Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-03-22
Honest Criticism of Official Conduct.

Mr.. Edst0r 1t seems that our new paper,
the Press, has been adversely criticisng the
management of the public affairs of our
county, and that some have taken the Press
to task on account of its aggressive course.
Well, never having seen the paper, am
unprepared to say whether the criticism
was just or otherwise, but do say that
am pleased that the criticism was made, as
it has been the means of calling forth state
ments and explanations which may remove
all doubts from the minds of the people in
regard to the official conduct of our officers.
If it had not been for the fault-finding of
the Press We might never have had Mr..
Mannakec's able and eloquent defense of the
management OF our public schools. That
communication of itself was worth all the
means that have been expended in estab-
fishing the Press, and all the brain force our
friends, its managers, may exert in carry
ing it forward to success There never was
u person so good that he could not grow bet
ter, and very few, indeed, so bad that honest
criticism and advice would not improve.
Therefore, let the Press have its say it will
do no harm. Some day "Y" may fall under
the shot of the Press, and will he demurp
BY no means. But he would reply, "Well
done, good and faithful Press, I'll not OPP
press you because you strive to press me;
I'm an awful sinner and it will take great
deal more wit than you possess, dear Press,
to tell just how bad am; GO on in your
course OF numbering English grammar, and
I'll never prosecute you for it, no, never"
do not wish to join the Press in its at
tack upon the honorable Commissioners,
but l do think that if there was little less
mud thrown upon the roads late in the Fall
the comfort of the traveller would be greatly
enhanced thereby. do not think that the
Press ever travelled over some of the reads
that your poor correspondent has been
forced to navigate this winter or it would
not be able to attack the Commissioners or
anybody else. A prominent farmer of this
section started out few days ago to take a
bag OF corn to the mill tS have hominy made
of it. His wagon was sprngless and he
concluded to make "a seat of the bag of corn.
After he had gone about mile on his way
the unmerciful humping tore the bag open
and he found to his surprise and joy that
the corn had been pounded into as fine
hominy as he ever beheld and he FASTENED
homeward to have some of the hominy pre-
pared for dinner. Now, ought the Press to
say anything more about the condition of
such useful roads | think not.
| am not prepared to say whether jack
frost or some other jack is to blame for the
rough roads, but do know that our main
thoroughtare has been iearfuly knobby this
w inter, ana tne mall carrier, VINO KNOWS
more about that road than anybody else,
says that service on that road has lett him
with one optic closed, rheumatics in both
legs, II mashed nose and II sour temper, and
his route don't extend across the line either.
1t is true that he has had Mister Demijohn
for passenger on several OCCASIONS and as
DENNY is known to have mashed more noses
than even the great Sullivan, the drivers
injuries may, possibly, be laid at his feet.
But OF course ne puts all the blame upon
the Commissioners. He says he is going to
petition the United States Government for
pension, and think that any one obliged
to haul the United States mail twice day
over that road aud occasionally the Hon
Demijohn, Nj. c., also ought to have II
pension.
Those people who are disposed to grum
BILE about the condition of our roads and
recommend piking them have no doubt
often driven over the Rockville and George
town turnpike and know what great com.
fort pikeis. Query-ll tcosts $4,000 mile
to construct such pike AS that, how much
would it take to have the big stones dug
out OF it and make it u passable road?
To change the subject, Mr. Harrison has
great many friends up this way, and one
OF his ardent admirers told me to ask you,
Mr.. Editor, if he is not the man that killed
Tecumseh Anxicusly,
Beallsville March ID, 1889. Y.