The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-11-02
~ 1nmr1N enmEVOTE FOR THESE CANDIDATES FOR GOOD GOVERN
w. MI opn.nN nrrr'rn MENT
CANDIDATE
DEFEATED
MIR. ATWOOD, REPUBLICAN
FOR COMPTROLLER, WAS
BY 10000
IN 1913 IN BALTIMORE CITY AS CANDIDATE FOR SRVEYOR-HS CHANO
Ed HIS AFFILATION FREQUENTLY

I their candidate for City Surveyor.
There was a Democratic slump that
year and Mr. Atwood was elected.
I The receipts of the City Surveyors
office in his term ran from $4,000 to
$4,000 a year in fees, as Mr.. Atwood
admitted in an interview printed In
the Baltimore News on September Is,
1918. Under Article XIV, Section !,
of the Constitution of Maryland, all
fee officers, except justices or the
peace, constables and cOrOner5, are
required to make yearly reports to
the State Comptroller showing the
receipts and expenditures OF the Of
fee Mr. Atwood did not do this, and
when his attention was called to his
omission he said that he was ignor-
ant of the provisions of the Constl-
tuition and that he did not think it
applied to his office.
Where salaries are not specified,
the Constitution permits the office
holder to pay the expenses of the OF
flee out of the receipts and to retain
$4,000 a year as his salary. All the
surplus he must turn over to the
State Treasury. As Mr.. Atwood made
no report, SO also did he turn moth
ing over to the State Treasury. His
excuse was:
AS matter of fact not more than
one-sixth is gain to the surveyor, as
the ether five siXths goes to pay his
assistants. [ should say that when it
is all figured up the net income of the
City Surveyor, from official sources,
is little more than $4,000 a year"
But Mr.. Atwood did not increase his
office force while he was City Sur
veyor His staff remained as it had
been before, and as it is now. In addi-
ton to this, the city paid his office
rent, SO it is difficult to see wherein
he was put to additional expense.
The largest part of this big income
of Surveyor Atwood came from the
very poor of the city, beCasue il came
from what are called delinquent tax
sales-that is, when property is sold
for the nOn-payment Of taxes. At that
time the City Surveyor received for
each piece of property sold for tax
a fee of $3.50 for an alleged survey
This survey really consisted in meas
uring the lot with tape line and the
actual expense was probably less than
81 for each lot. In fact, when it was
made by assistants whose salaries
were going on all the same, the ac
tual cost was nearly nothing at all.
This fee of $3.50 was assessed up
on the delinquent taxpayers. At that
time there were from 5000 to 1000
such sales every year, so it can be
seen that the aggregate amounted to
a handsome sum. Mr. Atwood was
succeeded by IL Democrat, and upon !
his successors recommendation the
Tee system was abolished as to this .
office .
The Baltimore News said editori- !
ally, on October I, 1913, of Mr.. At
wood:
1T is the duty OF the City Surveyor
o file report each year of his re
eipts and expenses. If such report
S not fled, the STATE Comptroller
should either demand it or else the
Governor should take action and de-
;lare the office vacant, which duty is
imposed OH him by the Constitution"
No such action was taken, but it Is
worth noting that Mr.. Atwood was de-
Gated for reelection about y 600 ma
GRITTY
The contrast between the two can
lidates is thus fairly, but pertinently,
placed, before the public. 1t is a con-
rast that every intelligent Maryland
yoter should carefully consider in
making up his mind rs to how his
ballot should be cast on Novemb Der G.