The Democratic advocate., 1909-12-03
TUESDAY, DECEMBER IA, at 2 D
THE COUNTY, COMMIssIoNERs.

THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
The County Commissioners Office
Is the business hub Of the county. and
there Is no other Office that SO de.
termines the character of the county
government It's peculiar functions IL
to deal with the county finances. II
receives and expends the money col.
lected from the people. and upon the
manner in which that office Is con.
Quoted, depends whether the taxes
are low or high, whether the people
are protected in their earnings. O,
whether their money is squandered
II Is an Office that comes In direct con.
tact with the people. and one in which
every taxpayer Is deeply interested.
This office In Carroll county has
Oeen in the control OF the Democratic
party. without interruption for forty
TWO years. 1t would be saying toe
much TO assert. that In all these wars
mistakes have not been made. with
the frailty of human judgment, tina,
could not be possible. But we do az.
Sert' and 1t is due to the men who
nave served the people OF our coun-
W In this Office. TO say, that for all
tnls long period, the management n,
the County Commissioners Office has
been wise. prudent and economical
AT best 1t Is most troublesome and
thankless Office. and the men upon
whom its responsibilities have been
placed, and who have exhibited such
patience and wisdom in the manage
ment OF the peoples affairs. and who
have so well protected their interes,s
deserve 10 receive the hearty com.
mendation OF the whole people.
The recent election in our county.
saw the first break In the long line
On Democratic county commissioners
since 1867. In the extraordinary con-
dltions which prevailed during the
last campaign. and which eliminated
IN the loss to our party OF a number
OF the offices OF the county. Mr.
ue0rge b. Benson, who had been one
OF the most intelligent and faithful
OF our county commissioners. failed
OF election. He deserved to succeed
and goes out OF Office with a cIean
and unimpeachable record, and with
the satisfaction OF knowing that, M
public official he served the people
OF his county, faithfully and to the
best Of his ability.
IL V perhaps a fitting time TO make
brief review OF the general record
OF the Democratic party in the Office
OF the County Commissioners OF our
county, since that party took posses.
sion in 1867. Upon the surrender o,
the county by the Republicans, Thos
r. Shepherd, John II. Chew and Thos
Paynter. being the Commissioners
The county had large indebtedness
which has been entirely paid on, and
there was. at the last published state.
ment OF the Board a cash balance
TO the credit of the county, with no
outstanding indebtedness, OF about
$4,000. and this too. after providing
Tor $4,000 of school bonds. Durinp
this time the public school system
OF the county has greatly enlarged
the old school houses have been sun
erceded by new ones, a number al
High School buildings have been
erected. The number of school chill.
dren having greatly increased called
for all this development. and al a con.
sequence very large sums OF money
were needed for this important work
the amount of $4,000 having beer
devoted to this purpose In the last
year The Court House has beer
thoroughly oyerhauled and improved
the jail has been rebuilt, and large
and substantial building for men has
been erected at the AImshouse
Bridges have been built and large
sums have annually been paid for
public roads.
And In addition to all this. and thai
which above all else deserves special
mention, is the fact. that the county
tax rate since 1867 has been the low.
est Of any county in the state. Car.
roll county is known throughout the
state as model county, in It's gov
ernment.
Now in view of all this. 1t is a lit.
tie puzzling to understand WHY ans
Democrat should want to turn out 3
member of his own party. and put 3
Republican in the County Commits.
sioner's Office. We cannot believe thai
any Democrat really wanted this tC
be done. Mr.. Benson went down II
the general slump, and the circum-
stance only shows how dangerous II
Is, politically. to act from impulse
possibly from prejudice, and deal
thoughtlessly with serious sub,
ject. How often does 1t happen tina