The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1922-03-03
FRIDAY, MARCH 3rd, 1922
4 REVIEW OF THE GRAND JURY
REPORT

\ survey OF the recent Grand jury
rcpor, seems proper at this time "a
tina; the merits Of both sides Of the
cIsc may be brought out. The Grand
jury was in session 3 days, at the end
o, which il reported there are 10 telc.
phones in and about the courthouse
and used by the general public; that
lights outside the town limits Of Rel
Air are paid for by the public treasury;
lights and water are used wastcfully:
and that the expenses Of the Offices Of
County Assessor, County Agent and
Juvenile Court are increasing so that
II these costs cannot be reduced the
Officer should be eliminated.
In reply, the Jury secms 10 have been
most Industrious in its study Of con
dition' and aims TO keep down county
expenses. But in passing these ac-
count tho County Commissioners have
given the matter careful study over a
long period Of years and as result Of
their study It is their belief the cx-
penses are wisely incurred in the in
terests Of public convenience and pub
lie shfety.
Undoubtedly strong hand should
control the use Of public telephones for
private purposes and little tact used
along this line would accomplish de-
sired results without hurting the feel
inga Of any. A public pay booth is
conveniently located in the courthouse
corridor for private calls. Rather high
bills. however, do not necessarily indi-
cate wastcfulness. For instance each
time the Clerk of the Court notifies
jurors over the phone not to attend
court 1t costs several dollars but saves
the county about seventy five dollars.
As TO the matter of paying for
lights out Of town, this action was TAX
en- by the Commissioners on the basis
that modern traffic demands that every
possible protection should be extend
cd tho travelling public in thickly set
tel areas. To our knowledge four
persons have been struck by machines
near Bel Air during the past three
years. One was killed and three in
jured. With only this issue we re-
count the death Of man at Darlington
In an unlighted section Of road. HUI
man life is above price. II Is needless
to say that the rule to be equitable
should be applied to all main roads
leading into towns having n lighting
system.
The matter Of undue use of lights
and water In the courthouse while only
totaling n comparatively few dollars
Is well worthy Of consideration. This
comes within the special province of
tho Courthouse Commission and should
be checked by them.
So far as the various officers are
concerned, some are created by state
laws and others by county statute. The
County Agent was brought ct the in
sistent demand Of our foremost farm
era who to-day consider him their most
valuable ally. We dare say no other
county officer can show SO many sta
tiRtics rs to where his efforts have
brought money into the taxpayers
pockets. Add to this the potential val
ue Of n wide agricultural education
hundreds Of boys are getting, then
the sums expended by the fed
eral government towards the County
Agents support and we believe there
will be no doubt us to the result.
The Juvenile Court officer is provid
ri fer by a statute left in the hands of
the Judge TO enforce. As her work is
SO nearly labor of love, and is warm
y supported by contributions through.
put the county, the chances are that
hvon under the strain of present de-
preston citizens will not urge her re-
.l7ement ON the basis Of economy.
We congratulate the Jury upon its
and urge their rcpcti-
ion at frequent intervals,