Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1918-04-11
St. Mary's County has every reason to Be


by her representatives at the recent session Of
the General Assembly. Senator Charles S.
Crason and Delegates Joseph M. Mattngly
and George c. beverley have made record
and established reputation in the Legislature
that not only reflects great credit upon them
selves, both individually and as delegation,
but should be source of general qualification
to their constituents and to the citizens OF the
county generally. Their action on every mea-
sure under consideration has proven their devo-l
ton to St. Mays and her best interests, and in
every instance has demonstrated that they were
influenced but by one purpose namely, to serve
and represent the people of this county in deed
as well as In name, and in so doing to devote to
their task the ability and integrity which was
responsible for their election.
Among the bills which they were instrument
tai in passing, and in which St, Mays is espec-
tally interested, may be mentioned the State
wide dog tax law and Statewide game law.
Our representatives in both branches Of the
Legislature are to be congratulated that they
had the courage to vote and work for this much
needed legislation. There are entirely too
many dogs and not near enough sheep In this
county. The owners Of sheep-hlling dogs
have had all the representation In previous
Legislatures that they were entitled to and it is
high time that the sheep industry was being
protected and fostered and the dog menace
curbed.
A bill increasing the pay Of the Count, Com
mssloners to $500 per year and limiting their
compensation to that amount, was introduced
b. Senator Grason, who steered it through the
upper body. after which Messrs. MatingIy and
Pevehey engineered its passage In the House
Fnissis a step In the eITechon OF raising the
Office Of County Commissioner to the dignity
and position which it deserves. The Com
missioners' Office if properly administered, is the
most important one in any county. They are
actually the managing directors of the biggest
business in the county, namely, the county it.
self The office should be made attractive and
ad, quately remunerative to the most successful
citizens In the community. Neither the most
capable men nor the best results can be obtain
ed on the per diem basis.
Two road bills, introduced respectively by
Messrs Mattingly and beverley, and passed by
both houses, provide for the construction Of
gravel or concrete roads from some point on our
present State road to the Patuxent River and
a similar one from an undetermined point on
the State road to point In the Seventh district.
With no railroad and with navigation closed for
two months In the year. good roads are more
necessary to St. Mary's than to any other coun-
ty in the State. This is the kind Of legislation
that is worth while, not only to meet our pres
ent needs, but as permanent improvement that
will be enjoyed by the next generation as well
as the present one.
1t is regrettable that two measures introduced
by Senator Grason failed Of enactment. One
would have compelled the c. & P. Telephone
Company to extend its lines, under certain
conditions, at its own expense, to serve pros
pective subscribers residing within miles Of an
existing line. The bill would have brought
sever isolated sections within telephone COM
siostion without prohibidye cost to the pa