Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-08-31
ANSWER OF SENATOR BLAIR LEE.


| proposed tnat all taxes due from the Mont.
gomery County National Bank, current ant
future, be collected, If the exemption claimed
is not lawful. Both you and Mr.. Pretty
man went OF on tangent and endeavored
to cont1ne the discussion to the tax of the
current year only. The main question Il
not as to any one year, but whether this OF
any other bank can continue to claim the
| exemption. l had read the decision of the
Court OF Appeals you mention and In my
| judgment it did not protect the bank even fol
the one year. That decision refers to VdlU
alton alone. When it comes to exemption
| of the city stocks from county and munich.
pal taxes, unless there is law for such ex-
emption, 1t can not be created by the State
Tax Commissioner, and the decision re-
ferred to has no bearing.
My proposition to levy the tax for this
year was in the interest of the people Of
Montgomery county and to save every pos.
slble point in their favor, and would have
put the burden Of attacking the levy on the
bank. My zeal, Mr.. Editor, is for the peo-
pie, your zeal is for the bank. You can see
nothing in this matter but Colonel Jones.
l regret that he or Mr.. Prettyman lie in
volved, but am not deferred thereby.
Further correcting your statements of fact,
at this point objection was raised against Mr..
Prettyman representing the county in this
matter when his firm at the same time was
attorney for the bank. The Commissioners
never, that have heard, approved any plan
of action proposed by Mr.. PrettYman nor
suggested any. He was left by the Com.
missioners In position TO make q report on
the legal question raised. 1t is rather strik-
ing that, instead of investigating and report.
ing on the law, he should first suggest the
passage OF resolution referring this matter
TO the attorneys of the other counties and %
So0rlled as to take GSOGy from oar county The
posoer to act independently. The principle
upon which the County Commissioners OF
Montgomery have now decided to act
is to first investigate and be reasonably sure
OF being right and then go ahead.
No attorney can represent both sides in
any case and no servant can serve two mas
ters. This is true of editors as well as law
yers, and, II you are TO regain and retain the
confidence of the Democratic masses of the
people, you must study and stand up for
ciples, the first is, Equal rights to all and
special privileges TO none"
This is not an agreeable task, and every
strong Democrat of positive action has been
subjected to such abuse and affected scorn
from the agents OF the corporations a. you
now heap on me. / say affected because l be-
ieve you are smart enough TO really envy
any man OF sufficient honesty and courage 10
stand up for his convictions.
Another of your errors OF statement. 1t
was strongly alleged In the campaign OF
1900 that certain Baltimore merchants were
coercing their employees and compelling
them to vote the Republican ticket. l re.
member taking up for these employees and
suggesting to these superheated merchants
the foolshness OF action by them contrary
To In I'D nd contrary IN the aantimank nf the
county people of Maryland and other States
upon whom Baltimore depends. The point
was timely and well taken and had some
effect. You and your friends evidently re.
member 1t, and your antipathy for Mr.. Bry-
an and resentment OF my action In his be-
half, as Democratic nominee, is the same
feeling manifested against every Democrat
who refuses TO sell out to the corporations
and is also the basis for deals with those
Republicans who are In politics for revenue
only.
You are offended, Mr.. Editor, by my use
of the expression Legislative agent" as you
have several times quoted the phrase.
have used these words deliberately, wishing
the people of this county to know that am
as much their servant this summer as last,
and because these words express good
Democratic idea, well worthy to be remem.
bered, and they should not be Offensive TO
any one really In sympathy with Democrat
ic institutions.
You are equally incorrect In saying that
I assume TO read the officers of the bank out
of the Democratic party. The contrary Ia
true. You have intimated in your recent
utterances that certain persons may leave
the Democratic party, and your expression
of hope that they will not "feel forced" to
do SO is more OF q proclamation for them
If min 1 m N rtOaa
enough to them To speak for them, bnt
trust, Mr.. Editor, you misrepresent them by
your limitations, and l do know and believe
that among the stockholders are many faith.
full Democrats who hold that wealth should
bear its Just share of all public burdens.
You are wrong again In saying my friends
boosted last year OF the taxes paid by me-
They answered an attack. They are too
good Democrats to be boastful, but natu.
rally resented the undemocratic argument
that Colonel Jones was entitled to support
because of the alleged paying OF about 500
taxes every year, and that was not entitled
to support because of being alleged TO pay
only $3.50 "a mans q man for all
that" Mr.. Editor, and money is not the true
guage of Democracy. AS, however, you
are still at this old yarn, practically repeat.
ing 1t in your editorial, will give the exact
facts.
do not own any net personal property,
aside from a law library, ETC., over and above
the farm implements horses, etc, at Silver
Spring, appraised at $3.50, to which you
ailude with apparent scorn, but you are not
q farmer and you don't know how much we
think of our old horses and cows.
On the other hand, am quite largely In
terested In real estate, here and elsewhere,
and pay every year an amount OF taxes 10
large as to make me keenly sympathetic with
the burdens upon the farm and house owner
Nv real estate in Montgomery County comes
by inheritance, being the third generation
to hold il in this county, and taking II un-
der the will Of my father and grandfather,
r. P. Blair, subject to my mothers life es-
tate. The general assessment OF the land was
made in 1896, during my fathers life, ana II
remained in his name until ! was attacked last
summer as not being citizen OF the county
where was born and raised, and had paid
S22b q year taxes since 1897. Then, with The
approval Of the Commissioners, the old re-
cords were changed to show the facts. !
presume that the assessment of our farms 10
the same as that Of others in our neighbor-
hood.
1t is to be noted that you hold that l am
not entitled to be called q taxpayer where
am the sole heir aud have actually paid the
taxes, yet you atLack me Dechusoi 40 you ~
lege. the taxes on my wife's sole and separate
estate were not paid 'prior to 1904" an es-
tate over which had no control until II
came into my hands as executor and trustee.
Since then have paid the taxes a. assessed
and which are based upon the usual inven-
tory filed in the Orphans Court, my personal
interest In the estate being tina, of . life ten
ant Of one-third. Ny wife, in her will dated
October l6, 1908, described herself ~ "wife
of Blair Lee, of Montgomery county, Mary
land" This description written by me and
nv continued residence has brought to the
county and State on this estate taxes amount
ing to about 81, 900 thus far, and constitutes
an annual income 10 State and county Of
over s., 800. II there was any truth in your
statements that am citizen of the District
of Columbia and tax-dodger, l could have
moved into Washington and 80 written and
probated this will as to have avoided the pay
ment of any and all taxes on this estate, OF
f. rr.rffh he arf ia