Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-06-05
The True Issue.


the levy list in the Cumberland Times
about three weeks ago, admitting that he
did so specifically.
He asked, for instance, whether $4,000
for the keep of 81 persons in the aims
house Sl4S. 10 each. isn't high charge:
He proceeded propounding several
similar questions in other departments
of county business, and included print
ing and advertising expenses.
Out of curiosity the JOURNAL looked
into this and found that this ac;2.unt
cost last year public local-la.w year,
$2,255.1S.
Looking a little further,Tt discovered
that of this sum $l,sL2M0 was spent in
Cumberland, $23s% in Homecoming,
$l4l13 in FrostHIrg.
That is, neYly So PEA, cent of this part
of the co%ty's patronage was given to
Cumb3fand. and quite Il per rent. to
the/County outside of Cumberland.
= In most of all the other departments
the disparity is far greater; indeed, III
several large items TIE county outside
doesn't share at all.
The strongprooability is, then-Cum-
berland gets back every cent of taxes
Cumberland pays and gets also con
siderable percentage of all the county
pays besides!
And for this reason the JOURNAL has
long held that Cumberland should never
have the gall to claim djrrct appro-
priation from the county for any pur-
pose!
Mr. Storms observations, therefore,
suggest the queston-~hy MT raise in
cott0tg ofltirs Il real issue!
Why should the Homecoming !>itr, for
instance, eXpend somuch effort aud space
upon questions of "ho shall and ~ho
shall not hold this, or that, or all the
offices?
Or why it is vitality important that
one party shall control county affairs all
the time, leaving the other party the
privilege only of paying its share of the
taxes?
And three weeks ago the .<tur intimated
that the sheriff trouble would rebound
to the benefit of the republican party
But why not to the benefit of both
parties, and to the benefit of an the
county:
Mr. Stern, for instance is a merchant
why shouldn't he be given an Oppor
l., 3
as are i'll his line?
As matter of fact, the people worst
hurt by exposure of the current system
of alleged irregularities are the Cum
berland mass who seem to own ii
monopoly of supply privileges i'll all de
partmeuts.
Along, therefore, with Mr., S:ern's
questions the JOURNAL would ask-in
any event, economical or otherwise. is it
right, is it just to pour at least five times
as much of the county's money into
Cumberland pockets as is returned to
payers outside the city?
Isn't there better material in this con-
dtion for an issue looking to fairer
distribution of returns than that in
vOlved i'll question of which party
shall continue the current ratio of dis
examination against business interests
and people outside the city?
Take out the public school and road
appropriations, i'll which the county
shares with some degree of equity and
there is the sum of about $l26 900 left
at least 80 per rcJd. of which stays in
Cumberland!
Under the current system of diStribu-
ton for supplies and service, therefore,
we have this anomalous situation the
higher the assessment, especially out in
the county, the higher the tax rate and
the greater sum eXtorted from the peo-
pie, UciudiLg CumbcrIond, the better II is
for the latter!
If the tax rate We're 81 80 instead of
$l.O3, the same ratio would give Cum
berland Sl61 900 instead of $4,000.
Hence, if the people would become
alive to their own interests. as they
ought to, instead of listening to the
politicians and party newspapers, there
would come to them some benefit where
much more benefit belongs.