The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-10-30


Congressman. And the Legislature passed
en- act submitting to the people constitu-
tional amendment, to be voted on next
Tuesday, providing for civil service reform
in this State. The amendment was the
child of the Baltimore civil service reform
ers. 1t was banded about the House of
Delegates for weeks and was finally altered,
amended and passed The change altered
its effect to such an extent that the Balti-
more News almost repudiated it as of no
practical benefit in securing the ''merit
system, and the Baltimore Herald charged
the alteration to trickery This is the
Republican record on this question upon
which 1t won votes--a record of shameful
hypocrisy upon the part of the Governor
and the Republican Legislature
OFFICIAL CORRUPTION.
In 1895 every Republican leader and
speaker wrapped himself in a robe of pur-
ity, and with honied words, disclaimed
partisanship and pretended he was only
interested in good government. No sooner
had the party been placed in power than
official rascality became apparent. Mayor
Hooper, of Baltimore, appointed negro
as superintendent of street cleaning Every
white man was discharged and his place
filled by d negro and the superintendent
made each pay tribute to him out of his
wages and robbed the city by turning in
false pay rolls.
At Annapolis legislation was bought and
sold, and the State tobacco warehouses
were filed with incompetent and dishonest
officials, and With unnecessary officials, and
in addition twenty fictitious names were
carried on the pay rolls, the State thus
being actually robbed The tobacco of
one planter was made away with At last
after much delay, he called at one of the
warehouses and inquired for it, and its re-
ceipt was acknowledged, but he was told
the tobacco could not be found In order
to make the loss good to the planter the
latter name was placed upon the pay roll
and check was sent him monthly. This
was another robbery of the State.
And the Hon. Sydney +. Mudd, who
is to be chosen United States Senator in
the event of Republican success, also re-
ceived some of the State tobacco warehouse
funds, although he held no position in any
warehouse.
DEPOSITS OF STATE MONEY.
Under the last two years of Democratic
rule sufficient interest was received on de-
posits of the State funds to pay the sala-
ries Of the Comptroller and Treasurer
Under Republican rule at least one bank,
the Farmers and Mechanics National
Bank Of Westminster, to which Attorney
General Clabaugh is counsel, is enjoying
the benefits of deposit of nearly SO, 900,
upon which no interest is paid
THE NEW ASSESSMENT.
The new assessment has been particu-
larly pointed to 'with satisfaction as a
Republican measure, and yet it has been
shown by the Democratic Editors Associ-
alton to be very disappointing one to the
people. The people wanted law that
would bring upon the tax books the mil
lions of untaxed personal property and
would require all persons to pay taxes ae-
cording to their actual worth in real and
personal property, as the constitution pro
vides Under this boasted Republican law
wealth still escapes its inst proportion OF
the public burden and real property, par
ticularly farming lands, is disproportionally
taxed.
The law is far from being clear and
explicit, and parts of it are declared uncon-
stitutional by able lawyers. In the main
act sliding scale was adopted, assessing
bonds, etc, that bear six per cent. interest,
at half their face value, and those that
! bear less rate of interest at less than half
their value. Those that had not actually
paid interest were not to be assessed at all.
This provision was repealed by supple
mental act, which provided for assessing
bonds, etc. at their market value, and
taking them for county and municipal pur-
poses at 30 cents on the 500, and no
more What injustice this fair and equita
bic assessment works Sixper cent. bonds
to be taxed at 30 cents on the 500, and
farms paying not over four per cent. taxed
at higher figure, from 45 cents in Car
roll. which has the lowest county rate, all
the way to 81 16 in Calvert which has
the highest.
In making the new assessment care
seems to have been exercised TO keep up
real estate values, particularly farming
lands, so that the basis would not fall and
tax rates 90 so high as to react against
Republican rule.
The mortgage tax is another discrimina-
ton in favor of wealth, and is also an un
satisfactory feature of the law. In fact
there is nothing satisfactory about this
boasted Republican measure. It's essen
tally in the interest of the ax-dodgers
and makes the plain people bear an undue
proportion of the public expense
And the banks and financial institutions
of the State, particularly in Baltimore,
have had their assessments greatly reduced
by Comptroller Graham and Treasurer
Shryock, and that, too, when the market
value of the same has changed little, if
any, since the Republicans assumed con
troll of the State In the general tax
dodging done, under provisions Of the as
sessment law, the Baltimore and Chic
Railroad Company has gotten its share OF
exemption, though it had always escaped
tax upon its roadbed, stations, etc This
time the rolling stock was pulled from
under the hand of the tax -gatherer.
The Editms' Association has published
number of articles against the Republi
can party One showed its composition,
and how a few whites. and non n-taxpaying
and unrepresentative whites at that, could
WELD immense power by reason of the
large number of colered voters under their
/ control.
The hypocrisy of the Baltimore Sun on
the sugar tax. which created Democratic
division in this State has been shown and
the true facts about the tax gwen. Its
inconsistency upon the rebate on tin and
hides was exposed, and its deception upon
the money question
1t has been shown by the Association
hcw the Republicans themselves had used
bribery and corruptien against each other
in their primary contests, and the obser
/ ,,.4;,,, ,,afa tho+ ,,an ,r-bo would do that