The aegis & intelligencer., 1893-10-20
FACTS FOR VOTERS TO READ AND
CONSIDER

The present board of County Com
missioners, two of whom are candi-
dates for reelection, have been un-
justly criticized, we think for the heavy
taxation of 1892. No reasonable man
would maintain that tax of 103 cents
on the 500 is not excessive, or is a
tax that can easily be paid by the
people of Hartford county. AT the same
time, those who condemn the Commits
sioners for levying that amount should
in common fairness look into the mat
ter and consider the circumstances
under which the imposition of this
heavy tax was made unavoidably
necessary by the action of the people
of the county themselves.
For number of years past there
has been growing demand in Mary
land ,and especially in Hartford county,
for better and more permanent roads
This sentiment, laudable one, has
been fostered and encouraged in
every way. Every newspaper in the
county has published editorials, COM
munications and reprinted articles
setting forth the advantage of good
roads. Farmers conventions, farm
ers' clubs and road leagues have
united in demanding better roads
In fact, no gathering of farmers ap-
peared to complete the purpose of its
meeting unless demand was made
for improved roads. Special road
conventions have even been held, at
which our foremost citizens and
heaviest taxpayers have made speech
es and passed resolutions calling upon
our County Commissioners to appro-
pirate money for better and more
permanent roads in the county
Petition after petition has been show
cred upon the County Commissioners
in favor of the Improvement of GER
tain roads and the erection of new
bridges, the improvements demanded
frequently being of a costly character
These petitions have been signed by
men Of influence and weight, mem
bers of all parties, who have backed
them up by personal appeals to the
board of County Commissioners to
grant their desires. The signers to
these petitions and the men who per-
sonally urged the appropriations ask
ed for in the petitions were men
known to be in favor of economy in
county expenditures and in favor of
low taxes.
The Commissioners are the servants
OF the people, not their masters. Is
it strange that believing they were
only complying with the general sem
timent and outspoken demand of the
people of the county, they should
have yielded to the pressure and
granted the demands of the people ?
No body of men could have resisted,
nor would they have been justified in
resisting, such demands made upon
them for increased road expenditures,
in the manner and by the citizens by
whom they were made. And yet,
after granting some of these petitions
for new roads, new bridges and turn
pixies, some of the signers OF these
petitions and ardent advocates of
road improvement have turned upon
the County Commissioners, and ac-
cuse thep of a lavish expenditure Of
money. This looks like base ingrati-
tude.
No counter petitions were presented
for any of these new roads, new
bridges or costly road improvements.
1t is safe to say that if they had been
opposed they would not have been
granted.
We do not say that the new roads
made, the new bridges built or the
permanent road improvements were
not required by public convenience,
but whether they subserve the pub
lie good or not, the Commissioners
ore not to blame in granting them
Amy other set of men, unless the werey