The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-07-09

erned by a mayor and councilmen-all
fine, capable men-but no better than
those governing the affairs of the Mt.
Lake Park Community.
So far as the Association is con-
cerned, it pays its taxes to the Com
munity, just the same as any other
taxpayer. The Association has no
voice in determining how these taxes
shall be spent. The Annual Commit
tee looks after the working of the al
leys and streets, taking care of the
sewers, lights, ETC., all of these things
being attended to as in any munich
pality.
l am not criticising anyone for not
thinking just as do. We all have a
right to our opinion-the readers of
this letter the same right as 1. Hence
we should be more charitable to one
another. Surely we are all interest
ed in the Park-the people of Oakland
as we'll as those living in the Park. 1t
means much to us all. The only diff
ference of opinion seems to be as to
the best way to govern Mountain Lake
Park: whether it is to continue as 1T
is, or whether it should be incorpor-
ated. I do not think we should form
a hasty or biased judgment. I think
we should take time to consider this
matter seriously, whether it is best
to incorporate Mountain Lake Park
and have the Association withdraw its
support, or to allow it to continue as
it is and lend our good will and sup
port to the Association in building up
a better program each year.
Some people think that if the Park
is incorporated the Association will
gram as it has been doing. But the
Association says it will withdraw its
support, and 1 believe it will. Some
think the Park will be as we'll off
without the Association. l think not.
Look elsewhere. Is Deer Park, for
example, as we'll off with the Deer
Park Hotel closed as when it was full
of guests? We can name any num-
Der of villages, which, despite natural
advantages, do not attract as many
people as does Mountain Lake Park
through the efforts of the Association
and practically all at its own expense.
The Association maintains its build
ihgs, advertises the Park, puts on the
different programs, employs its super
intendent, keeps its own grounds IN
order, principally at its own expense.
Look at the number of people who at
tend the camp meeting alone.- Consider
all the other conventions at the
Park during the year., Do they mean
ANYTHING to the hotels, the farmers,
the dairymen, the merchants in the
Park and in Oakland? We all must
- 1oY
terially if the Association should
withdraw its support from the Park.
| want to say few words about
the factor it is a fact-that the
Foreign Mission Board operates at
Mountain Lake Park at a loss. So
far as dollars and cents are concerned,
the Association always lost money in
it's operations at the Park. / was
one of the directors of the Mountain
Lake Park Association, with some of
the best business men in the county:
such men as John M. Davis, D. E.
Offutt, G. S. Hamill, all of Oakland;
and DR.. Charles w. Baldwin, of Bal
timore-men who made a success of
their own business but could not pos
sibly run the affairs of the Association
without loss.
The older residents of the Park and
of Oakland will remember what great
chautauquas DR.. Davidson had at the
Park, and they will remember how he
would stand on the platform and plead
with us to come to his assistance to
help meet the financial deficit. The
Association continued operations until
it was over $4,000 in debt, when its
burden became so heavy that it turned
the property over to the Foreign Mis-
sion Board, thinking. that organization
could manage the affairs to better ad-
vantage. Sufficient money was SUBJ
scribed to pay the Indebtedness and
the Association gave the Board its
stock, in addition to the money SUBJ
scribed. That this amounted to some
thing will be seen from the fact that
taxes are now being paid on valu-
alton of $4,000. If the Mission Board
was operating from motive of gain,
it would have withdrawn long ago.:
You maintain your churches; would
you call that money thrown away?
No company, no matter who composes
it, can put on program and conduct
affairs in the fine manner in which
the Association has done it for these
years without loss. So my sugges-
ton would be for all of us to get to-
gether and see if we cannot help the
Association to put on larger and
better program and keep Mountain
Lake Park on the map as a summer
resort, founded upon Christian prin-
ciples; a place where one may have
opportunity for religious and literary
instruction and recreation in the best
sense.
No more beautiful spot can be found
than Mountain Lake Park.
Yours very truly,
l.. ... A. D. NAYLOR.