The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-09-08
THE CHARGES AGAINST THE
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

CHARLES H. STREET..
THE CHARGES AGAINST THE
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
We publish this week cards from
Messrs. Hooker, Courtney and Hope,
Democratic candidates for County
Commissioner, and Mr.. James w.
McNabb, counsel to the Commission
ers, denying in plain and explicit
terms the allegations contained in
certain pamphlet circulated in the
county. Mr.. Hooker states, emphati-
cally, upon his oath, that he has not,
directly or indirectly, received any
profit or commission, in whole or in
part, at any time, upon any road ma
chine or any other article purchased
by the County Commissioners for the
use of the county; that as faithful
and watchful official, when several
road machines were about to be
bought by the county, while he was
Commissioner, he endeavored to get
them at reduction from the machine
company's net price of 5000, but with
out success; that he knew of no COM
missions having been paid to any one
on the purchase of these machines or
on any other article purchased for the
county, and confident in his integrity
he challenges investigation of his re-
cord as former county officer. He
also expresses just Indignation at the
malicious charges made by innuendo
and implication against him and says
he will invoke the aid of the law for
the protection of his good name
against any one, pecuniarily respon-
sible, who may malign and traduce
him before his fellow citizens.
Mr.. Courtney's reply is no less ex-
plicit and convincing to any fair
minded man. He declares that he
has received no commission or profit
upon any road machine purchased
for the use of the county. He says
that the general road supervisor in
his district, Mr.. Henry q. Silver, has
informed him that he Mr.. Silver was
the regularly authorized agent for the
sale of Champion road machines in
the second district, and thatas such he
sold three machines to the county
and was paid commission upon each
by the machine company. Mr.. Silver,
who is now engaged in canning in Cecil
county, will, Unnecessary, corroborate
Mr.. Courtney's statement, which the
latter has verified by oath.
Mr.. Hope in his card also denies posi-
lively that he was ever an agent or
mission upon the purchase of any
road machine or anything else pur-
chased for the county since he has
been Commissioner.
Mr.. McNabb also denies a state
ment in the pamphlet that he was or
dered by the Commissioners to pass
a certain account. He was requested,
he says, to examine and report upon
the said account as speedily as posi-
BILE, which is very different thing
from being ordered to pass it, right
or wrong.
The criticism has been made that
the County Commissioners have de-
layed their answers. They could not
make any answers until the charges
were specifically stated, and as soon
as this was done they have lost no
time in generating themselves.
The candid replies of these gentle
men ought to be sufficient to convince
all unprejudiced men that they have
been maligned, and no Democrat need
hesitate to vote for them.
1t is sad trait of humanity that
men are always disposed to believe
the worst of their fellow-men and to
accept as true, upon ex parte state
ments, whatever their political oppo-
nents may allege against them.
The published cards are sufficient
to clear the gentlemen who sign them
from any charge of having been re-
creant to their trust in receiving COM
missions upon articles purchased for
the county. Doubtless commissions
have been paid by the American
Road Machine Company, and per-
haps by other companies 70 persons
supposed to have influence with the
County Commissioners, and even if
it can be shown that such commits
sions have been paid it does not fol-
low that they were corruptlY paid or
that taxpayers lost anything there
by. Commissions are paid by every
manufacturing company to agents
or to persons who are supposed to
have influence in securing the intro
duction of certain articles, and often
these commissions are waived for the |
benefit of persons dealing directly
with such firms. The point for tax
payers to satisfy themselves upon is,
have any of our County Commission
ers accepted such commissions ? If
they have not-and Messrs. Hooker,
Courtney and Hopes statements may
be accepted as true-it matters not
who received them. There is no
proof and no reason to believe that |
they were corruptly received.
The Egis is not willing to condone
any violation of the law which makes
County Commissioners liable to in
dictment and trial for participating |
in the profits of any business deal |