Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-12-16
ANNAPOLIS. SATURDAY 1e lsoa
Communicated
SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATIONS.
Municipal Evils And Remedies.

II
Editor effAe Evenng capital
In Annapolis at one time mot very
long since police officers were allowed
the same fees for serving a warrant IS
constable or sheriff, as a consequence
they never, when it could be avoided.
made arrests as police officers, but swoie
out warrants and arrested under the judi
cial process.
In Brooklyn, the chief Of police is a
constable: his constables' costs are often
greater than his salary. A law should
be passed prohibiting this and appoint
ing a salaried constable for Brooklyn.
also suggest that South River bridge be
made a toll bridge from p. m. Saturday
until daylight Sunday.
My reason for this suggestion is that
during the late campaign | several times
left Annapolis on Saturday morning and
spoke in the afternoon at one place. and
at night at another On one OF these &C.
casions | LETT near Tracy's Landing at
II. go p. m. and on another Galesville at
II .. m. think | am safe in saying
that on one of those occasions | met 20
negroes in road carts, many of whom
believed to be drunk or under the infiu-
ence OF liquor. on the other occasion not
so many.
Any one who will drive from Annap-
oils 10 South River bridge on Saturday
morning and stay there for two hours
will count probably leo negroes passing
in road carts, buggies and wagons. No
good reason can be given for staying so
late in Annapolis. and il is probable that
tha, the poor horses stand at the trees
and telegraph poles all day without feed
or water. II toll is charged after 6
o'clock these negroes will go home be-
fore that time.
And while speaking on this subject of
road carts, etc, wish to emphasize a
proposition made four years since. and
that is wheel license tax. One hun
dred dollars of property is exempt from
taxation. We have a voting population
of about $500 in this county, the tax
payers, including non-residents who own
property here. corporations and all,num-
Der about 4, 800, thus making 1000 non
taxpayers.
OF these 4, 900 non-taxpayers, 1000 at
least own road carts. | know my self II
one case of father ard four sons, not
one OF whom was taxpayer and yet
every one had his own horse and cart.
We all know the heavy burden imposed
on our people for roads. The cities all
license wagons. carts and carriages for
street purposes. Why should not the
county do so for road purposes 1t
would make many Of those who have all
the benefits, bear at least part of the
burden. Let the several districts receive
the license tax levied therein and apply
it to its road tax. For the purpose OF in
formation have recently examined the
record book at our Jail and find out of
the last 100 commitments therein that 81
were negroes and Io whites.
Under the conditions which exists in
this county wherein the whites pay o-Io
of the taxes and the negroes furnish BIO
of the crimes and their attendant costs,
it is time that we should begin in legis-
lative way las far as constitutional to
treat of the race problem. This is the
most difficult problem now confronting
US. In conclusion, the purchasing pow er
OF dollar Except for a very short time
was never greater than now. the products
of agriculture will not buy many dollars.
A Taxpayers and Good Government As
sociation should be Immediately formed
in this county and through their repre-
sentatiyes a demand should be made for
a reduction in the pay of public officials
commensurate with the high value OF the
dollar and the low value OF farm pro-
ducts. To this end il has been suggest
ed to me that those interested shall call
a public meeting in Annapolis at some
early date.
Very respectfully yours,
JAMES w. OWENS.