Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1904-12-28
A GAME OF TIT FOR TAT. /"
IT IS PLAYED AT COMMITS
SIONERS MEETING.
Tax Inquisition Pots to The Rack
The Tender Flesh of Suf-
fering Taxpayers.

time that of the ancients or the pro-
sale days of the virole age of the early
twentieth century While il could
not be said that Greek and Greek met
in deadly combat within the arena OF
the County Commissioners office yes
terdny or that the Damascus blade of
singing repartee was whetted on the
PROSTATE form of one of the gladiators,
yet, truth TO tell, there was something
doing.
The sword gave way to the still
more trenchant pen, few bold dashes
of its stubbed end on the white surface
of paper which before had been limo
cent of spot or blemish was as the
bursting of bombshell in the camp
of the sleeping Ienemy.s Back came a
shot, however. which cut into the
yitals and made the dark. red corpu-
scles trickle through what was thought
an impervious coat of mail. Stilled
and hushed expectancy quivered in the
balance and beneath the slowly drift
ing cloud of smoke (of tobacco, not
battle) there was enacted scene from
srit for Tat" that beggared thatkpro-
duction to the remnants of a ten day
bargain rush. The frazzled edge of
the darkened canopy of cross purposes
phere, but reckoned not with the de-
nouncement which was transporting
within its reach.
Vitriolio invective was absent, had
gone home to rest, to recuperate, for
what was transporting VOTED not of
those first aids to .the injured which
peep around the corner when anger is
high and reason deserts and retires to
osfr m hn cd
contretemps, this oiapodrida. of sdisul-
lionment which follows, as does the
day the night, the times when govern
ment in one form seeks to tread upon
the toes of another form of government
even though they be indissolubly asso-
ciated, was occasioned by just such a
condition.
For some time the County Commits
sioners have been engaged in the study
of tax rates. The inefficiency of the
present income from county taxes to
wrestle with the problem of county
bills has given them more or less cause
for insomnia. 1t wasa sore problem,
an ignis fatuus, a will-o-the- wisp
which kept leading them on but never
any nearer to the solution which they
sought. At last it was decided that
q change in the taxable basis should
be made in order that the income of
the county should be greater. With
this end in view Mr.. Himmelhaber,
clerk to the County Commissioners,
aided by others whom the commission
ers called in have been working on the
subject of a re-appraisal.
Yesterday, at the meeting of the
board, the subject came up for more
or less discussion. Naturally the city
of Annapolis, with its many new
buildings, other improvements and
generally prosperous condition came
in for a share of the discussion as con-
siderable of the county taxes are raised
in this city. The County Commits
sioners. they who are not burdened
with the cares and delights of city
life, were strongly of the opinion that
Annapolis was rather shy and retir-
ing as to the matter of yielding up it's
fair and just share of county taxes and
that considerable raise should be
made in its basis while the grating
wax should be applied but sparingly
to the other parts of the county.
Mr.. Samuel Brooke, president of
the board, deep in the mystery of the
problem which was trying men S souls,
heard these remarks and rallied to
their support. "Take for instance
Prince George street, - he said, as he
looked with manifest. digfayor upon
others of the board WHO owned city
property sit is only taxed on a
basis of value of $50 per foot front.
Let us make it $50 per foot front
and other streets proportionately
higher. " Even as he said, SO was it
done. That was the blow that struck
another in the solar plexus and pro-
iuced a hiatus into which he could
make his way. This other is a mem
Der of the other branch of govern
ment, yclept the City Council. He
dealt himself hand, stacked the
chips and then showed his openers.
Even while the town clock hesitated
in its striking and lost ten beats lest
it break the brooding silence that
comes before a storm he launched
forth.
This member of the official family
of the city must have read of the
story of the man who was given a
sentence for crime lie had commit
ted. The judge told him that he
would, to show no hard feeling exist
ed, remit half of the sentence. The
prisoner, not to be outdone, said that
he also would be liberal IN the matter
and remit the other half Thinking
of this precedent and the fact that
Prince George street property was as
the apple of his eye he also, deter
mined to be forgiving. He therefore
intimated that the city itself could
do little tax increasing and scroning
to stop at a paltry raise of $40, pro-
posed that Murray Hill property be
taxed on basis of $25 per foot front
more than it is at present paying.
That was what broke the cameI's
back. Mr.. Brooke is the owner of
Murray Hill property and this thrust
caught him in tender spot. Tax re-
assessment. county income and the
needs of public Improvement looked
far off and dim, even as did the dome
of the State Capitol, about which
was settling the thick and ever lower
ing fog that shut out from sight all
that was disagreeable or pleasant to
look upon.
Even as the going down of the sun
was the ardor of some of the members.
1t will come. however, with the rails
ing of the taxable basis of the county
property, for the money is needed.