The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-02-02
SENATOR ]. ALLAN COAD
AGAINFLAYSSTATEBUDCET
Charges Funds Have Been Used
To Build Up AutOcratic, Dan
gerOus Political Machine
REBUKED IN PAMPHLET

Sdult on legislative lnacCl0n ana GOV-
ernor Albert C. Ritchie's budget in the
Senate and throughout the State last
Thursday with a privately distributed
pamphlet demanding that funds
which "have for years gone to build
up in this State an autocratic and
dangerous political machine" be made
available for the reduction of local
tax rates.
Senator Coad's folder, entitled "a
Word of Warming" copy Of which
was received at The Republican office
last Thursday morning, apparently
was sent to members of the General
Assembly on the heels of his denun-
citation of legislative lethargy of last
Wednesday.
Asks Percent Race Tax
Among other things, Senator Coad
recommended a 5 per cent tax on
pari-mutuel bets, the proceeds to be
credited to the equalization fund to
lower the present school rate Of 81
cents.
"The people of Maryland" Senator
Coad begins, care at this moment
threatened with the most serious sit
uation ever yet encountered and which
unless met by prompt and determined
action by the people themselves at
this session of the Maryland legisla-
ture, will result in the actual confis-
cation of not only thousands Of small
homes in the city but thousands of
farms in the counties"
The senator blamed unemployment
in the city and the low return for farm
products for the existing crisis and
continued:
"The cause of this menacing and
appalling condition is twofold. First
due to unemployment in the city,
many citizens who up until year or
two were self-supporting and prosper
Gus, now find themselves unable to
pay their taxes, in many instances
compelled to resort to the charity Of
others in order to even live, whereas
in the counties where farming is the
chief source of revenue, the low re-
turn for farm products of any kind
and all descriptions has virtually rem
dered hundreds of the States most
industrious and energetic citizens
powerless to meet the actual needs of
themselves and their families and pay
their taxes.
"This is no idle assertion, but an
actual fact.
The legislature now in session is
the one and only source of relief and
unless measures are adopted at this
session that will beyond doubt and
question lower the costs of State Gov
eminent, and make available for the
reduction of local tax rates, funds that
have for years gone to build up in this
State an autocratic and dangerous
political machine, the conditions that
will come upon US within the next
two years will be worse than anything
we have yet experienced.
Through various and sundry agen-
cies, namely the Farm Bureau, the
State Grange, the County Commits
sioners' Association, the Maryland
Tobacco Growers Association and
numerous associations of taxpayers
more local in character, the people
have appealed to the Governor of this
State for relief. There was no crit
icism of what had been done, no CEN
sure of the Governor was INDUCED IN,
but one may look and he will look in
vain from cover to cover of the Gov
errors message to the legislature for
any suggestion or recommendation
that does more than merely scratch
the surface in the matter Of tax relief.
The proposal to reduce the State
tax rate by three cents through sub
stitution of the 1A-cent grade cross
ing fund amounts to less than nothing
TO people WHOSe lc'ilu 10 nv"
at four times it's value, and whose
products if grown at all must be
grown at less, while the suggestion
that tobacco (grown in three or four
of the twenty-three counties OF the
State) be subjected to an additional
tax, would be the rankest piece OF sec
tional taxation ever undertaken by
any State of the Union.
"The proposition also contained in
the Governors message that salaries
paid to State employees be reduced ten
per cent by voluntary contribution
without changing the said salaries in
the budget is one of the most amaz-
ing and astounding proposals in my
Judgment ever made to any legisla-
tive body in the history of representa-
tive government on this continent.
eff salaries paid to State employees
are to be reduced, whatever the reduc-
ton, then the said salaries should be
shown as adjusted in the budget and
not carried in the budget at one
amount while another amount is to be
paid. l submit that any such pro-