The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-08-18
TAXES AND POLITICS.
n. p. Tasker Holds the Democratic
Party RESPONSIBLE For Untaxed
Lands

| LANDS.
In letter published in the Cum
berland NelCS of the 18th inst Mr.
H. P. Tasker, formerly of Oakland,
says:
Editor Daily News:-In your issue
of yesterday (Aug. 11th) | noticed
that Judge Boyd heard arguments in
/ the suit of Garrett county VS.. the
Consolidation Coal Company for
/ $4,000 taxes on coal lands, lying
along the disputed boundary line be-
tween Allegany and Garrett counties.
/ Thereby hang tale of the utmost
! importance to the taxpayers of both
counties. This case does not cover
ne-half of the omitted lands" in
Garrett county and much larger
area yet remains "untaxedn in Ale
gany county. Soon after the forma-
ton of Garrett county | discovered
these discrepancies and established
the Garrett County Herald at Oak
land, as medium to lay the facts be-
/ fore't the taxpayers and the legislature
in order to have the boundary lines
established and all the lands assessed,
Beginning in 1873 l have devoted
thirty years of my life to this impor-
| tant work. During this period more
than million dollars in taxes have
been lost to the two counties. Who
! is to blame for the long continuance
of these outrages against the taXpay-
ers? AS a conscientious and truthful
man l am compelled to lay the blame
primarily upon the German ring of
politicians, who made 1t a personal
issue with me because |, as an indie
pendent Democrat, refused to wear
the yoke and do the dirty work of
the corrupt bosses of said ring
/ Finally, through the aid of Governor
WIN. Pinkney Whyts and other val
ued friends. | succeeded in having a
suit brought in the Supreme Court of
the United States, to decide the boun-
Diary between Garrett county, Md,
anu lCSDOll COuhJ1, w d., VIII
probably will throw some forty-fve
square miles of disputed territory in
to Garrett county. Subsequently, in
1896, after my appeals and the petit
lions of taxpayers had been turned
down in half a dozen legislature by
the aforesaid bosses, | secured,
through the aid of Governor Lowndes
and a Republican legislature, the
passage of the law in 1896 which re-
suited in the completion and estab-
lishment of the true Allegany- Garrett
| boundary line.
In 1888 the commissioners for Gar
rett and Allegany counties contracted
with me, as their special agent, to alb
stract the titles to the untaxed lands
/ in both counties. The complications
In the titles to the 4, 1876 military lots,
as we'll as numerous tracts belonging
to on-residents, involved an enorm-
Gus amount of labor and research in
! the land office and record offices of
| both counties, besides locating lines
on the ground, as a practical survey
or, which l have not fully completed
yet. | regret to say that neither coun-
ty has paid me for all this work.
Looking back over all the trials and
tribulatiohs have passed through in
the completion of this important
work of public necessity and realiz-
ing that most my troubles came from
the so called Democratic organization,
and that Democratic success in the APP
preaching elections, both in stateland
nation. would result in upholding the
odious class of ring bosses every
where, shall hereafter vote with the
party that aided the outraged tax
payers and myself when they bad a
chance to do so. Respectfully,
HIRAM P. TAsKER.
Special agent for Garrett and Ale
gany Counties.
ANOTHER BALLOON BURNED.