The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-06-23
The Levy for 1854 Card from
the County Commissioners

10 Il Cdlu HON lilG >ouhtt ~
sioners published i'll this issue, eNplana
tory OF their declsion to levy this year
for an amount sufficient to meet the
floating indebtedness of the county IN
addition to the sum necessary for the
current expenses of the year. Being
practical business men and influenced
by no other motive than the desire to
administer the business of their Office as
economically as possible, they hoped
to be able 10 relieve rather than increase
the present burdens of the taxpayers
of the county. Upon assuming the
duties of their office, however, a careful
examination of the books OF the county
disclosed the existence of bonded and
floating Indebtedness amounting to
nearly eighty thousand dollars. This
was an unwelcome inheritance from
their Democratic predecessors in office.
To meet the financial emergency which
this Indebtedness created, the Conn
missioners had two courses open to
them. Either to ask the authority OF
the Legislature to fund the accumulated
Indebtedness at low rate Of interest
distributing the liquidation OF the loan
over a period OF years, or on the other
hand to levy at once for an amount
sufficient to meet the floating lndebt-
edness to carry which they were Illegally
borrowing money at a higher rate OF
interest. The former plan commended
itself to their judgments for many rea
sons and was generally approved by the
business men of the county irrespective
of party. In accordance with the ex-
pressed desire of prominent taxpayers
of both parties, bill was drawn and
submitted to the last Legislature author
ling the Commissioners to negotiate a
loan in the name OF the county, not
exceeding twenty thousand dollars,
which amount it was hoped would cover
the outstanding Indebtedness of the
county on account of permanent I'M
provements in the shape of public
buildings erected. But our local Dem
ocrauc partizan politicians disclosed at
Annapolis their undisguised purpose to
embarrass and hinder the Commits
sloners by every means in their power,
and by a petty trick unworthy of any
reputable representative from Cecil
county, defeated the proposed bill.
This act was what THE WING pro-
nounced it at the time, an exhibition of
blind and reckless partizanshlp, which
would soon return to plague its short
sighted authors.
That the taxpayers of Cecil county
have one hundred cents on the hundred
dollars to pay this year instead of
eighty cents, is the unwelcome condi-
ton directly due to the act of two pig
headed delegates from this county in
the Legislature, who in total disregard
of the embarrassed condition of so
many of our taxpayers, secured for
unworthy partizan objects, the defeat OF
bill which intelligent Democrats and
Republicans alike endorsed, as the best
means of sparing our property owners
the burden OF increased taxation.
When therefore the Democratic tax
payers groan under their heavier bur
den this year they have their own party
to thank for 1t. An economical board
of Republican Commissioners with a
view to saving the people of this county
this present additional burden, have
been defeated in their laudable object
by little factional Junta of Democratic
politicians at Annapolis. All we desire
is that the people of the county shall
see and know where the responsibility
rests. Let the right men shoulder it.
1t certainly doesn't lie at the doors of
the present Board of County Commas
sioners. They made an honest effort
to save the taxpayers of the county
from the present burden of debt
which previous boards had contracted,
but were thwarted in their efforts by
petty politicians at home and in the
Legislature, who rather than see Re-
publican Board of Commissioners win
popular favor by a judicious manage
ment of local affairs stupidity defeated
a measure which they lacked both the
intelligence and the magnanimity to
comprehend. The taxpayers of the
county, however, fully comprehend the
meaning OF their act, and when the
proper time arrives will readily show
that they do.