi-, Nav
with ali d=f-reuc- fais to .-- ~her~ lsr Cgs
l-c'or> are .u'b0r'1-i rs f7W . 5ntar,, sb.
uouev COLLECTED a. taxes pc I: i,,,k. 10 re-
thar me Commitments ksrtIgfer> h.r- n-.a
d-rl -Ct IN no Appearing = fas.sIr~r - o.-
igtv 70 would re g. rsc.irz sua aaibarsr
Il dos appear 20 tnr bat tbs IA go, .,s tn-
Commission rs with ISL F"Ner sG4 a.Ihar4is .
IN TIE msiter. and | believe. lie tfos5l. h..
b-ea occssIonei from the tart that pest co II
N ssiouers have shlrkei their legal dHfies la 4
shifting upon Collectors the discussing o. mo
new f0r Hssrr coBrtEirHrs ssks NhicE the Isw
requires them the Commissioners 10 s-e prop
rriy ant GORE tis dIsburs<f
| am fully aware that the election ct Com
rni>sioners ami me u hers of the Legislature o.
cur at the same time, in the tall % 1887, sad
it is possible the personnel e. the present board
,sd also, Of the Legislature. may be changed,
but esdssvor IN deal with sati-cts Of THIS
K ind prIctlcIiiv and DO not thiaa IL al ..ret-
able there vii tie such - radical chang parlic-
uisrlV raaicg! v,pa5!ic ~ rtIng, thai would
prevent US sngrtiling rnto Law. such checks
and safeguards. that would be necessary 20 per-
'ect any change whirh could he adopted in or
der 20 get ria Of the radically false ss'en by
slch our affairs are al present managed.
| would have nothing don- prrcpitateiv and
without dae consideration, and hence ! haze
spenrd this discussion nonih in advance of
the time when the Commissioners will be CON
PEELED to act and | hope il the mean time
some one Kill tiy4nce = better method thaa | I
have done, 10 get rId a.. what 10 svems a
most unsvslemstic nd non tasi. essfike method /
Of cond tag be 6ntnsi.l alfalrs OF our County
loIr. trul, &c,
). Cox, Jr.