The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-07-09
On Incorporation of Mountain Lake
Park,

To the Editor of The Republican
AS one having property in Mountain
Lake Park and hoping to occupy it
somewhat permanently, I have COM
mon interest in the Park with those
who are residents here, and as minis
| ter of the Methodist Episcopal church,
temporarily assisting the Association
in some of its work, can but have
sympathetic attitude toward the As
ISOLATION. I am prompted, therefore,
after reading some things. in your
paper and hearing the. matter of in
corporation discussed since coming
here last week, to submit to your read
ers some reflections of mine on the
subject.
In two things, it seems to me, the
thinking of some who discuss this
matter is not clear. First; they think
of and treat the Association as not
having the rights of person. Sec.
ond, they do not see what may result
from treating the Association in this
manner.
AS l understand it, the plea for in
corporation is based on giving every
one share in the control of the Park
with an advantage to those who re-
side here, in that there are no proxy
votes. 1t being claimed that control
should be with those on the ground
rather than with those far away.
Now let us think of the Association
as being one person, which under the
law. it is, and that person yourself.
You bought the original tract and the
State gave you a charter to conduct
RELIGIOUS. educational and recrea-
tional resort. You sold off your land
TO others who cared to come here I'M
der certain understandings and re-
strictions. = In due time, you changed
your charter by an act OF the Leglsla-
ture to permit the Community TO
choose two, you to choose two and the
four to select fifth, who should ad-
minister the affairs of the corpora
ton. But since you were responsible
for programs and deficits, should they
occur, YOU retained the right in case
the four failed to name the fifth, you
should be permitted to name him. .
For many years you carried on what
you thought a worthy work OF the re-
iigious and educational kind, always
with deficits, which you met. But be-
cause you instructed those having
charge for you to use all care IN max
ing the sum you must pay out as small
as possible, persons who thought you
had too great power, appealed to the
Legislature to permit them to deter
mine by their vote whether your char
ter should be revoked, you not being
permitted to cast a vote in protest,
and to authorize them to set up
form of civil and political government
which your charter definitely forblds
in order to eliminate all political con-
sideration and influence, under which
government you are not even per-
mitted to cast vote for those chosen
to conduct it's affairs, although you
nav more than one-tenth Of all the
taxes paid.
And should you appeal to the courts
to sustain your rights and the courts
should deny that you had any rights,
how long do you think you would con-
tinue to spend your time and pay your
money out to conduct programs there!
And with these conditions, to whom
do YOU think you could sell your
property and they would take your
place? And if those of us who are
residents here are going to treat those
who are at distance as though they
were intruders into our affairs. how
are we going to enlarge and. build up
the place unless we have large money
to spend ourselves?
Mountain Lake Park, Md, July 8.