The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-04-07

duCtlOn In the rates OF local taxation
except SO far as it would bring fresh
grist to their political mill. As narrow
as piece of tape-they can't f., their
lives see beyond the ends of their parti-
Fan noses, and the question as to what
may be to the pecuniary advantage of
the people of Cecil county is not to be
considered as against the realization OF
their personal schemes. 1t is the oft
repeated story OF the dog in the man
ger over again. II they can't get the
political advantage of the act, the peo-
pie of Cecil county shall not have the
pecuniary benefit of 1t. They hope to
see the rate of taxes increased in Cecil
county this year, to 100 cents on the
hundred dollars, and trust to the chance
next year of some food or other local
misfortune to befall the county, that a
Republican Board may not get the rate
down again when the people go to
elect another board. They may be
disappointed, however, in their hopes.
Possibly the present Board OF County
Commissioners may reasonably argue,
that as the county Indebtedness was
=: <,.,,-.,J ,,,Jax Dao,ocrotic admins
trations of that office, and which a
Democratic Legislature has refused to
authorize the funding of at a low rate
OF interest, there is no Obligation
on them to levy at this time for more
than the current expenses OF the county
with all additional sum sufficient to
meet the annual interest on the lndebt-
edness.
And does not the present financial
condition of the agricultural as well as
every other interest in the county war-
rant them in taking this view?
When did the land and other pro,
ductive property owners realize as
small net incomes from their holdings
as now1
Did a prominent farmer of this
county exaggerate the fact when he
said In our hearing recently "that 1t
took as much wheat as he could haul
to market in one day with all his teams
to pay his tax bill ?"
What better indication of the pre-
vaihng scarcity of money among our
taxpaying classes do we need than the
unusually large amount of delinquent
taxes, still unpaid for the year? One
week ago they amounted to more than
So, 900, or over ten per cent. of the full
amount levied for county expenses fol
1887. This week unpaid tax bills
amounting to over six thousand dollars
were handed to the sheriff as required
by law, to be collected by execution
This amount is more than double what
it was last year, when it was only $4,000
These taxes were due and payable on
the first of September last, they beal
interest from that date besides sheriff's
commissions at the average rate o.
eight per cent on small bills. While
many OF these delinquents are small
property holders, yet many of them are
owners of valuable lands, whom the
stress of hard times has compelled no
only to lose the benefit of the discount
allowed on prompt payment OF thel
tax bills, but has burdened with the
payment of additional interest anC
costs of collection.
In the face of these figures anc
facts we are justified in asserting
that if The amount required to NEE
the county's floating indebtedness:
be added to the levy for 1888 it vii
require twenty cents on the hundred
dollars in addition to the rate o
last year $50 cents), and prophesy
that at the close of the next flsca
year the delinquent tax bills vii
amount to twenty thousand dollars
But whatever course our presen
Board OF Commissioners may adop
we believe it will be dictated by A.;
sound business Judgment, and de
sire tc spare the taxpayers Of the
county any unnecessary harden. We
are sure they will not initiate the
short-sighted and petty policy o
those Delegates 1t Annapolis, who
subordinated every interest of tn,
people TO mere partizan consid
erations.