The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-03-24
Cecil's Debt Not to be Funded.

So far as we can ascertain the fact,
the Bill authorizing the Board of Com
missioners of Cecil county to fund $780,
900 of the county's indebtedness has
been defeated at Annapolis merely to
crafty petty partizan spirit.
In nutshell, the case is this: The
present Board of County Commission
ers have inherited as legacy from their
predecessors in office an indebtedness
IN addition to the bonded debt of the
county-of over thirty thousand dollars,
twelve thousands of which is in the
shape OF bills payable in bank, the
balance being in floating debts. Three
courses were open to the Commits
sioners. They could, with some neon
yenience, carry this Indebtedness from
year to year, or fund it at lower rate
of interest, or pay it off by direct taxa
ton. They did not think it good bus
mess judgment to increase the burdens
of the taxpayers of the county by levy
ing sum sufficient to meet ii, since to
do this would increase the rate of taxa
ton from eighty cents to one hundred
cents Oh the hundred dollars. OF the
two courses left, the funding plan
seemed more business like, and com
mended itself as the best method to
meet the emergency. To fortify them
selves in their opinion, the commits
sioners very properly wished to ascer-
tain the views of the prominent tax
PAYERS and business men of the county,
and to this end petitions were very
generally circulated throughout the
county, asking the Legislature to
authorize the funding of the indebted
ness. These petitions were numerously
signed by taxpayers of prominence,
irrespective of party, and the funding
plan developed but little popular oppos-
ition. In the meantime canvass of
the representatives of the county in the
Legislature was made, and three out of
four of them were found to be favorable
to the proposition. Senator Mccullough
favored the plan, limiting the amount
of bonds to be issuedto $40, 900, which
amount represented the Indebtedness
of the county incurred for buildings
and permanent improvements, and not
that covering the unpaid expenditure
on public roads and other accounts.
Of our three delegates, DIR. Mackall
and Mr.. Moore favored, while MIR.
Caldwell alone opposed the plan. In
accordance with Mr.. Mccullough
views as to the amount to be funded, a
bill was drawn and reported favcrably
on it's first reading to the House of
Delegates, two of the three being favor
able to it. To the surprise, however,
both of Senator Mccullough and DIR.
Mackall, when the bill came up for its
second reading, it was strenuously op-
posed by Mr.. Moore as we'll as Mr..
Caldwell, the former having changed
front on it. As unexpected to its
friends as Mr.. Moore's opposition was
that of the House generally, which on
vote defeated the bill. This we pre-
sumo is the last of it.
The secret of the defeat of the bill
we give as matter of report. Mr..
Michael Moore and Mr.. Caldwell train
with rhc manage,S"-Dr. Mackall
does not. These same "managers
have a rod in soak for DR.. Mackall,
because he was honest enough, fair
enough, and independent enough to
vote against them in their unjustifiable
attempt to take out of the hands of the
people of Calvert county the selection