The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-11-02
The Peoples Eulumn.
About the Farmers Tax Bill.
PORT DEPOSIT, MD Oct. 81. 1885

hUOuV JlC LA IJlilG
PORT DEPOSIT, Md Oct 81, 1889.
Mr.. Editor. i send for your consideration
an inquiry recently addressed by me to the
Cecil Democrat, and also an explanatory let
ter from the Hon. Edward Stake, president
of he Maryland State Farmers A ssocia-
ton, and Republican Senator from Wash
ington County:
PORT DEPOSIT, Sept. 18th, 1889
Mr. Editor Dear SiT:-Will you lie kind enough
to inform me what done with the Tax Bill,
drafted by committee OF Thich DIR. Mackall was
member, and offered for consideration at the
State Farmers meeting in Baltimore, and pre-
sented by the Doctor as bill at the Legislature.
The bill was in form OF equal taxation, relieving
the farmers and holders OF real estate by securing
personal and corporate property for taxation. 1t
seems ms if bill bearing Ill these considerations
should receive proper att ntiOn when offered by
leading member OF the Legislature, particularly
of the standing Of DIR. Mackall. Is the program
to be no Legislation iur the farmer because he Is
not as Il class in combination. IL so the iarme'
can not he too quick to organize to keep pace
with other classes. ESOCH MOVES.
In reply to the above respectful letter of IN
qutry, We beg to refer our correspondent to the
Hon. f. X. Stake, Republican Senator fir IN
Washington County, the author of the bill refer
red to and chairman OF the committee appointed
by the Farmers Association to present it to the
Legislature.-ED. DEMocRAT.l
HAGEEsTowN, MD, Oct. 18th. 1859.
+. koyeS ESq.-Dedr Sir am in receipt OF
yours OF yesterday.
AT meeting OF the Nd. State Farmers Asso-
citation in Bait. in January, 1887, committee was
appointed to prepare report the subject u.
taxation. was chairman of that committee and
prepared report and drafted u Tax Bill emhrac-
ing the features Of the report. II was submitted
~ a
berS including DIR. Mackall of your county. Thu
report and Tax Bill was subsequently submitted
to the State Association at meeting held for the
purpose OF considering it, and alter discussion
was adopted and Il committee appointed TO visit
Annapolis at the next session OF the Legislature
and urge the passage OF the measure. | intro
duced the Bill in the Senate and l think DIR.
Mackall introduced it in the House. Governor
Hamilton was the chairman OF the committee to
visit Annapolis with the tax bill. several times
arranged a meeting Of the Finance Committee oi
the Senate and the Ways and Means Committee
OF the House to hear our Farmers AsSO tlatiOn
Committee. bat Mr.. Henry ). CouiUn. OF your
county, was the only member who ever made any
appearance at Annapolis.
l urged favorable report at the hands OF the
Finance Committee and appeared before it and
explained IT'S features. also urged its passage
i'll a whole day speech in the Senate, but was
unable to have il passed.
Yours very truly. EDWARD STAKE.
l was appointed IA delegate to the annual
meeting of the Association held in Balti-
more in December, 1887 | voted against
Senator Stake, IA Republican for President,
as he was not strictly speaking a farmer,
and consequently not in my opinion, SO
Iully Ill accord with the farming interests
practical farmer wonld be. A Demo-
cratic Legislature failed To pass the bill
after the urgent appeals OF Senator Stake, il
not being on the program OF the Democratic
Ring. Now what Was the oharacLc Of the
oil drafted by the FarIners Convention! 1t
only eQualilad taxation, md was intende
To relieve the farmers ANA oJh"r business
interests of the State IL provided for the
taxation of the property. nt corporations, the
same as farmers ere taxed Ii ceIta My is
true that the farmers were not considered
by the last Democratic Legislature with
Doctor Mackali farmer to advocate the
passage OF the bill.
Now Mr. Editor which of the Two tickets
offered the farmer taxpayers and people
of Cecil County this fall, will when elected
best serve the interests of the whole people
without regard to race, party or color? VIII
not the Republican ticket composed wholly
of farmers and business men, including in
their number the present able Board OF
County Commissioners? A ticket pledged
to support the Farmers Bill, the Pearce
Election Bill and the Australian Ballot Sys-
TEN. A ticket clear OF corporate and ring
influence. There is net a farmer in Cecil
County if he will eXpr, SIS his honest opinion
hnf will S.iN that h.A lion Z bot
resents best the business interests of the
people, and i'll the least the corporate iufiu-
ence i'll the county. The truth is Mr.. Edi-
tor the people of this county and State don't
intend much longer to have their interests
subordinated to those of great combinations
and rings, and the only way to check the
evil Is to send to the Legislature Just as they
do In the west, the best farmers and bust
ness men. The Republican Party III the
past in the minority in the State, has repeat
edly and urgently demanded of the Demo-
cratic majority, that il should at least give
the minority, their best democratic repre-
sentatives in the interest of the people. The
best sentiment i'll the Democratic party is in
accord with it, but under ring methods it
cannot be done. Senator German in a
speech delivered in Baltimore last week ac-
cuses Mr.. Cowen, another Democrat and
counsel for the b. ~ o., of working to elect
a Legislature favorable TO the interests of the
b. ~ o. Railroad. He says the B. IL o. wants
more exemptions in the way of taxation. II
such is the fact how does the Democratic
party of Cecil County stand before the peo-
pie with Mr.. Writ As a candidate for the
State Senate? There is not less than "A mil
lion dollars of b. 81 O. property not taxed
III Cecil County, which the Republican
Board Of County Commissioners should
reach if they are elected. These vast corpo-
rations are exacting rates of travel, and tar
ifs of transportation from the people to
realize earnings and make dividends in
many instances on four times the actual
cost of their roads. This state of things is
the result of the failure of the people in
sending their best representatives to Con-
gress and the Legislature.
Very Truly, Z. MOVES.