The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-06-01
CECIL FARMERS CLUB.
Discussion of the Dog Tax and
Protection of Game Birds.
Pleasant Meeting at Mr.. E. L. Duyck-
lnck'S, Near Calvert.

The regular monthly meeting of the Cecil
Farmers Club, was held at "Lickingbank"
farm the beautiful homestead of Mr.. Z. L.
Duyckinck's near Calvert, on Wednesday,
the 29th inst
At II o'clock the president directed the
call of the roll of members when the following
responded to their names Henry S. Coudon,
A. ]. Michiner, Joseph Coudon, (of Jos. J..
Col Enoch Noyes. Col. John II. Bond John
P Wilson, Thomas c. Bond. L. L. Duyck
inck. Vim. Z. Gillespie. Romanoff Waters,
Jas. H. Maxwell, and II. II. Torbert. The
visitors present by invitation were: Mr..
Robert II. Hodgson. OF Oxford, Pa; Mr.. J. j.
Connell of Lancaster county, Pa; DIR. Joseph
REYNOLDS and Edward Reynolds, of Rock
Springs; Wm. Armstrong, A. L. Duyckinck
and Dr. j. B. Slicer of Cecil county.
Unfinished business being in order, the
president asked for the report of the com
mittee appointed to prepare plans and sug
gestions for the permanent improvement OF
the public roads.
The chairman of the committee Mr. Alfred
Kirk being absent, Messrs. Michiner and
Wilson the other members of the committee
asked time for final report.
Mr.. Z. L. Duyckinck made the following
report on the eXpediency of poll tax and a
tax on dogs, a committee of which he is II
member to make report on these subjects.
having been appointed at Il previous meeting.
REPORT.
THE question before us to-day, Mr., Presi-
=.
engaging the master minds of the country at
this time, and | regret my inability from the
standpoint hold, not to be able to present
the popular side Of the question, yet this Club
is broad and varied in its opinions, and
leniency is not one of its boastful factors
Hence, under the circumstances, | submit
this question to your consideration, which is
the propriety and possibility of a poll tax.
Nov Mr. President. with all due respect to
our young men, l am unable to see the
injustice of "A poll tax. Surely the sum Of
one dollar is not of itself distressing, and am
desirous OF knowing the objertionM features
OF such law, that | may see the error of my
ways. 1t has been my privilege to gain some
information from some of our sister States in
regard to poll tax. In some States it is Il
desirable feature, while in others it is quite
the reverse. New Jersey to-day is chatting
under her half-edged laws, which allow
those who are assessed in one township TO
move into and vote in another, escaping the
tax assessor, in that much depicting the
county treasury. While counties in PennSyl-
vania. Ohio, Delaware, and other States,
whether it he Il consideration of money Or for
public work must show their receipt before
they can Vote Now. Mr. President. in view
OF the fact that the young men Of this or any
other State, few | know own property. yet
they are Il majority, have equal force to
control or enact laws as the heaviest tax
payer, are equally protected by the laws
enar."i nj the expense Of the County and
State. Yet do you pretend to say, gentlemen,
that these ought not to be entitled by law to
pay Poll tax, the paltry sum Of one dollar.
Surely. Mr.. President | cannot think the
injustice as great to this class of men, as to
the State, and stand open to correction on
this question.
Ny last essay to this club was on this same
subject, and the many letters sent me from
the single tax men ought to have been enough
to convince one of their errors, but | fail to
join issue on the single land tax question in
the face OF the many able writings
OF the single tax magnet, Henry
GEORGE. In my opinion, an excessive
tax drives any commodity from the market
and the present depressed condition OF the
land market to-day under single land tax,
in Jew years years the tax would consume
all the arabic lands.
Now, Mr.. President, allow me to call your
attention to another equally important ques-
tion-the dog tax. Why is it, Mr.. President;
so per cent of the dogs of this county go
untaxed? Are the hordes of worthless dogs
in this county such an auxiliary to the welfare
OF the County? Where is the man who has
a dog that is of value to him in any way that
objects to paying a tax Of one dollar promptly?
In my opinion, Mr.. President, not a man in
this community. But it is those men who
own and harbor these worthless ours who
escape this dollar tax and do much towards
depicting the sheep interests in this county,
and | entreat you, gentlemen, not to sleep
over this question. The law on this point is
sufficient and the tax little enough, and
suggest that our County Commissioners do as
they do in Delaware, empower each constable
to assess and collect the dog tax in his
district at fee of 25 cents per head and the
dog nuisance will soon abate, and the sheep
interests will again hold their past important
position on the farm as a revenue difficult to
replace and one worthy OF attention. And
in view of the fact these dogs play an active
part in this drama, the destruction of game.
A lot CT half-fed, discarded dogs destroy
much of a growing crop Of grain, hunting
the young game. While dogs that are cared
for and looked after, seldom leave the shadow
OF the house. | have had my buckwheat
fields greatly damaged, and the remedy is
ours if we only embrace the opportunity.
Thanking you for your attention l submit to
to your criticisms.
Col. Bond said that in view Of the wholesale
depredations committed by untaxed and
ownerless ours running at large in the county,
farmers should take some concerted action in
their own defence. He thought the imposi-
ton Of poll tax wa inexpedient and i'm
practicable, that it could be readily made a
means of political corruption by the pur-
chase and sale Of tax certificates, as he