Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1916-02-17

we understand lldt Dlll ilds DCClA illtLO~
duced in the Marylane General Assembly Gre
atng. road commission for ST. Mary's county
=. and authorizing BONDED debt Of $l5O,OOO
8 for the building and maintenance of roads AS
it has been impossible for us to procure the text
of the bill, we are unable to discuss its provis-
ions with any degree d accuracy, but there are
a few basic principals that it were well to duly
consider before we commit ourselves to an obi
cation OF SO great magnitude
The creation Of road commission it seems
to us, is strangely at variance with a program of
economy and the obligation Of paying interest
and providing sinking fund for S $4,000 up
on our basis Of not quite five million dollars al
ready highly taxed, calls loudly for all the
economy we can muster to our assistance. he
salaries of the commissioners are to be-
three, we are told---is placed at $500 for the
chairman and $3.50 per day for the associates.
Should the associates collect for, say 200 work
Ing days, the commission would total yearly
cost to the county Of $1,000, which is quite a
large sum to pay for amateur ideas, especially
when the services of an expert road builder
could be had at a far more economical expend-
iture. Again the commission has---we do not
know the gentlemen comprising it---no greater
knowledge Of road building than have the
County Commissioners, under whose manage
ment the supervisors Of the several districts have
made rather remarkable showing for The
amount Of money that has been spent.
1 he necessity for economy is quite beyond
discussion, for, as we have stated again and
again, the amount Of the liquor franchise tax
which was $4,000 and which was apportion-
ed nearly equally between county roads and
county schools is nomore obtainable, and if the
scbcois need more fnoney and the roads are To-
have $4,000 benefits for which the taxpay-
ers are called upon to pay ST. $500 interest
charges and have also 10 redeem, it is obvious
that the taxpayers face the proposition Of rais-
ing $262,500 in the next twenty-five years
upon basis which at present is $4,879000,
besides meeting the other county charges that
are usually included in the levy.
The above calculation is based upon infor-
nation to the effect that the bonds are to Be
issued In series of $4,000, redeemable in 5
year periods and are to bear per cent interest
Can St. Mary's taxpayers afford so great an
expenditure? Can we afford an inexpert COM
mission at a salary Of $4,000 yeary3 Think
il over. Are the taxpayers willing that such
bill be passed by the Legislature and become
an obligation on their assessable property with
out having had an opportunity Of expressing
their views upon its feasibility Other peoples
exercise the right to accept or reject bond issues
and mortgages Aren't we entitled TO that
much consideration or must we be rushed mad
" into a proposition that will cost US $262,-
500 without knowing definitely where westand
as regards our ability to repay Or at what sacri-
6cep Where are the roads to be built is a
consideration, toop All the people are to help
pay the cost, hence they should be entitled to
the benefits that are to accrue. The question
is important
ST Mary county is far TOO fine place III
which to live for US to run the grave risk of
having the gaunt skeleton Of hunger and want
stalk through our thinly-peopled gardens oil
y,I0y,fxy (1ur ~ rata III aIreadv hIgh and iE