The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1906-01-12
MARYLAND'S WEALTH.

Tie report OF the OtaCe Cotnp'ioli
err, DR.. Gordon T. Atkinson, shows
steady and healthy increase in the
assessable property Of the state, and
espt cialiv in that OF the city ot Baltl-
more. Since the last report that IN
crease for the whole state amounted
to $24,Sl7,662, of which the citys
gain was $20,539,99l, or about four
fiftbs of the whole amount. This very
marked iucr. ase for Baltimore was
due. in large measure, to the extensive
building operations that have been &c
ing on ever since tue fire, and that
have brought about the investment OF
many millions of dollars in handsome
and costly structures to take the
place of the old and, in some cases,
dilapidated buildings that stood on
many OF the best SITES in the heart OF
the city before the fire. Comptroller
Atkinson alludes to the fact that The
as.essabIe basis of the state twenty
years ago was but $47S.46So2S, and
the gain Of over 1925 100000 since
1886 shows how fast the state has IT,
creased in material wealth and pros
perity.
Next to Baltimore in point Of wealth
comes Baltimore county, which owes
80 much OF its prosperity to the IL
We stmtnt Of city cspital in the indus
tries and in it's beautiful homes. Yves
tern Maryland shows up well, Freder-
lex county coming third on the states
tax list, Washington county fourth
and Allegany fifth and Carroll sixth.
Each of these approximates an assess
able valuation OF $2O.0O0,0e0 Among
tn, Eastern Shore cnunt'es Q""+'
Anne leads, with Talbot close sec
ond, each of them showing up with
about So 100000. The poorest coun-
ties in the state are found in Southern
Maryland, Calvert being last on the
list with a little over 1925 900.
Even this group gives signs of better
ment, however, and rs Maryland's
plans for securing new settlers are
further developed, there is reason to
believe that Southern Maryland will
reap great benefit from it, and that its
rich soil will be put into condition
again to turn out valuable crops, and
that it will prove a formidable rival
of the Eastern Sh, ;. and even Wes-
tern Maryland, in it's products for
both home and foreign markets.
Comptroller Atkin~en's figures show
that the state treasury is in healthy
condition, with larger revenues than
ever before, though considerable
part of them can only be used fo'
specific purposes and cannot be drawn
u pom for the general expenses Of the
state government, II the present leg
islature means 20 repeat the wanton
extravaganza Of its predecessor, as set
forth so plainly in Governor War
fields message. it is just as we'll to have
these funds safeguarded by law, as
there could be no telling what might
otherwise become of them. The Leg
islature will be called upon to consid,
err several problems of state taxation
set forth by the Comptroller, and
these should be solved in an intelligent
way, with the proper consideration OF
the interests of each taxpayer and Of
the welfare of the state. II the state
tax can be reduced without harm te
any branch of the state government,
without injury to the states progress
and development, suca reduction
should be made. The burdens OF the
ia PAYERS should be lghtened both
by the state and city whenever this
can be done without detriment to the
general welfare.-Baltmore american