The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-02-02
SHERIFF

SHERIFF
A Bill was prepared by Your Com
mittee and our delegates secured the
passage thereof at the last regular
Session of the Legislature, placing the
Sheriff upon a salary basis. This sys
tenn has worked very satisfactorily in
other Counties and should result in a
substantial saving to the taxpayers of
this County. sAti
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT
At the instance of Your Committee
a Bill was introduced and passed at
the last session of the Legislature re-
ducing the salary of County Commits
sioner from $4,000 to $1,000. Being
relieved of supervision of the County
roads the new salary will be compen-
satory and the taxpayers are saving
$4,000 each year.
Our delegates were presented with
the Bill limiting the salaries in the
Treasurers office to $4,000, which also
provided the Assistant Treasurer
should be appointed instead of elected,
but this was not introduced.
COUNTY ROADS AND BRIDGES
Our representatives gave their as
sistance to the measures whereby the
State took over the supervision of the
expense of operation to be secured
from the special fund for the elimina-
ton of grade crossings. The enact
ment of this measure relieves the
County of an appropriation of approx
imately $4,000 each year.
Your Committee is opposed to the
building of bridges by the County
other than by competitive bid and then
only upon contract. This should be
trr-fh Gn1 n CT inc CHI n
be done only when imperatively neces-
sary. A striking example that brings
about this recommendation is Scotch
mans Creek Bridge. This proposition
may have been founded in the very
best intentions yet it stands as a mon
ument of gross extravaganza and
waste of public money.
The bridge is of concrete construc-
ton with an actual length of approx
imately 400 feet. Excluding fills made
necessary by the manner of construc-
ton, it has cost the County $500. CO..
The probabilities are this Item will be
included in our budget, directly or in
directly, for years to come.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Your Committee believes that eco
Monies could be effected in the man.
agement of the public schools, the
elimination of unnecessary courses,
the abolition or at least the curtail-
ment of the offices of supervising
teachers and the like, the adjustment
of salaries of those in charge of our
schools etc. Our schools are so i'm
portant we believe the entire subject
should be investigated by men spec
tally qualified, to be selected by the
School Board and the Taxpayers of
Cecil County
Our criticism is not that we spend
too much to educate our children but
that we waste too much in special
courses, supervision. etc., which do
not contribute to the education of the
child Possibly all of these objection
able items have some merit, yet it
seems to us now is the time to relieve
ourselves of these luxurics and to
make our sacrifices for those that are
necessary.
In our judgment a reduction in the
salary of teachers would not be just
ffied. These fine, intelligent young
women and men are charged with the
grave responsibility, not only of edu-
eating our boys and girls in the three
RS, but also with shaping their NOR
ais. Their tremendous influence on
the lives of our young people is well
recognized. In our opinion, however,
there should be substantial reduc-
ton in the salary of County Superin-
tendent of Schools ($3500), the State
Superintendent of Schools .$10,000)
and his Assistant ($6,000.)
We believe a change is due and
should be made in the present method
of operating our school system. The
State Superintendent of Education,
practically an appointee of Governor
Ritchie,. in conjunction and with the
assistance of the local School Board,
who are also appointed by the Cover
nor, prepare budget of the school re-
quirements for the coming year. This
budget Is presented to our County
Commissioners who have no alterna-
tive but to deduct this sum from our
tax receipts, regardless of how I'M
necessary or objectionable some of
the items comprising the same may
be, except, the schools cannot have
appropriated for their use over AZ per
cent of the total. In other words
they can receive forty-seven cents out
Of every dollar of County budget re-
quirements, and they always do
There is no way the people OF Cecil
County can protect themselves again
st waste and improper management
OF the schools, even though the tax
payers own the schools and provide
the money for their operation. Such
situation taints of autocracy and
something should be done to cor
rect it.
BILLS AGAINST THE COUNTY
There was nothing we were re-
quested by the Taxpayers to do that
involved more sacrifice of time than
10 protest the accounts which to our
notion should not be paid. When the
bills filed against the County We're
published we protested until 1t was
conclusively demonstrated to us that
we were wasting time and STATIONERY
Every protest meant that we would
h1SQms myelysq " an argumsnt with