The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-04-09
COUNTY BOARDS TOMEET
GOVERNOR CALLS GATHERING OF COM.
MISSIONERS APRIL 2l
Good Roads, Election Expenses, &C.,
to Be Considered

Governor Crothers has sent out
invitations to the meeting of County
Commissioners, which he has Schedul-
ed for April 81 The invitations were
sent particularly to the president of
each board, to the counsel and to the
clerk. 1t is stated in the invitations
that such other members as care to
come will be welcome, but the pres
ence of these officials is especially de-
sired. The meeting will be held at
10 o'clock in the morning in the State
Board rooms of the Union Trust
Building.
Interest in the coming conference
has been aroused all over the State
and the developments there will be
watched closely by the people in every
county. No such gathering has ever
been called together before, and ex-
actly what is to be sprung" upon
the County Commissioners when they
arrive is not known. The Governor
in explaining his purpose in assembl-
ing the County Commissioners, indi-
Gates that he has in mind some prac-
tical reforms in which he hopes to get
the cooperation of the county people
One of these is the question of re-
pairing roads. In the opinion of the
Governor as well as others who have
had opportunities for looking into the
matter, the present methods in force
in most of the counties leaves much
to be desired In one or two counties
up-to-date, modern, progressive meth
DDS are used and the people get full
value for the money they spend. In
a number of them this is not the case.
1t is understood the Governor believes
that the system of mending roads
should be uniform in all the counties
and he has a number of suggestions
along this line, by which money can
be saved and better results obtained,
which he will lay before the Commits
sioners as well as to ask them for
suggestions and information.
Another proposition which the Gov
ernor expects to bring up is that OF
election expenses. 1t is his belief that
at least $4,000, and probably much
more, can be saved in the counties at
each election without in the slightest
impairing the efficiency and fairness
of the elections. He also believes that
similar sum can be saved at each
election in Baltimore city, if the right
method is adopted. He expects to get
some information and to ask some
questions on this line. at the meeting
as well as to make some proposals.
A third matter which will come up
is the question of uniform county gov
ernment. The Governor will submit
to the County Commissioners whether
better government, less expensive and
more efficient, can not be obtained by
having each county governed in one
way, and that the most modern way
than by having a different system in
each county. He expects to get from
the meeting much information that
will be of value to him, and from the
responses received since the an
nouncement was first made that ne
intended to call this conference, it is
probable his ideas will meet with an
energetic response.
The interest which the county peo-
pie have taken in the State road
question has been of the most intense
kind. The Governor is anxious to i'm
press upon the minds of the County
Commissioners, who are the govern
ing bodies in the different counties
that unless the work the State is do
ing in building good roads is supple
mented by the counties themselves it
will fall short of what is really de-
sired. Each county, he believes
should find in the work the State is
doing and the money it is spending IN
building god roads, a stimulant to ac-
ton for itself, not only in building
roads to serve as compliments to the
State roads, but in properly repairing
those they have.