The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-10-25
MIR ARMsTR0NG's CAMPAIGN


MR. ARMSTRONG'S CAMPAIGN
Mr.. Armstrong, the Republican
candidate for Governor, continues
well the bomhardmcnt of the Richie
castle with some of his heaviest ar
tillery. His first presentation of evil
dence to support the charges of waste
and extravaganza by the present
State administration was made last
Monday in Baltimore, and this was
followed by an address at Leonard
town, the following day, dealing with
increases of wages and salaries, out
side the public schools, and outside
of several specified departments of II
per cent in the past four years, in
crcasos Of about a million dollars.
The Leonardtown speech is one Of the
most important, but it probably only
serves as a preface to Subsequent IN
lghteqmcnt Of voters concerning the
high cost Of government. which is a
conspicuous factor in the high cost
Of living. Taxes are Of vital interest
to those taxpayers VINO cannot Incl
dentally recover them from tenants
or customers. They seriously affect
the tenant in the vast majority of
instances, and the customer of com
modities, with few exceptions. How
ever, it is a well recognized fact that
the farmer cannot control selling pri-
cos, and hence the tax bill concerns
him more than any ere el @. His only
weapon to bring about relief is the
ballot, and there are signs that he is
in revolt not only in Maryland but in
many other States. 1t is not our pm'-
pose in this article to elaborate fur
Their on Mr.. Armstrong; determina-
ton to prove the Richie administra-
ton an Expensive luxury to the
State His speeches along this line
are more clarifying than anything
we can say.
It was characteristic of Mr. Arm
strong that he could not be hurried
into striking before the iron was hot
Three calls for proof were made by
Governor Richie, which helped to
arouse interest in what our candidate
had to say, and the latter is probably
assured more attentive audience
now on the account of the strategic
delay in opening.
The State has heard Mr.. Arm
srcng speak on reassessment, on re-
organization, on the perversion of tbs
fewer elections proposition 20 obtain
partisan advantage, on board Of edu-
cation appointments, ard many Other
topics
Keassessment has added S93,O00,-
900 to the basis in the counties, and
despite slightly lower State tay
rate, many Maryland taxpayers find
their payments larger. Over in Wash
lngton county genuinely economic
al Republican board of county COM
miSsioners made a real slash in the
county tax rate, AID is collecting less
money than before, without curtailinq
any necessary expenditures. More
money, however, goes to the State
treasury from this county This yea1
than ever, but this is Of consequence
o,,1v 10 rof,,+ipo, 4L,o f,II,o;o,,- aI,.,.-
that State taxes have been actually
reduced. What is important is that
the Richie administration hal super
abundant sources of revenue before
reassessment and enlightenment con-
corning the liberal spending Of the
same.
Reorganization is a topic that prop
ably has little interest for the major
ity of voters except with respect to
its failure to bring about any saving,
The Burke commission promised that
half million dollars would be saved
but if there has been any Democratic
contention that the plan after being
put in operation saved a single cent
| it has escaped our notice.
Results are what the electorate ex-
poets, and the administrative methods
tof obtaining those results are prob
lens that may well be delegated to
those in authority, Mr.. Armstrong;
discussion of reorganization got wide
publicity because it is one Of the hob
bies of the Baltimore press, but most
people were probably much more in