Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-01-26
OUR PUBLIC ROADs.
How to Raise Money for Them.

Messrs. Editors Il observe with great
pleasure and qualification that the public
mind is being directed to the great impor.
lance of improving the country's public
roads. This should create a hope that
some legitimate scheme will be devised to
carry out the purpose. It certainly will
not do TO adopt any plan which will in
crease the now burdensome taxes of our
pe"ple-that would be building road to
RUIN for 1t would amount n judgment OF
condemnation and authorize the collector
to sell and transfer much of their property
to some few who happened to be able to
save some money from the wreck which fell
upon this portion of our country about
thirty years ago. From that time to this,
most of those who paid the taxes have been
going behindhand and rendered unable
even TO stop leaks in the roofs they and
their family sleep under TO say nothing of
repairing their outhouses now going to
ruin. It approaches desolation and should
| excite the sympathy of those who brought
about this condition. II becomes the duty
of every person who wishes for remedy
! of the evils so far as public roads are con-
cered to give all the aid and counsel he is
capable of giving on the subject In the
fulfillment of that duty offer the following
views: The slaveowners of this State held
as their acknowledged property $1,000
slaves this property was mostly taken by
the government either for public use or
(which may be considered akin to I'D pub
. lie good. The republican party in order
10 relieve US from the Inconvenience and
injury arising from the loss Of this proper
ty, through their President and through
Congressional action agreed that il our
State would emancip ,te the slaves within
\ il, they would issue the governments bonds
for the payment thereof. Maryland &C
copied the offer and as soon as il could be
done adopted Constitution in which she
emaneipaicd her slaves expecting however.
that the general government would comply
with its agreement TO pay for them as the
resolution which the Constitutional Con-
vention adopted will show. The petition
have sent TO Congress, presented in the
Senate at the last session and referred to
the committee on claims, would give the
people all the facts connected with this
claim and, as think. fair argument for
its enforcement. The Baltimore Sun, is
the only metropolitan paper that has taken
any notice of it which ii did in u very clear
abstract of facts and argument. The Port
Tobacco Times and the MARYLAND Tnde.
pendent are, l think, the only country pa
pers that have expressed themselves decid.
edly in favor of the claim of our people
have never seen a notice of it in any ao17 =
cultural journal, although the claim is so
closely connected with our success in agri.
culture. his has surprised me especially
as sent copy of the petition TO several
OF them. They teach us how things should
be cone on our farms but seem % be in
disposed TO aid US in getting the funds
which we are entitled to and which would
enable US TO make their advice effectual
If claim as fair and as importan. as that
Maryland presents TO the General Govern.
ment belonged to New England all the
papers would urge its payment and there
would be meetings every week to demand
LOT their members Of Congress that they use
levery effort to obtain it. This claim, I
think will certainly be paid or secured in
the near future. The law authorizes IL !;
the honor of our Government is bound for
1t; sympathy and desire of friendly feel
ing should urge il.
If the Government carries out the scheme