Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1917-11-03

admitted IN an interview printed ~ the
Baltimore News on September % 1913
Under Article Ky, Section Of the
Constitution Of Maryland. all fee off
GERS. except justices Of the peace. con
stables and coroners. are required to
make yearly reports TO the State Comp
troller showing the receipts and eNpen
ditures Of the Office Mr. Atwood did
not DO this. and when his attention was
called to his omission he said that he
was ignorant of the provisions of the
Constitution and that he did not think
il applied TO his office
Where salaries are not specified, the
Constitution permits the ofiiceholder to
/ pay the expenses Of the office out of the
receipts and to retain 80. 00o year az
his salary. All the surplus he must
/ turn over to the State Treasury As
Mr.. Atwood made no report. 40 also did
he turn nothing over to the State Treas.
ury. His excuse was:
AS a matter of fact. not more than
one-sixth is gain to the surveyor, as the
other five-sixths goes to pay his assis-
tants. | should say that when il is all
figured up the net income Of the City
! Surveyor, from official sources is little
more than 81. 600 a year
But Mr. Atwood did not increase his
Office force while he was City Surveyor
His staff remained as il had been before.
and as il is now In addition to this
the city paid his office rent. so il il
difficult TO see wherein he was put to
additional expense
The largest part OF tins big income
of Surveyor Atwood came from the very
poor Of the city. because It came from
what are called delinquent tax sales that
is. when property il sold for the non
payment of taxes At that time the
City Surveyor received for each piece
Of property sold for taxes fee Of - 80
for an alleged survey This survey
really consisted in measuring the lot
with a tape line and the actual expense
was probably less than 81 90 for each
lot. In fact when it was made by as
sistants whose salaries were going on
all the same. the actual cost was nearly
nothing at all
This fee Of So 80 was assessed upon
the delinquent taxpayers At that time
there were from 1900 to 1000 such
sales every year, so it can be seen that
the aggregate amounted to handsome
sum. Mr.. Atwood was succeeded by
Democrat. and upon his successors rec
concentration the fee system was abol-
ished "a to this office.
The Baltimore News said editorlally.
on October 1. 1913. of Mr. Atwood
1t is the duty Of the City Surveyor
to file report each year of his receipts
and expenses. If such a report is not
filed. the State Comptroller should either
demand it or else the Governor should
take action and declare the office va
cant. which duty is imposed on him by
the Constitution
No such action was taken. but il il
worth noting that Mr. Atwood was !r-
feated for reelection by about Il, 900
majority
As noted above t j. the duty Of the
Comptroller of Maryland To supervise
all the Zee Offices If the state and see
that the proper reports are made to him
When the expenses claimed in these re-
ports seem to him excessive, it is his
duty to make an investigation and dis
allow any claims that ara not properly
incurred All this Mr McMulen has
done most ably. never pleading as eX-
emption for official iereliction ignorance
of the constitutional provisions CONTROL
ing his Office Mr. McMuicn has never
entertained the view as apparently held
by Mr. Atwood and few others who
are prone t. consider all the money that
comes into their hands ~ legitimate
gain. and when their error Is pointed out
to them to plead ignorance Of the law
and give a statement that they have
kept no more than they We're entitled 10
anyway, in MIR Atwood's case sole
$50. 000 to $50. 600 in four years
The contrast between the tvs candi-
dates il thus fairly. but pertinon ty, plac-
ed before the public 1t i. contrast
that every intelligent Maryland voter
should carefully consider in making up
his mind rs to how his ballot should be
cast on November g.
Published by authority of !. Hubert
Wade. Treasurer Democratic State
Central Committee