The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-10-10
VOTERS, READ AND REFLECT
Some Facts Every Man Should Familiar
lie himself With-Address to the
Voters of Baltimore County,
Adopted at the Repuoli-
can Convention. Au-
~-.,at nth 1909.

gust 18th, 1908.
The Republican party of Baltimore county In
convention assembled reaffirms its beliefs in and
support of Republican principles, and respect
fully submits to the voters of Baltimore county
the following platform as its guide and declara-
tion in the coming campaign:
First-To secure fair elections is now, as IN
1895. the great issue. Bribery Of the voters is
as prevalent today as it was before the legisla-
tion of the extra session of 1901, while at every
election since held thousands of constitution
ally-qualifed voters have been DISTINGUISHED.
Many of those whose ballots have been thrown
out upon one pretext or another are among the
most intelligent and patriotic Of our citizens.
AS the law and practice now are, a single cor
rupt judge of election, if stationed at the ballot
box, can, with safety to himself, insure the re-
lection of any ballot which he does not want
counted. by placing upon it some minute mark
that will not be noticed until he, himself, at the
count calls attention to it.
1t is intolerable that the result of elections
shall be determined not by the wishes of the
voters, but by microscopic measurements OF
cross-marks, by defects in the paper or printing
Of the ballots. by roughness of the surface in
the shelves of the polling booth or by careless
or corrupt handling of the ballots by the judge
who receives them from the voters
The nominees of this convention for Senator
and members of the House of Delegates
pledged to do all in their power to restore to
the people of this State that admirable election
system under which from 1896 TO 1900 they had
and exercised the right to vote and to have their
votes counted and canvassed as they had cast
them, and to supplement this system by the
enactment of the Corrupt Practice Act as draft
"a bE the BaltimoTe Reform a. League twice re,
the enactment of primary election law that
will insure fair election and count for all can
ddates for all offices in all parties, free from
the corrupt and ab0minable influences now sur
rounding our primary elections. The beneficial
effects of such law have been plainly demon
strated by the present primary election law for
Baltimore city.
Upon this issue we confidently invite the
support of all good citizens whatever may be
their differences with us on any or all other
questions of current politics.
Second-We are pledged to so manage the pub
licIhnances as to advance the best Interest of
the county. While keeping careful guard on
every expenditure, those improvements will be
encouraged looking toward the permanent well
fare of our people and consistent with the
statute passed at the instance of the Taxpayers
Convention, which prevents the mourning of
uuy QSDC OCu6T LudQ C0dJ PROVIDED IOr IN Llc
levy.
We are unalterably opposed to unnecessary
taxation to provide surplus from which from
time to time sums may be taken against the in
terest of the taxpayer.
Attention is called to the fact that from the
levy of 1896 to 1900 the tax rate was 60 &c. go 80
cents, respectively, while the levy since 1900
stands 90, IS, 49, and 65 cents, the last rate OBJ
tanned by over-taxation in previous years, and
declared just previous to the personal announce
ment of the Democratic members of the Board
of County Commissioners and in furtherance of
their desire to obtain a denomination. If, as
the Democrats claimed all indebtedness was
discharged prior to levy of 1902, why was it ne
cessary to keep the tax rate at 70 cents and ac-
cumulate an alleged surplus of $167, 49S.162 Was
1t done to lower the taxes just before the pres
emit campaign?
In answer to the assertion that the county has
been managed with less expenditure than in
previous years, attention is called to the fol-
lowing expense accounts and levy showing
marked increase for running expenses levied on
the taxpayers who are obliged to pay the bill:
In 1901 Democratic administrator the ex-
pense account amounted to $3.50, 99260 mot in
GLIDING $7,s74.23 discount for prompt payment
of taxes).
In 1902 the expenses ran to $613, $1,000 (exclu-
sive of $o,6l6.39 discount).
In 1908 the Democratic Board has levied for
$6S3,S47OO, or anincrease in year (the present
Year, since 1901 of $92,S54.4O for current ex-
penses, and yet our opponents say they are
economical and are running the county with
less money.
We deny this and say that over-taxation cre-
ated an unnecessary surplus and an increased
taxable basis provides means to improve if the
money is .RIGHTLx-APPIIED-----
In connection with the last thought, we again
direct the citizens attention to a single item
which points the way as to how the surplus"
has been used. At the last Legislature Balti-
more county had six Delegates and one Senator,
who was President of the Senate, all of whom
were elected to look after the interests of Bal
timore county and duly received their salary.
To supplement their work, Taxpayers Con-
vention appointed a committee mostly of emil
nent attorneys to prepare legislation the Board
of County Commissioners had its legal adviser.
A bill was drafted looking to the interest of
Baltimore county. 1t would be thought that
with all this assistance that good bill could be
passed. Notso. The following item taken from
the annual statement of 1908 shows what was
necessary:
PUBLISHED COMMISSIONERS STATEMENT, 1903.
Law Department.
Appropriation 81 800.
j. Fred. @. Talbot, preparing Legs-
lation and Arguments before Legisla-
tive Committee at Annapolis. .......... $4,000
Caleb d. Cherbonnier, Legislative Services
at Annapolis. a3.36
$7O33e
Nearly one-half of the entire appropriation of
the taxpayers money paid to get the magic word
from Mr. Talbot n lnf fha hill The
publican party stands against such use of the
taxpayers money.
That the Republican party stands for the pro-
gress and educational advancement of the peo-
pie is shown by glance at the figures setting
forth the school appropriation for the county
from 1895 to 1899 when they went out of power.
The last Democratic appropriation for school
purposes prior to 1895 was $4,000. In 1895 when
Republicans first took control of this appropria-
tion it was $4,000; in 1897, $170OO0 or $4,000 in
one year In advance of the last Democratic ap-
preparation in 1898 it was $4,000 in 1899, $685.
900; $685. 900 in one year more than the Democratic
appropriation. The first move made by the
Democrats in 1901 was to reduce this appro-
priation to $1S5,000 or in other words, reduc
tion of $4,000 in one year.
On May Z, 1902, notice was sent forth by the
Board of School Commissioners that on Friday,
June ID lvOH, the schools would be closed De-
cause of lack of funds $4,000 and at the same
time resolution was passed by the Board
severely condemning the County Commission
ers for their unwise ideas of economy.
The Republican party points to its record, its
free book law, and pledges itself to give to the
children of our county the best opportunity
that system of public schools can provide.
To the taxpayer, good roads is an earnest sub
ject and we insist that the money expended on
roads shall be so managed as to reflect the ex-
penditure thereon. We stand for modern road
building and will encourage any steps in this
direction that will give to our people the best
and most permanent return for their taxes.
The present law as interpreted by the Court
of Appeals is unsatisfactory aud incomplete, as
it removes the central thought of responsibility.
The action of the County Commissioners in re-
moving from the supervision of the engineer
all expenditures under the general road fund,
negatives the power of the engineer to correct
accounts and make useless his efforts to save.
AS the amount raised by the district road tax is
not any more than sufficient to keep the road
ways in repair, including corporation taxes not
assessed to any particular district amounting to