The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-03-22
WHAT SHALL THE HARVEST BE?

cSiTe n. attention.
WHAT SHALL THE HARVEST BE?
The -Egis has no sympathy with
the continued effort made for nearly
a year past to create the impression
that Hartford county's finances are
in horrible condition, honeycombed
with corruption, and that heavy
debt has been created by our County
Commissioners. The figures will not
support such assertions, however
subtlv handled, and the statements
of advocates before iuries, or parti-
sans seeking to make political capt.
tai, should both be taken with the
degree Of caution which they natu-
rally inspire.
But that irregularities have oc-
Cured, and that bad business judg-
ment has at times prevailed, has
been too fully established to admit
of question-hence our inquiry, What
shall the harvest be?
In the clerical management of their
Office we believe that the houseclean-
ing has been as radical, thorough
and complete as any good citizen
could ask for, and we further believe
that the more the future conduct of
the Commissioners office is watched
and examined into the more it will
CRAFTY the Commissioners and their
executive officer.
But we are anxious to see this
housecleanigg go further. AS point
cd out some weeks ago, it is
generally conceded that our county
farm is in attractive condition; and
it should be permanently kept so.
At the same time it was shown
that a system of general farming on
a large scale is being conducted at
what must result in financial loss,
withno attendant benefits. THERE'S
no justification for keeping on the
farm, to use the words of a high Off
cial, enough COWS to produce from
thirty-6ve to forty gallons of milk
per day, feed them an expensive ra-
ton Of grain, and not get enough
milk to supply the inmates" These
Jersey cows, except modest num-
Der for the use of the institution,
should be promptly sold, together
with their offspring. Good farmers
dc not raise Jersey steers. Nor is
there any justification in spending
81, 666.60 per annum for labor and
fertilizer to raise large crops of wheat
and corn at a loss; the county is not
in the business Of farming as an OBJ
iect lesson, and it would be just as
much justified in attempting to
manufacture for profit as to farm for
profit. This farm is an incident to a
home for the county's destitute and
should be conducted along such lines
alone. After as much ground has been
tiled as may be reasonably expected
to furnish an abundance of necessary
food products for consumption at
the almshouse, the balance should be
kept in grass, kept clean, and made
source of modest revenue from hay
and cattle instead of a heavy expense
by raising corn and wheat.
1t is seriously open to question
whether it would not be more in &C
cordance with the best interest of the
public to dispose of all that portion
of the farm north Of the railroad ex-
cePt the bottom land lying adjacent
thereto. This would leave farm of
about one hundred acres of excellent
land, easily cultivated, which would
have on it all of the buildings and
necessary water supply; and the large
tract remaining, much of which is
not desirable land under any circum-
stances, could be sold without any
injury whatever to the county home
for the destitute. If course along
these general lines is adopted and
put into execution in the near future,
and all the destitute who are fed at
the county's expense are fed here
alone, we firmly believe that large
sum will be annually saved and a
fertile source for scandal will be per-
manently removed.
We again respectfully urge that as
this whole subject of a home for the
destitute and their support is by law
in the hands of the Commissioners, it
should not be largely delegated to
their overseer. Not only is this an
unwise shifting of responsibility, but
from the very nature of the case it
Is not probable that the overseer is
the right man to cope with such a
large problem. He should report to
the board in writing at short regu-
lar intervals, and be present to per-
sonalIy answer their inquiries and
receive their instructions for future
action. 1t is not possible for the
Commissioners to go frequently to
the property, but they can bring its
foreman to them and thus keep in
touch with it.
We are satisfied that they would
not do less than this in the manage
msnt of their private property if it
were i'll charge of an overseer, and
the public will not be satisfied with
q less intelligent treatment of theirs.
They owe it to themselves and the
people they represent.