The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-06-19

with considerable interest by the Re
publican leaders.
Gen. Thomas J. Shryock, when
elected State Treasurer in 1896, made
the same proposition in that year and
said that it could be done in four
years if the Republican party was al
lowed to remain in power. The rea-
son that it could not be done immedi-
ately was that dividend upon the
$3.50, 600 of stock of the Washington
branch of the Baltimore and Ohio, al
ways believed and stated to be first
lien on the earnings of the road, had
been passed.
Gen. Shryock's plan for wiping out
the State debt was exactly the same
as the one which is now stated to be
the originated plan of the Democratic
leaders-the sale of the B. & o. stock
and the sale of the States ann uity in
the Northern Central. Not only did
he form the plans but he commenced
action against both railroads. A Re-
publican AttOrney-General, Mr.. Geo.
R. Gather, Jr., compelled the B. & o.
to pay interest on the b. & o. stock
and the litigation, when General
Shyrock notified the Northern Cen
traI people that he intended selling
their annuity, commenced then and
has not been settled until few days
ago, after being dragged through
many courts, with victories in all of
them.
The final victory was secured by
Acknowledgement Rayner and meant
a great deal for Maryland. The North
ern Central, learning of General
Shryock's intention, offered to redeem
their 100000 annuity by the payment
of $1,500,000, a basis of 6 per cent
General Schryock and the Republi-
can Board of Works refused to accept
the offer or anything less than a re-
demption of the annuity on basis of
81 per cent. which would have footed
up to $2,967,500 The railroad there
upon attempted to prove through
the courts that they had a right to
redeem the annuity for $1,500,000,
which is the case that has just been
finally decided against them.
1t was a mere case of arithmetic
that the State debt could have been
wiped out by the sale of these two in
vestments at the prices which General
Shryock thought should have been
put upon them, but both cases had
to be fought vicicusly in the courts
before they could have been settled,
and this is why General Shryock
asked for four years in which to ac-
complish it.
From the time General Shryock
took the office and had chance to
look around he made up his mind
that it was entirely possible to wipe
out the State debt, and during the
four years he was in office he never
relaxed his vigilance in this respect.
The present Democratic proposition
is based entirely on his plans. He set
the wheels in motion for this very
thing, which had never been attempt
ed by the Democrats who preceded
him. He put into the State Treasury
in interest in his four years many
times as much as had been put in by
all the Democrats who preceded him.
He carefully inspected all the States
securities, cleaned out the worthless
ones for what they would bring and
sold our own securities for a higher
price than they have eyer been sold
for before or since.
General Shryock knew that there
would be legal difficulties surround
ing the sale, at proper price, of the
two chief Investments made by the
State, and these difficulties have at
last been surmounted, as he always
believed they would 1t is still good
thing for the State, and should not
be deprecated in the least, but we
want to know whether State Treas
urer Vandiver should be fair and
come out over his own signature and
say that every proposition now made
to wipe out the State debt was origi-
nally made and inaugurated by Mr..
Shryock. Partisan though he may
be, it is believed that Mr.. Vandiver
will acknowledge the point if he is
cornered.
1t should also be remembered that
Mr.. Shryock planned the reduction of
the tax rate during the session of 1896
to 154 cents. and that the Democrats
in the Senate held up the appropria-
ton bills until the Republicans con-
sented to abandon that bill, the DEM
ocrats not caring to allow the Repub-
licans to go before the people with a
reduced tax rate.
Church Dedication.
The new NJ. E. church near Thayer-
vile will be dedicated on Sunday,