Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1922-03-22
Entered al Annapolis POstoffice as
Second Class Matter.
WEDNESDAY. MARCH %. 1922.
COUNTY ROAD LEGISLATION

Radical or frequent changes in
the laws relating TO important
branches OF government are, as a
general proposition to be avoid
cd, SO it is with the road laws
for Anne Arundel county. In
1908 these laws were revised in a
comprehensive way. and they
were then probably abreast OF the
times concerning road admins
tration. Realizing that this de
partment of county business was
forming an increasingly large
proportion of the duties OF the
County Commissioners, the lat
ter were constituted as a road
board and were given a salary OF
$500 in addition to that which
they received as County Commits
siohers, which was also 500
An engineer was provided for at
a maximum salary of $4,000. and
other provisions were moor
porated in the law which were at
that time considered decidedly
progressive. The Road Board,
however, was required to meet
only once month, and the En-
gineer's salary was put at hg-
ure which, under present condi-
tidns, is entirely inadequate for
any man possessing the qualihca-
tions prescribed.
Moreover, there have been re
vealed other weaknesses which
have proved to be not only pos
sible but apparently inevitable
under the existing laws. For in
stance, with a board of seven
County Commissioners, there has
gradually been established a gov
eminent by and for districts,
rather than by and for the coun-
" as a whole. The 'recommen-
dation of each District Commits
Sioner has been accepted without
question by the Board on each
and every matter relating to that
district. 1t has been a sort OF
senatorial courtesy" and strict
~ adhered to. Thus has grown
UP a system, especially as relates
tosroads. whereunder one district
has been played against another
for all that it was worth in the
matter of local appointments and
other district perquiSites. III
short, the system has begotten a
one-man government for the sew
eral districts, instead Of a board
administration.
Therefore, under such condi-
tons. and in the light of the eX-
periepces which have come TO the
county in recent years, a revision of
the road laws is both desirable and
necessary for a progressive and eff
iicient administration of the coun-
tvs busineSs.-and road business i'll
particular. This branch of govern
ment has gotten TO be so extensive
in recent years that it is of para
mount consideration in framing
legislation affecting the county syS-
TEN.
Therefore, the bill introduced in
the Legislature by Delegate Allen
Bowie Howard, Of Anne Arundel
county, providing for reducing the
membership OF the Board of Coun-
ty Commissioners from seven to
three. has much to recommend it,
and would be a really constructive
piece OF legislation. An important
incident OF the bill is that the
change shall not be effective until
the election in November. 1923.
This would leave undisturbed the
terms of the present members of
the Board, who would fiji out the
period for which they were elected.
This is just as it should be, for
they are entitled to that immuni-
" and to an unhampered oppor-
tunity for doing the best they can
10 fulfill their duty.
The bill. by providing salary of
1000 for each of the three COM
missioners and making the term
four years, would offer that much
more attraction for high grade
men, who would doubtless feel