Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-06-27
MINING JOURNAL.
The Great Editorial Indignation
Anni inn

of years, and source of great per-
plexity to the County Commissioners
ever since the newspapers themselves
sought and tacitly regarded the in
come from these sources as premium
to be added to the glory of journalistic
life.
Up to 1881, when the biennial con-
tract system was introduced as a
measure of restrictive economy, the
same evil grew under the freeand-
easy plan Of everybody doing all the
work and charging "all that the traffic
would bear To some extent, how
ever, the contract system was sue
cess, but not for long. Its easy avail
ability made it an annual bonus Of
sufficient proportions to tempt the
mere type-setting cult. into the estab-
lishment of new papers.
In 1887, therefore, the contract
price had to be reduced in order to let
in two new papers without throwing
the burden of their existence upon the
taxpayers. The prices then not high
enough, was cut $58.33, a sum which
the JOURNAL, for one, has been since
contributing annually, though one Of
the papers is dead and gone to- Penn
sylvania.
Then, a year or two ago, to the dis
grace of nearly every registrar in the
county, the great registration COM
bine was organized and all its printing
focused into two Cumberland estab
lishments-a movement which the
JOURNAL fought alone. That octopus,
not content with all Of the county out
side of the coal region, cached out
into orr territory and gathered in the
little tvo,ffteenths we had of the regis
tration work.
The JOURNAL does not briefly recall
these facts for controversial purposes
nor to defend the latest economical
cut of the Commissioners, but to show
that the long-expected, inevitable re-
bound has come that the voice of a
considerable body of complaining tax
payers has been heard and needed.
Certain authorities attest that it was
the answer to the voice of ring"
The JOURNAL does not believe it.
A ''ring" may haye spoken and
given token of partisan predictions
as matter of distribution of work,
but the men who do the paying were
those whose interests the Commission
ers considered. This justice the Com
missioners must be accorded. They
were determined to take radical step
toward reform in this particular, and
they took it. If they erred, it was be-
cause they We're confused by the fear
that, after all, it was subsidy that
was wanted, with nothing in principle
or object to subsidize if they erred,
it was because each, in trying to do
right, could agree upon no other
papers than the Neos and JOURNAL.
But in either event, taxpayers are as
sured that the error was made in their
interest.
The JOURNAL has received many
congratulations based upon the dis
elimination of the Commissioners in
its favor and compliments upon its
"sagacity and diplomacy" in the
premises.
These the JOURNAL does not deserve.
1t is fortunate in that it enjoys warm
friendship in 'ring'' and "anti-ring'
circles. This because the JOURNAL is
fair, decent, outspoken, independent
leader and exponent of popular senti-
ment.
So that, under different environ
ment of circumstance and dissimilar
chapter of recent county history to
read, we might have joined in the
editorial pilgrimage to the Com
missioners and added our moiety to
the tax-eating problem which puzzled
them for several hours, and which, our
disgruntled brethren should remem-
Der, is still unsolved.
But we had determined that under
no circumstances would the JOURNAL
be found expressly or by implication
pleading for the encouragement,
directly or indirectly, of a system
which reaches into this town and takes
work that belongs here to Cumberland.
1t had determined also to take no
part in common with papers that
wanted sum that not long ago was
discussed yea and nay as bride.
A letter was sent to the Commits
sioners, hcwever-a plain, straight
letter, stating the JOURNALS views
from its ooon STANDPOINT. How much
consideration was given it we do not
know.
But we are sure of one thing-the
Commissioners did all that mortal men
could do to reach an arrangement that
would save the peoples money from
outlay in needless advertising. If
they gave the work to too few, then it
appeared to them they could go no
farther without letting all the bars
down again. One of two others could
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