The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-04-01
GO SLOW NOW.

With very good reason, the tax
paying property owners of Elkton
are taking unusual interest in the
town election which takes place on
the 10th of April, Elkton has grown
lately, and has slowly passed the line
that marks her transition from
dead village to live town. While
she is enjoying a reasonable degree
of local prosperity, she is not in any
sense a boom" town, and which
we hope she may never be, for
boom" towns mean fictitious pros
perity, which generally ends IN
municipal bankruptcy. Nothing is
surer to wreck any prosperous town,
and check its reasonable growth,
than the accumulation of a heavy
municipal Indebtedness. Cheapness
OF living, cheap rents, and low taxa
ton, constitute the only conditions on
which town can build permanent
prosperity. Like individuals, their
expenditures for local improvements,
must be commensurate with property
values, and must be within their
legitimate incomes. They can't
afford TO levy the rates of taxation
that rule in cities and large centres
of population, simply because they
cannot offer the business opportunl-
ties and business realizations OF large
cities. The wage earners who own
the properties in which they live,
and those who are renters, and
which two classes constitute the
bulk of the population OF most small
towns, cannot command the incomes
to justify high municipal rates of
taxation, nor is any species of town
property productive enough to justify
them. Heavy municipal Indebtedness
invariably leads to depreciation of
property values, and then financial
trouble begins.
Elkton has reached a point in her
municipal history, when good bust
ness judgment will be needed to
prevent a burdenSome taxation of
local property, and to maintain her
continued prosperity. Under an
amended charter, the property of her
citizens has been charge with a
necessary increase of local taxation
to meet the cost OF needed local
improvements in the shape of water
system, requisite fire appliances,
corporation building, better lighting,
&c. The rate of taxation now I'M
posed, is nearly double that levied
five years ago, while there has been
no corresponding increase in rental
values, or productiveness OF town
property. In 1892, thirty five cents
on the hundred dollars were levied
the maximum amount under the
present town charter, with an addi
tional five cents on the hundred,
discretional with the Town Council.
This year (I893) something over two
thousand dollars additional levy will
be required to meet the obligations
of the town. Her property owners
do not expect to enjoy the benefits
of needed Improvements in the shape
of water works, better street lights,
better roadways, better pavements,
&C., without paying tor them. They
are ready and willing to meet their
increased property obligation, but
they have a right to demand that
the monies levied on their industry,
shall be judiciously spent and prop
erly applied. To this end, they
want capable business men as Town
Commissioners, who will not be
influenced by men who seek some
selfish or personal end. in the
administration of town affairs. In
common with the great body Of
Elkton taxpayers, the WHIG is more
interested in the question h000 the
towns affairs are to be administered
in the immediate future, than in the
issue as to 7Vh0 is to administer them
We have no sympathy with any
clique or faction which seeks to
secure the controlling we in NUM-
cipal matters. One thing the WING
knows-that before this year is over,
many taxpayer will murmur long
and loud when he sees his tax bill,
even under the best management.
What our tax burden in 1898 might
be, under local board recklessly or
carelessly disposed, may we'll excite
the apprehension of every honest
tax payer. One thing is certain,
that the interest oil all town tax
payers lies in getting on the Town
Board as many property owners,
and the largest taxpayers possible.
The fellow who pays but little tax is
generally very progressive (?) sort
of chap in his ideas, and out of his
prolific brain, but slender purse, can
project many schemes of local i'm
provement which other people are
to pay tor. Elkton has had some
experience with this class in the past,
and the time is ripe for putting
into practice, some OF the municipal
lessons learned in the days of its
village life.
CONGRESSMAN John ALLEN, of