The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-02-25
For the Democratic Advocated
Public School Expenses, &c.
cAnnoLL County. Mo-, Feb. Is.


CARROLL COUNTY. Nd, Feb. IL. 1855.
MgssEi EouJRs:- That t,lc expense of public
education IN Carroll county has steadily Increased
unlil it has become very great burden upon tax
payers caunpl he denied and tllat they arc still I
growing with increased tendencies. without cores
ponding advantages of education TO the children,
is plain to any one who will take the trouble to look
into them. Some years ago the County Commits
sioners in pursuance of the school law. Sec 4. Chap
lil levied u c.nts upon the 500 OF assessable prop
erty TO make adeiicency in the state school fund
which levy aaicr deducting insolvcnces improper
assessments, AZ. amounted 10 about $1,000 The
schools went along smoothly until 1873 or "A, whe
the School Board claimed balance due them on
account of deducting said insovencies of seven or
eight thousand dollars. which was paid The County
Commissioners afterwards raised the school levy,
and paid over to the School Board annually for a
humber OF years the sum OF SCI 900, which, in add
ton to the state school tax state free school and
other receipts per school report for the year 1913
(Which We have ut hand), made up the sum of &c.,
1913 expended for educational purposes during the
year, including 81 09s for building schoolhouses.
At the solicitation of the School Board the County
Commissioners gave them an additional sum of
81 900, which realized the of $4,000 for school
purposes for:hs year alone. 1t was then understood
that the spring term would not be held by public
support aud that the should go to the building
OF sehOolhouses. and that schools by private sub
scription should be encouraged wherever the in
terest wassuficienttod do so forthe term. While
arrangements were being made to carry out this
settled program some magnanimous parties full Of
selfsacriice and devotion to the cause of humanity
hurried to the Legislature and besought it for
sistance, and thereby obtained a snap Judgment
upon the taxpayers for $1,000 more, for which the
Se'iRa says the people are indebted mainly to SEN
Into d
We not disposed to give them all the credit es-
pecially since the Examiner was summoned to An
napolis to that mistake was made in the pro-
visions of the bill. The Governor after having the
assurances and the declarations of the knowing ones
that the bill extremely popular that nine
tenths of the people of Carroll wanted the measure
although adverse to hasty, special or mandatory
legislation, finally confirmed the judgment by his
signature. Now take the expenditures for the year
1884, before stated. basis and add 81 600 given
and the increased levy of $4,000 and we have the
gross sum OF s5s,l9s appropriated for educational
purposes during the year in Carroll county, and at
time when farmers are groaning under the pres
sure of hard times and low prices 1t is not our
purpose TO censure any one, but we do think that
there has been some hasty and injudicious cxpcn-
ditures money somewhere for the sole purpose of
education, in view of so many different interests
demanding public expenditures in our county. The
Sentinel of last week in article says; THAT in
justice to all are bound TO add that the present
school officers not responsible for the condition
of things" Yet the Sentinel endeavors by inuendo
| to censure the County Commissioners for not re-
spending at once to every call But are satisfied
that the people will sustain the County Commits
soners in every effort to prevent too hasty in
judicious expenditure of the peoples money, When
it is considered that each department has its duties
&c 1al
laws which govern them that each department
should run harmoniousy and parallel, each having
a common interest in the Welt of the citizens, it
seems like wide stretch of propriety and want of
consideration to have entirely Ignored the County
Commissioners by forcing upon them mandatory
laws ofdoublfnl proprety II is only another proof
of their unsellsh integrity and ardent devotion 10
their constituency that they submit TO such treat
mcnt without murmur. Yet il is claimed by the
advocates of the bill that the passage of such bill
was necessary in order to obtain 81 900 of the state
fund. But an act of the Legislature could have
been passed requiring the state to pay it with as
much and propriety as the law which they have
enacted has heretofore been done in some of the
other counties.
II we are not mistaken the general expense ac-
count for Carroll county for the last fiscal year mot
including premiums for prompt payment of taxes
and the redemption fund.- amounted to less than
$4,000 including the school tax which, ifdeducted
leaves sum less than $4,000 showing that 1t will
take more money this year for school purposes than
all other county expenses combined. In conclu-
sion we would ask has the interest manifested by
the benefciares of the school system, and the in
creased education of the children, kept pace with
the increasing expenditures. When we say benef-
Charles we don't mean the well-paid officials
vERTTAs.