Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-05-04
Demand Popular Vote.

The committee which the County Com
missioners of Baltimore county have ap-
pointed to fight annexation has adopted
a declaration Of principles in which it is
announced that the committee will oppose
any annexation bill which does not sub
init the matter to vote Of the people in
the territory proposed to be annexed. Rec
oenizing that an annexation bill is certain
to be introduced in the next Legislature.
the Baltimore countians will make their
stand upon the referendum feature.
Representatives Of the city have stated
positively that they will oppose referendum.
because referendum would mean the
certain defeat Of annexation. To this the
county people reply that this attitude of
the city people is an admission that their
cause is unjust. The Baltimore county
tax rate is now one dollar and that Of the
city is practically twice as high. with
sitter rate of assessment. The county
people insist that 1t would be grossly I'M
fair forcibly to take about one-half their
number away and double their taxes They
claim that such a proceeding has been
provided against in Section /. Article IS.
of the Constitution, which says:
Nor shall the lines of any county be
changed without the consent Of majority
of the legal voters residing within the dis
trict which. under said proposed change,
would form part Of county different
from that to which il belonged prior to
said change"
This provision Of the Constitution of
1857, the Baltimore countians urge, merely
embodies the unbrokcn Maryland tradition
that the territorial rights of the counties
must be observed and that no portion Of
the people shall be taken from one juris-
diction and placed under another without
their consent. AS the various sections of
the State have developed il has been found
necessary for the convenience of the peo-
pie to create new counties, but this always
has been done at the desire of the people
living within the territory so changed
Never has any county or part Of county
been bought or sold or transferred against
the will Of its inhabitants. as the Balti-
more countians claim would be the case
were they TO part with the section which
the city is endeavoring to get.
This answers a question frequently put
to Baltimore county people: why don't
you give the city somethinei" The county
men claim they have no right, even II they
were willing to do so. to trade off or give
away any Of their loyal citizens, especially
when the transfer would work such hard
ship upon the taxpayers transferred. tits
urged that vast majority Of the subur-
banites are wage earners. who have found
it possible to establish homes in the county
because Of the lower rate Of taxation. and
that to double their taxes would amount
to virtual confscation Of their property.
The Baltimore county people lay much
stress upon County Rights. pointing out
that the counties in Maryland, being the
units Of division, occupy far more impor-
tant position than do the counties in
many other States. In other States the
township or hundred or parish is the unit
Of division and the counties are merely
convenient groupings Of these units and
are without individuality. Every county
in Maryland has Its own peculiar history.
just as much so as the various States in
the Union. The city is recognized as a
county by the Code Of Public General Laws
and is in no sense a part Of Baltimore
county. to which II did belong prior to 1850. |
Gov. Harrington will call the Maryland
Legislature in extra session on May is.
The object Of the session is to enact State
I.ial.a;o.. AZ. nor. forrn In Cor,nrnnaionnl ...n.