The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-10-24
THOSE REPUBLICAN
COUNTY NOTES
OF $285,0O0."
The Democrats Challenge to Deny
Republican Mismanage-
ment Accepted.

BALTIMORE COUNTY, October 2lst. 1903.
Messrs Editors THE Democratic campaign is
being waged in Baltimore county upon one issue
mainly, viz: Republican extravaganza when in
power, and the Baltimore County Democrat chal-
lenges denial. In the beginning of such denial
will the Democrat tell US when the Republicans,
have had full control of our affairs in the last
thirty-five years?
In 1891 there were three Democratic Commits
sioners elected, they being James Rittenhouse,
Robert Magruder and August Weis. In 1892 Mr..
Rittenhouse, present Democratic candidate for
sheriff, got himself legislated into Office for six
wears when he had been elected for two only,
MaQruder and Wes getting the four-year terms,
which expired in 1895. In that year it was neces-
sary to elect two men to succeed Magruder and
Weis and such was the discomfort of our people
with the extravaganza and mismanagement of
their affairs by the Magruder- Rittenhouse re-
pime that, to the surprise of everybody, the Re-
publicans and Independents elected Blakeney
for the six-year term and Frederick for the
four-year term, Mr.. Rittenhouse having been
legslated into his Office until 1897, against the
protest of our people, which was carried to the
Legislature by some Of our best citizens.
Blakeney and Frederick were the only two
Republican Commissioners elected, and when
they went into office Rittenhouse, an old and
experienced Commissioner, was one of the Board
and so continued until December, 1897. If there
was any undue extravaganza, any mismanage-
ment of affairs, any robbery of the people, Rit-
tenhouse was party to it by his action ip APP
proving and participating in all levies for and
disbursements of the taxes. Not once AMEN so
acting as Commissioner did the puf1ic ever hear
word of protest from him. Why Because there
was nothing wrong to protest against. IT there
was anything wrong during tn, two years ne was
in the Board with Blakeney AID Frederick then
he is not fit to be made Sheriff now.
In 1897 the place of Ritterhouse was filled by
the election of Charles h Knox, who served
with Blakeney and Frederick until John V. Slade
took the place of Frederick, and since then the
Board has been Democratic. If these alleged
wrongs were perpetrated against the treasury
then Mr.. Knox, the Democrat, was in collision
with the two Republicans, and take it that no
body will charge this. That there was none of
this now alleged extravaganza and wasting of
the public money the official figures fully
testify. sy
Bear in mind it was public disgust with the
Magruder- Rittenhouse mismanagement and ex-
travagance that caused the election of two Re-
publicans in 1895. Few of us will forget that
Board came into power it was found to be as
charged in the campaign, to wit that the coun-
ty was heavily in debt as result of the bad
management of Magruder and Rittenhouse. 1t
was a difficult matter to get at the exact amount
of the Indebtedness that had come to the Re-
pubficans as heritage from Democratic ex-
travagance and mismanagement. The pressing
question was how to meet it., Three plans were
proposed LIST, ascertain and levy for it; I'd, di-
vide it up amongst several levies and, Sd, get an
enabling act from the Legislature and issue
bonds to meet it. The writer had several inter-
views with Blakeney and Rittenhouse, who
seemed to act together, in which he pressed the
Sd plan, but compromise was adopted.
The debt thus received from the Democrats
in 1895 was known to be over $500, OOO-how much
in excess required time to demonstrate. An
act was passed by the Legislature of 1896 au-
thorizing the Commissioners to borrow $4,000
on notes to pay on account of this Indebtedness.
In addition to this, when the levy was made in '96
an item of SRI, 1888 was included to pay part of
this debt, and to meet it our tax rate was in
creased from 70 to so cts. on the 500. Thus we
see the origin of the $685. 900 notes so much talk
ed of, and further see that our tax rate was in
| creased by the written signature of James Rit-
| tenhouse to pay debt created by him and Mr..
| Magruder.
What was our tax rate during the time the
Democrats created the debt now charged against
| the Republicans?
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