The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-10-14
Observation-Disclosures
HARRINGTON, AN OFFICIAL
As Comptroller He Briefly Warned the
Legislature OF The Treasury's
Condition.


Treasury in his annual report of several
hundred pages, as Comptroller, he did
not know what the Finance and WAYS
and Means Committees and the Lepis-
lature of 1914 were doing in the matter
of making appropriations, until after
the damage had been done and a deficit
of 81, 555, 600 had been created, will it
not appear to the thoughtful and in
telligent voters and taxpayers Of the
State as very singular and exceedingly
unusual that the States financial officer
| himself should have taken so little in
terest in these matters that he did
not know particularly in view of the
fact that he had foreseen the danger of
oyer drawing the funds of the State,
and more especially when it would have
been so easy for him to find QUITO
keep himself fully advised as the work
of the Finance and Ways and Means
Committees progressed and the bills
were presented and passed by the Legis-
lature?
Mr.. Harrington has been in politics
for long time, and he had been the
States fiscal officer for several wears.
He was thoroughly familiar with the
methods of procedure in the Legisla-
ture; he knew how appropriations are
made and he knew that numerous bills
carrying large appropriations are
often introduced and passed before
the general appropriation bills
made up and passed by the General
Assembly, usually between midnight
and 3 or A o'clock a. M, pre-
ceeding the last night of the sessions,
he tells us-are acted upon. Is it not
expecting too much of the voters of
this State to ask them to believe that
the State Comptroller. with his advance
knowledge of the financial situation, is
in no way responsible for the deficit of
a million and half dollars, in all these
circumstances?
Mr.. Harrington spent much time at
Annapolis during the 1914 session of
the Legislature and was conspicuous in
the councils of his party and in the
caucuses and conferences of the Demo-
cratic leaders and politicians. He took
a lively interest in very many bills that
were presented for the legislature s
action and his influence was frequently
apparent for and against certain legisla-
ton. He certainly kept well posted on
other matters and other measures. and
yet he would have us sccept off hand
his explanation that he didn't know"
when it came to spending a million and
a half dollars more than the Treasury
of the State had to spend! Why so
| fully advised and so active and alert in
connection with certain of the legis-
lauure's doings, and so little informed
and so indifferent in the matter OF the
huge appropriations, which affected his
own office?
Il called attention to the condition of
the Treasury in my report" repeats
Mr.. Harrington. and, says there his
responsibility ceased.
We are reminded by this of the fable
of the Farmer and the Shepherd Dog.
Once upon time a Farmer had Shep-
herd Dog which he believed to be trust
worthy and alert to his Masters in
terests. When dog or wolf would
get after the sheep the Shepherd Dog
would go to his Master and bark aloud
and long, and tug at him, until he was
aroused to the danger and would chase
the invaders away. An old wolf, how
ever, got into the confidence of the
Shepherd Dog somehow, and, finally,
gained the Dogs consent to not make
too much noise when the wolf and his
pack should come that night after the
sheep; and so when the sheep were at
| tackled the Shepherd Dog went 10 his
Master and barked in such a low
whisper, and tugged at him so gently
that the Farmer was not awakened, and
did not know of the raid upon his flock
until the following morning. He
promptly called the Shepherd Dog and
asked him why he had not warned him
of the presence of the wolves, and the
Dog answered herocally:
81 did. kind Master. l did; | barked
and tugged at you, but you wouldn't
pay any attention to me, and so l left
you alone.
And didn't YOU get after the wolves
yourself and do what you could to save
my sheep?' the Farmer demanded.
81 didn't think it was up to me to do
any more than warn you; this l did.
and if you didn't hear me, then it is
your own fault that your sheep are de-
stroyed, replied the Shepherd Dog.
Whereupon, the Farmer took the
Dog into the woods and slew him de-
claring that watchdog that would
fail in his duty at the time he is most
needed is not good anywhere.
Mr.. Harrington has been the Comp
troller of the Treasury and is now the
Democratic candidate for Governor.
evening, commencing at 500 o'clock.
| Caka ire cream and ooffao uuilI oIuo ha