Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-07-27
CORRESPONDENTS.

CUMBERLAND, Mn, July %, 1901 ..

To the MINING JOURNAL.
Will you kindly give citizen and tax
payer of Allegany county sufficient space
i'll your columns to call the attention of
the people to the serious condition of
public affairs i'll this county?
You will confer a personal favor if you
will do so.
Let me start by saying it cannot be
truthfully denied by any honest or in
telligent man, who knows anything of
county affairs, that they are i'll an eX-
ceedingly bad condition. | am sure |
am not going too far when | say they are
i'll decidedly worse condition than
those of any county i'll the State. \ per-
son owning real estate i'll this county, i'll
stead of having i'll it a source of revenue,
has really burden on his hands, owing
to Our high rate of taxation. | know |
am within bounds when | say this con-
dition is produced by the system of
political ring rule which has obtained
here i'll both political parties. We have
been going gradually from bad to worse
for many years. Since the present
board of county commissioners has been
in office, however, we have taken long
and rapid strides toward the bad. 1t is
the most recklessly cXtravagant board
we have ever had. The reason for this
is largely political. There is no sort of
doubt of the truthfulnesS of this last
statement.
In extent of territory Allegany is the
smallest county in Maryland, and still
she has the highest tax rate. Owing to
the character, close proximity of ma
terials and their cheapness, our county
roads ought to be kept in as good condi-
ton as they are for less money. Our
roads ought to be maintained i'll good
condition cheaper than i'll any other
county i'll the State, owing to the topog-
raphy of the county and the character
of the soil. But this is not the case.
Comparatively, our roads cost us more
than those of any other county in Mary
land.
The county roads, the insane asylum,
the aims house and nearly every other
county charge are all largely run in the
interests of politicians and political rings
instead of i'll the interests and for the
benefit of the people who put up the
money to maintain them. Expenditures
for every department are greatly in eX-
cess of the actual needs thereof. There
is not department of our county govern
ment which is not conducted upon ex-
travagant principles. What | mean to
say is if every department was conduct
ed strictly upon business principles, eX-
cluSively for the benefit of the taxpayers
of the county. instead of for the benefit
of politicians and political rings, our
roads and public inttitutions would be
more efficiently kept up and economical
ly conducted than they are to dav
The statements issued by the commits
sioners purporting to show the financial
condition of the county from time to
time, are misleading. Especially SO is
the last statement. From sources con-
sidered reliable it is believed we have IL
floating debt of nearly 100000. The
politicians, i'll and ont of the Commits
sioners' Board, know very well it would
not do to make fairand accurate state
ment of the county's financial condition
Just before an important election.
Hence, the attempt has been made to
obscure it as much as possible although
they could not avoid raising the rate of
taxation. AS it is, we will pay about 2
per rent. for taxes this year. The lead
erS of the county ring knew it would be
political death to levy taxes enough to
care of the floating debt at the same time
Hence, they have left unprOvided for Il
floating debt of 100000, according to
their own showing. But, it is generally
understood by all those sufficiently in
formed on the subject that the floating
debt is twice that sum. Next winter
you'll find them applying to the Legis-
lature for authority to issue bonds to
10 So. h.,
perhaps, We'll ascertain the extent of the
floating debt of the county-hardly be-
fore. Stick IA pin here.
Now, what's the cause and the remedy
for this deplorable condition of affairs?
That we are confronted by ga condition
and not theory" no fair minded hon
est man will pretend todeny. That it is
condition no good citizen ought to wish
to see or continue no fair minded, hon.
est man will contrOvert. Then, what s
the cause, and what's the remedy for it :
1t does seem to me that all who wish
well to the county ought to put on their
thinking-capS. self preservation is the
first law of nature" If we desire diff
ferent condition of public affairs, we
must boldly assert our right to sclf-gov-
eminent; we must take public matters
into our own hands, and smash all the
political rings III the county. | repeat
that the politicians and political rings
i'll the county are responsible for our
present unhappy condition there is no
reasonable doubt III the mind of any in
telligent man. To political bosSism'
are we indebted for it. Look at affairs
to-day in the domin" mt political party in
the county, and say if any one of the
men slated for the various county offices
would ever he thought of in connection
Herewith if the people We're in control of
their own affairs. But it is we'll under
stood our present brilliant Congressman
wants to be the next republican candi-
date for Governor, and that our distin-
tinguishcd Ex-Governor wants to succeed
Senator Wellington in the u. 5. Senate.
But, without holding these gentlemen
directly responsible for the conditions