Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-10-11

What Is a city7
Many persons believe that II Is q
large collection Of people and houses,
with streets. lNiIroad feFzninals,s fr6IF
ley cars, street tghting and other
facilities for business and comfort. Z
Others seem to think that city con.
sists Of mayor and city council.
multitude Of other ONCE holders,
bonded debt. high taxes, minor priv
iIeges and similar things which are
characteristic OF municipal govern
ments The opponents Of annexation
urge that the actual city is not neces-
sarily the same In extent as the
political city. and may grow at liberty
regardless OF this boundaries Of tine
latter.
Baltimore. they urge. In It's true
lense, and as II is known to business
men elsewhere. consists Of the whole
rig settlement located about the
nayigable portion Of the Patapsco
river. Part OF II Is under the control
Of a mayor and city council and haa
the other municipal features fnention
ed above. the remainder is under the
governments OF Baltimore and Anne
Arundel counties. The residents OF
each section, II Ia asserted, are salts.
hed with their present form OF govern
ment
Governments For the People.
The settlements came first; the
county and city governments came
afterward TO facilitate the business,
safety. comfort and pleasure Of the set
.lers The governments were created
for the people. not the people for the
governments
Lack Of proper consideration OF this
TACT. II Is claimed. causes some per.
sons unwlttinely to fall in with the
scheme TO extend the political boun-
iarles OF Baltimore. These boundaries
were set 70 define the section over
which the people residing therein
Wished the city government TO have
soatrol OF their public affairs. The
ETY. officials. II Is urged. have no in.
heTent right to extend their sway over
| people without their consent II Is a
fundamental maxim OF law that all
-government should he by and with ths
consent OF the governed
The county people alle6e that fh4
cry that "naitimorn must have room
70 grow il subterfage They iHH
alst that the city. IN is real sense 81 q
arge collection o. pe0pie. with ali their
paraphernaiin Of business and pleas
ure. IL growing all the tiine--much
faster than II u we're all controlled by
the Mayor and City Council Within
ne past few years. owing to q great
expansion N manufacturing. the rate
Of increase In population and property
values In the suburban sections has
been very rapid
No FastorIes In Annsx OF feee.
The anHexationiats claim that this
influx OF big business would have
come juat the same. even II the city
had nt.oliod all the territory In
which thee factories are located. The
answer Of their opponents Is that the
city now has thousands OF acres Of
vacant land In taa Annex OF 1888, and
not enc factory OF any consequence has
been located thoge. on the contrary,
they say. there are many instances
where larfe plants have been located
| lust across the linein the counties
| md purposely. TO to beyond the juris.
diction Of the city government.
County Government Cheaper.
Tho counties have the commission
form OF government. which is cheaper
| than that cf the city The salary ron
Of office holders Of the city was 81,
2ig1s211 IN 1915, the last year for
witch a published City Comptroller's
report Is available, according TO state.
ments Of the anti.annexaiionista. who
point out that the corresponding pay
| roll for Baltimore county was $l0s,.
| 97374 The tax rate OF Baltimore
county this year IL sI06, while that
Of the city II si9s But the county
| pays all It's expcnees from its tax levy.
Claim City Wants More Power.
To enjoy the lighter taxes and other
attractions which the county has to
offer in the way OF fewer restrictions
and more room and quiet. some OF the
former residents OF the corporate city
have moved into Baltimore county.
Many mere here gone into that sec
zion from other parts of Maryland and
from other States The opponents OF
annexation claim that the rulers OF
the political Baltimore, which they in
sist Is not at all identical with the
real city, want to grasp all these PEG.
ole and all the wealth Of the suburbs
and thereby acquire the power which
this mass OF people and taxable prop
erty would give them---a power which
Il Is alleged would enable them 10 ex
pand the limits of the city at viii
thereafter and control the political ar
fairs OF the State II II contended
that II the voters Of Maryland win this
fall elect the Democratic candidates
tor State Comptroller and the Leeis
lature this plan win fail. for the
Democratic party has declared in
favor OF annexation. but with refer
endum The opponents Of tho pro-
posed bill claim that It Is 30 drastic
that It's framsrs know the people or
suburbs win mot vote TO enter the
N upon such terms.