Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-03-02
County Home RuIe.

In 1915 the State of Maryland passed
constitutional amendment providing for
larger measure Of local government the
City Of Baltimore and each Of the coun-
ties to be a unit
The purpose of this amendment Is to
relieve the State government of local mat
tiers, which are little appreciated by the
whole legislative body and consume its
valuable time; also to provide legislation
for each county suited to its peculiar
needs. L..
The consequence Of the present situa-
tion is to use ponderous ill-suited and
expensive machine to do small job and
to have our purely local affairs neglected.
Local elf-government has grown steadily
as an extension of the democratic form Of
government Il can be of the greatest
value to community, or it may be
terrible evil; just as the people use it.
This is true Of democratic government in
the largest groups as well as in the
smallest; except that there are safeguards
in the large groups that do not always
exist in the small ones.
The democratic form Of government can
only be realized by an intelligent. we'll
informed and responsible citizenship. The
question then. as far as Montgomery coun-
ty Is concerned. is this; Have we an cleo
torate capable Of appreciating greater
governmental privilegesH This new con-
stitutional amendment Is at our disposal;
we can either take II and use 1t, or leave
It. as We please.
II we decide to use IT, what can we do
under its provisionsi Any answer to this
question cannot be more than suggestive
and general: no one can say what laws
ought to be passed by any government at
some future time. so we can safely leave
tomorrow in this sense to care for ITSELF
As to the possibilities under this con-
stitutlonal amendment we might say that
the county is already established as a
practical working unit. 1t is possible to
know the county in detail, and organize
its affairs in such away that all its interests
may be fully safeguarded. 1t is also posi-
BILE to understand the splendid possibilities
Of the county: TO promote and foster them
to the enrichment of the lives Of the people
spiritually. morally. mentally and mate
rally; Spiritually by greater apprecia-
ton Of the fundamental principles that
underlie all the concerns Of man morally
by a more ready willingness to obey the
moral standards that rule in the relations
Of men; mentally through improved edu-
cational conditions; materially by more
effective means Of production. more eco
nomical means Of distribution. and more
remunerative marketing.
To increase our burdens without increas-
ing the benefits Is the thing that will
appeal at first to our fears; IL we were to
accomplish merely the increase of politics
and ofhceholders. and maybe taxation. the
result would be very undesirable we have
too often in this country introduced a
remedy for a serious evil, which has proved
merely to be greater and additional evil.
On the other hand, there is no such law
in this world as letting well enough alone"
In all the history Of mankind II has ever
been the beginning Of the backward course
to destruction mankind is like a bicycle.
1t must either move forward or fall
Whether Montgomery county is willing
to take this forward step or be content to
stagnate is for the people themselves to
say The price for the rich returns from
the proper use Of this constitutional amend
ment Is larger investment Of democracy.
At the meeting Of the Community Con-
ference. held In Rockville last fall, this
matter came up. and a committee was
appointed to report at the next annual
meeting. have the honor Of being chair
man Of this committee and would be glad
to get suggestions which would enable Us
to make a valuable report.
JAMES KIRKPATRICK.
Bradley Lane. Chevy Chase. ID. C.
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