The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-07-12

Orphans Court. 1851
Out Pensions. ................ 10000
Paupers.. 10000
Printing. 10000
Public Schools. .............. 100000
Reductions and Insolvencies. &c. 10000
Roads and Bridge and
new work.. ............... $1,000. 90
Roads and Bridges-general
expenses. 100000
AOtdl pSO,OOI.t0
The Cecil Democrat is slow and skeplical
in accepting the above as an honest show
ing, and adds in connection with it,
this is the lowest tax rate in this coun.
ty for number of years, and it is to be
hoped it is sound one, made with no IN
due reference to coming elections"
The practice, when professional polite
ians were in control of county affairs, was to
make their second years levy very low with
reference to coming elections which was
invariably followed by deficiency. But
the present board isn't built that way. They
now have $4,000 surplus in the county
treasury and could have made the levy 8
cents lower and raised sufficient funds 10
defray all expenses, but thought it best to
err on the safe side and not incur the stero-
typed ceusure Of the past dozen years of
making an under levy to influence the
election.
A few facts will furnish more substan.
tial reason for this years moderate levy
than the Democrats inuendo. Meeting one
Of the Commissioners few days ago we
procured from him the following statement
of his salary. These officers receive their
pay hall yearly from the treasurer. For the
Is months of his term that his accounts
with the county haye been settled for, the
following is the statement:
From January to July 1888. 5000. $164.
=" July to January 1882 ....... 1O4
= January to July 1889. ....... la.
Total for three.quarters Of his term $412.
When his term Of two years has been
served this member Of the board will have
received about $3.50. This includes salary
of$3 90 per day and mileage over the frat
ten miles travel in the transaction of public
business Of 10 cents per mile. In addition
to serving as commissioners, the members
have acted as road inspectors They have
selected supervisors, choosing the best men
they could find in the neighborhood of the
roads without reference to their politics;
and they do not even know to what party
many of the supervisors belong. They have
acted as inspectors of the roads, and if roads
were not in proper order bills were not paid
until they were, and every bill had to be
probated before paid. Under former admin
istrations, loose custom had grown up of
ordering bills paid which had not been
properly attested as the law requires.
Under the former road law 81 inspectors
Of roads were employed who presented bills
for their work larger, in many instances,
than the entire salary of the present COM
missioners, and the commissioners were so
completely in the power of their under Of
icers that these monster bills could not be
avoided.
The member whom we interviewed said
that he did not skimp his bills but put in
every cent that he was entitled to under the
law, and the per dunn and mileage of the
other members Of board were in proportion
to his. Where they had longer distances to
travel in going over the roads, their per
dunn and mileage would probably bring
their bill up tr!fie above his. Look back
oyer the leyes Of former terms and compare
the sums received by members of the boards
with the pay of the present and with the
pay wasted, or stolen virtually by inspectors
and politician supervisors, and it will not
be difficult to account for the present boards
ability to reduce the per centage on the
levy. We have always contended that there
was money enough wasted in the county
business to turnpike the worst parts of the
roads and the saving by competent board
of officers proves this to haye been the fact.
All of the roads needing turnpiking and
tile draining could have been so treated
with the money that has been stolen and
wasted by those who had the management
Of our county affairs. Post norton exam
nations have cost the county formerly forty
or fifty dollars, each doctor handing in
bill Of $40, when the law provides for $40
only to be paid for a post mortem. The
commissioners often had to pass ujpn the
old time class Of bill which they sometimes
cut down theee.fourths or more. In the
light of these facts and many similar on. s
that could be produced, we have not far to
seek for good and sufficient reason for the
low tax rate made for the ensuing year.
While on this subject of county expenses
we will refer TO lack of uniformity exist.
ing in the perquisi:es and per dunn which
make up the salaries of officers. While the
County Commissioner per dunn is fixed at
$500 and their mileage at Zoe. per mile after
deducting 10 miles from distance Travelled.
the per dunn of the Judges Of the Orphans
Court is $500 and mileage for the whole
distance Travelled. Here is lack of uni.
formity which ought to be remedied. There
exists no Sufficient reason why the pay of
both offices should not be fixed on the same
basis.