Evening capital. [volume] (Annapolis, Md.) 1922-1981, 1922-10-25
THREE COMMISSIONERS
LAW WILL SERVE BEST
INTERESTS OF COUNTY
tcsntinued From Page u


er bill. Mr.. Weems said that he re-
garded II as q most constructive law
ana one that is in the interest OF the
taxpayers. lie especially commended
tho feature which limited the road
tax 10 80 cents; the one providing
for an adequate salary for q road en-
gineer. and all the other OF its pro-
visions. asserting that the bill as a
whole should be great improvement
in the system of county government
In Anne Arundel.
Mr.. Howard Discusses nh
Allen Bowie Howard. OF Annapo-
lis. who introduced the three com.
missioner bin in the House of Dele
gates. also advances strong argu-
monts in support of the bill Said
lir Howard:
Shall the affairs OF the County
Of Anne Arundel be administered by
Ia board OF seven commissioners or oil
three? Why seven? Why not three
The question is one for honest DIFF
ference OF opinion and omen discus
sion. In this light only, should il be
we'll considered and broadly discuss.
ed between now and the time when
the voters shall register their decls-
ion on the eth OF November and in
order that they may register that de-
cision In the full light OF all tho facts
and Of the truth.
1T Is not matter In which II
should be sought 10 influence them
by subterfuge or secretive methods or
in which the issue should be clouded
or obscured by any Misrepresentation
II is not q matter upon Shich they
should base their final conclusion by
reason OF any one-sidod contention.
IL is r matter in which they arc TOO
acutely and intimately interested. for
this.
Only One Negative Veto
The bill reducing the number OF
County Commissioners from seven To
three was introduced by me in the
House OF Delegates on my own initia-
tive. but | am glad 10 say, with tho
active aid and cooperation OF men
whose opinion and Judgment 1 value
most highly and whose interest in
all that pertains TO the good OF the
county can not be doubted. As its
sponsor. l am ready 10 stand square
~ back OF 1t now. The bill passed
the House with only one negative
vote. that OF O member OF the Anne
Arundel delegation who told me that
the plan had not worked we'll when
tried out before. Well, that was fully
20 years ago and IL might be proper
TO suggest that the fault was not with
The system, but with those who ad-
ministered il and with the political
conditions then existing.
CONVINCED Oh las Merit
THE underlying motive with me as
to this bill is, that after years OF
study ana observation. am convinced
that the minimum and not the maxi
mum number should be held In mind
and applied assto all governing boards
and commissions. / believe this TO
be sound in principle and most effec-
tive In practice. Why have O larger
body TO perform any public service il
experience and economy may be had
through the smaller body? Why dif-
fuse your authority and lessen your
responsibility? These are days when
people look for more than perfume
tory performance in the administra-
ton OF public duties. Never before
has there been n time when every
public servant must so wholly render
account of his stewardship. and IL the
men do not keep this as q central
thought before them. the women will
Why. then. not three commission
ers instead OF seven? Or contrari-
wise. why the larger if IL may tie
shown that the smaller body would
and in every other county Ia the
state. does function so much moro
satisfactorily?
Questions Motive Oi Referendum
What about this bill. then, that