Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-07-16
SENATOR LEE ANSWERS MR..
NEWCOMB. ...r
Demands Facts Instead of In
nuendo.

Demands Facts Instead of In
nuendO.
4 Silver Spring, Md, July IL, 1909
Mr.. Harry T. Newcomb,
Bethesda, Md.
Dear Sir Referring to your open letter
of the 30th ultimo, it is pleasure to dis
cuss publicly questions of Importance to
the people which may be seriously brought
forward as issues in this campaign. Hav-
ing always stood for publicity in such mat
tiers, thank you for the opportunity thus
afforded
1t is gratifying to hear that you wish to
abide by the will of the majority as ex-
pressed in the Democratic primary election.
Under the new primary law, enacted as a
local law for Montgomery county two years
ago, and now substantially adopted for all
counties, legaliZed method is provided,
giving fair opportunity to the people to Sc
lect the candidates and protecting the voters
from frauds and false counting. 1t is i'm
portant that all our citizens appreciate and
respond to this law.
If there is any question upon which my
position should be clearly understood by
the people of this county, it is as to the
State and Shoemaker Roads. You seem to
have accepted bodily certain ideas hereto
fore published by me on this matter and
no issue remains between US .here. ms u
tne otner SUBJECTS covered by your letter.
the information you apparently rely on is
lnisieadihs OF incorrect ana mucn vi IL Is
obviously derived from persons whose IN
terests nave peeh dlsaoVahtageousiy aiect-
Gu by economies put IN opefauon ana re-
AT the hadinnind IL ic paraccnry tn COR
rect your SUGGESTION that the State Senator
from the county has any power over spend
IND the money of the county. The County
Commissioners have that power. OF course,
such remedial legislation as may be re-
auired, can usually be enacted. Two ex-
Commissioners, friends of yours. Mr. Hill
leary Boeley and Mr.. Charles G. Griffith,
, were commissioners for two of the years
the expenditures for which YOU criticise as
wasteful and extravaganza If any of the
, extravagance you allege went on, they are
in position to give the details of their acts
While must apologize for undertaking to
discuss your charges against the Board OF
County Commissioners, yet it seems proper
that the facts should be known to the public
You bid for support on the promise to
administer the affairs OF the county for less
.os. " ene 'aHpaye , anu H. d. ule saie
e.sile, p.oposS W T 10 ene ooms''Ios.o
" " s.o.o noas aniun. .hn C you Ia. Tn.
,;ss;onara 1,n,' araaa ,h ta. ,o In,,u 81 ,hr
you aso,a a5I: .ne .aA ~. VI wy
ioul yoaiS mo. puJs Ell; NY Iie'.,on a,iu
oSipai1 IL uliaV'iapiy WIN VIC oo az IVY
vi uho 700. .oo 's ';,, a, e,. .ooD ,N W
now .:. ~ SUI. -. Nv"
an ;aIoJ .ha n,hI;a ''e"' "'''o''
"o''eNe" '.'''o. INV p"'''
lakes MUCH REDUCED.
The form of your statement conceals the
important fact that the county tax rate
which was 80 1-2 cents in the year mex
, preceding my election, is reduced to 81
! cents and that the State rate, then 20 Is
cents, has also in the last four Years beer
, reduced to 10 cents, or a total reduction il
taxes of IS cents on the $l00 You fail t.
state the fact that, in addition to the levie:
, | in the first four years, there was 500, zoo
from bond issues expended for school pur
, poses and that the old School Board1eft {
/ floating debt of $4,700, a further expend
, ture not represented by the levies, ant
Y that the gradual payment OF these debt
amounting less premiums 10 @oG' fou II
now being provided Tor IN the recentievle'
you criticise.
CORPORATIONS PAY THEIR SHARE.
You eL;,Jfullv dive the ;mnraseiop tho
the additional sEms Of money raised h,
taxation in this county have come as a.
J, added burden upon taxpayers who wer,
e previously paying the taxes, when. as
: matter OF TACT, every farmer or land holder
!. enjoys the whole 10 cent reduction. Tn
n County Commissioners have been able t
s reduce the rate and-at the same time NEE
: current expenditures largely as the result
of placing taxation on certain corporations
& that were not paying their legal share o
the taxes before, and in doing away witt
the "wastefui ana extravagant way o
0 collecting taxes formerly employed. OI
}. the corporation tax there has been an in
crease OF revenue to the county OF abou
$6,OOO during the last year, besides INK
4 benefits to the county towns, Rockville
n alone having received about Si,ooO iron
g this source. The saving In the cost OF col
= Letting taxes under the new system ha'
been about S5,OOU a year. In both o
= these changes was OF material assistance
s to the county, in the legislature ana befor
I the courts.
a BY taking General averages for the frs
S four wears. Won cover I'D the fact that dur
ind the last wear of these four the count,
= lew was Sl35, SOS as against Sl3O, 81 TO
the first wear of the next four, notwith
:. standing the fact that the same amount wa
= maid for Shoemaker Roads. and the count,
: tax was reduced 8 cents for that wear,
: I,,,,o,,,,,r,,rs co,vc ov
! i"rNo' h"hHi' "o'N' o"'
You also failed to state for the lnforma
ton OF the people that only the last one
the TOUR years OF Mr. Jones term contained
levy Tor Shoemaker ROADS that law, witt
all Its virtues or detects having been pass
ed while he was PRESIDENT OF the State Sen
ate. The amount levied for Shoemaker Road
: in that last year OF Mr.. Jones term wa
!. $l2,75O. The succeeding four years. which
you failed to observe. included simila
levies for Shoemaker Roads, aggregatini
a $56,OOO.
/ After comparing the two periods OF fOu
! years each, you state your belief that Tex