Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1906-10-19
THE LEVY.

We pr6lish this we, the itemize d
statement Of the financial affairs Of
the County for the fiscal year ending
June Both, 1906, which under the
law, the County Commissioners are
required tn publish Is days before
each election. The statement is cor
rect as to form and gives in a plain
way a very satisfactory idea Of the
County's fnancia condition. The
meaning and purk Of the law
which requires then blication an
nually of such a EtatA II, is to in
form the taxpayers as here and
to whom their money pai,- Tor taxes
goes, and enable them to obtain such
information as they may need to as
sist them in making such suggestions
to the County Commissioners in the
way of economy as may lessen Or
keep down the expenses of the Coun-
ty government
We see in the statement no ex-
travagant waste of money; every
dollar collected from the taxpayers
seems to be accounted for, and to
have been expended in accordance
with law. The tax rate is too high,
however, and should be pressed
down. There are some items of ex-
pense the taxpayers have to bear
which need heroic Legislative treat
ment. The cost of caring for our
insane paupers in the manner now
done is a burden, but as the State,
after the year 1907, has assumed to
take care of those unfortunate human
beings, it is useless to bother with
that subject. The cost of admins
tering our Judiciary should be lessen
ed. Civil litigation in this County,
to its credit, is practically nothing
the criminal business takes up nearly
all the terms of the Circuit Court and
makes the offices of the Justices of
the Peace fat places for hungry poll
ticians. 1t has been suggested that
the Jurors of the Court could be
dispensed with after the first day, Of
ter being regularly organized, until
Thursday of the week of the term,
as the witnesses have to be summon
ed and the work of the Court does
not practically begin until that time,
and the Grand Jury then discharged
after four days sitting, unless it made
it appear to the satisfaction of the
Court that there is good reason for
its sitting longer. And then the Civ
ing to Justices of the Peace criminal
jurisdiction has not proven a success.
Before the enactment of the law, lit
tie personal quarrels and cases Of do
nestle friction were settled outside of
tha Q9urts. Persons do not like the
idea oi facing the ordeal of the wit
ness stand in the Circuit Court and
when they know they have to do it,
they curb their hot blood and over
look little trities, whereas now they
rush in temper to the Justices of the
Peace and vent their spleen at the
expense of the County. And be-
sides, the terms of the Circuit Court
are far enough apart to allow quar-
relsome people cooling time to settle
their differences before rushing into
the Courts. Many of the Justices of
the Peace, too, abuse the criminal
jurisdiction they now possess aud
to make fees encourage litigation,
and the taxpayers are the sufferers.
The pauper law ought to be abolished
We are all more or less paupers in the
County and it not fair to distribute
among a select few the hard-earned
money Of the taxpayers when the
taxpayers practically can but make {
living themselves.