The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1913-03-15
COMMISSIONERS DECLINE CON-
MITTEE'S REQUEST

A NUMBER of inquiries have reached
us as to What has become of the move
ment, inaugurated in January, TO prevent
the present State Road Commission from
using part of Cecil's appropriation
out of the 1912 road loan to pay the debts
incurred by the Crothers Tucker Com
mission in exceeding the amount Of ap-
preparation allowed it, In response, we
The citizens meeting OF January appoint
ed two committees-one to ask for popu
lar subscriptions toward the expense Of
this movement; the other to interview
the State Road Commlss ana to take
such other and further action as the
situation might call for. This, of course,
meant in the end an appeal 10 the
Courts to prevent the action purposed by
the Road Commission. Before proceed
ing to that extent, the committee nat
urally wanted to be assured of the pay
ment of whatever expense might be in
Cured. The Committee on finances,
while being assured of some popular sub
scriptions, found a quite general feeling
that as this action was undertaken in
the county behalf and for the benefit OF
all the people thereof, the right and
proper thing would be for the County
Commissioners, as the official represen
tatives of the county, to either conduct
the action or to shoulder the expense
thereof. In view OF this feeling, the
second committee, cons. sting of States
W. 7. Warourton, Fred T. flames, Joshua
Clayton, William II. Mackall, asked the
County commissioners to financially back
the undertaking. This the County Com
m .ssoners have declined to do.
we think the County Commissioners
were wrong in this decision. They OF
course, would not care TO impose upon
the county any heavy expense In this
matter. 4 hat they would not have to
do; it would lie in their control how
great or little expense should be in
CURED On the other hand, here is a
matter, involving the county's right to
thousands of dollars of a State appro-
prlauon that, many of us think, has
been, and is beng diverted from the
county's r'ghtful use and from minis
tSiih5 ~ It's peOple > advantage. l. ne
County Comm .ssioners, as the official
representatives OF the county, rugn, W
be the first, and most Jealous in pro-
tecting the county's rights and interests
1t is "a COUNTY ahair-not that of any
ndlvidual-and the county ought to act
therein by its chosen officials. We find
it difficult to understand how County
Commiss. oners, with any adequate un-
Outstanding of their oEh.ial responsible
ity could fail to take this View of it,
They have, however, so farce. Us
there then no further remedy? Yes, the
next Legislature The Legislatur as
the Grand Inquest OF the people of
Maryland, can be invoked TO probe this
matter and THIS COUNTY OUGHT TO
ELECT NO MAN TO THE NEXT LEG
lSLATURE WHO WILL NOT Def MITE.
LY PROMISE TO SEE THAT THIS
WHOLE MATTER is MADE THE SUB
JECT OF A LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGA-
TloN. We have already suffered too
long and too much from high handed,
irresponsible and unsatisfactory conduct
of the road build sg business in this
county and State. If this county is alive
to its interests, it will see that the men
who go from here to the next Legisla-
ture have both the knowledge and back
bone to r.p this matter open. But is it
alive, and has it the MEN?