Maryland State Archives Jeffersonian, Towson, Maryland mdsa_sc3410_1_63-0247    Enlarge and print image (5M)

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Maryland State Archives Jeffersonian, Towson, Maryland mdsa_sc3410_1_63-0247    Enlarge and print image (5M)

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August 14, 1920—Page 6 THE JEFFERSONIAN, TOWSON, MARYLAND. All Towson Shares Our Success Not only does our plant afford pleasant and healthful employment for hundreds of TowSonites, but everyone in Towson is benefited by the additional money that is brought to Towson. • This money comes from all over the United States, and from many foreign countries as well. A considerable portion of it is spent in Towson, contributing largely to the general prosperity. This is money which is brought into Towson from outside, not merely the circulation of money that is already here. q THE BUCK & DECKER MFG. CO. "The Good Will Plant" Makers of Electric Air Compressors, Portable Electric Drills and Electric Valve Grinders General Offices and Factory TOWSON HEIGHTS, MARYLAND 'O ZTEC SPHALT For Paving Streets, Roads, Private Estates. AZTEC LIQUID ASPHALT A Preservative for Macadam and Earth Roads Applied Like Oil. Both of the above products extensively used in Baltimore City and County. THE UNITED STATES ASPHALT REFINING COMPANY BALTIMORE NEW YORK DEALER |N PAINTS- QLASS WINDOW SHADES CLOCKS-PICTURES i ETC.- wumm IMIE>o Money back without question if HUNT'S Salve fails in the treatment of ITCH, ECZEMA. RINGWORM, TETTER or other itching skin diseases. Try a 75 cent box at our risk. For ^ale Locally By HERGENRATHER DRUG CO., Towson, Md. V'* TRADEMARK REG^STERE UNDER HEW CHARTER CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE M QUALIFICATIONS He Is Not Elected By People, But Is Appointed By County Council A Fundamental Law Of A New Government With Defects And Omissions Is Not An Improvement Over Present Fnrm. FERTILIZER Makes Bigger Yields Fuller Kernels-" Stronger Straw Place your order NOW! The car and labor shortage make delay dangerous. If you want a larger and better wheat crop— Order Early—Order ROYSTER'S By ordering early you help to relieve the serious car shortage and insure yourself against delay or disappointment. By ordering ROYSTER'S you secure the quality and service which have made the unusual popularity of these brands. F. S. ROYSTER GUANO COMPANY BALTIMORE, MD. As this charter is drawn, the president of the County Council, under the terms of Section 3, Article XI-A of the Constitution, will become the chief executive officer of Baltimore county. The chief executive of the city of Baltimore is the Mayor, who is elected by the qualified voters,- with qualifications prescribed by the charter, viz: a person of known integrity, experience and sound judgment, over 25 years of age, a citizen of the United States and 10 years a resident of the city next preceding the election, and either assessed with property in the city to the amount of $2,000, and who has paid taxes thereon for two years preceding his election, or who has hitherto held elective, executive or legislative office under the Government of the United States, or the State of Maryland, or the city of Baltimore. But the chief executive of this great county is not required to have any qualifications of any kind, except residence in the district from which he is elected. He is not elected by the people, but is selected by the County i Council, whose members are not elected by the voters of the county. Under the plan of government provided by the charter, the affairs of the county, under the supervision and direction of the County Manager, of whom I have spoken, are committed to three departments, as follows: Department of Public Service, Which Shall Have Charge of the Following Sub-divisions 1. Highways. 2. Bridges. 3. Sewerage. 4. Lights 5. Repairs to Public Buildings. Department of Finance 1. Licenses. 2. Purchasing. 3. Receipts and Disbursements. 4. Taxes. 5. County Attorney. Department of Public Safety 1. Police. 2. Fire. 3. Constable. 4. Health. 5. General Welfare Work. 2. The heads of each one of said departments shall be nominated by the County Manager, subject to confirmation by the County Council . . ". for a term of four years, provided the appointments first so made shall serve for two, three and four years respectively, to be determined by lot. Any vacancy in the office of any of the three shall be filled for the unexpired term by election by said Council, nominations having been first made by the County Manager or anyone holding that position. The head of the department embracing Highways, Bridges and Sewers will have under his charge over 900 miles of roads, 200 of which are macadam and concrete, and mariy bridges and sewers. The Roads Engineer now has charge of this work, and, as we have seen, the law requires that he must have the degree of civil engineer and be experienced in bridge and road build-inig. The charter of Baltimore city provides for the appointment of a chief engineer and a highways engineer to have charge of work of this character, with defined qualifications prescribed by the charter. The chief engineer is required to be a "civil engineer of standing in his profession and shall have been in active practice and have had responsible charge of work for at least five years." The highways engineer is required to a "civil engineer in active practice of his profession for five years, and one who has had responsible charge of work for at least that length of time." Provisions of this kind are eminently proper to be inserted in the charter in order to safeguard the interests of the public. But under this charter the men who have charge of the most important department of the county government —the County Manager and the head of the department—are not required to have any qualifications at all. They need not be residents, taxpayers or voters. No tests or standards of fitness of any kind are set up in the charter. The same thing is true as to the heads of the other two departments. A fundamental law of a new government with defects and omissions of this kind is not an improvement upon the old, and' is not so constructed as to conserve and safeguard the public interests. It will not do to say that these defects may be corrected by the County Council. First, because it may be seriously doubted if the council would have any power to superadd qualifications; and secondly, no one can tell what the County Council would do. The County Manager and the heads of departments are mere county employees appointed by the County Council and over whose appointment no power is reserved by the charter to the people. Increased Taxation The form of government provided for by this charter will not only result in the useless multiplication of officers, but in a decided increase in the- cost of administration. This means increased taxation. We are overburdened now with taxes of all kinds — Federal, State and county. Our hope is to be relieved from some of these taxes. Certainly, no one wants to see them increased, except for some urgent public necessity. The demand of the people is for all possible economy ii. government consistent with efficient administration of public affairs. I have not heard it asserted, nor do I believe it is true, that the public affairs of Baltimore county under the proposed new government can be satisfactorily conducted with a less number of employees than are now engaged in the public service. Nor is it claimed that the salaries paid are extravagant. And I am safe in saying that the ordinary administration exenses of the county are now as low as may be reasonably expected under any form of government. Now, what may we expect, so far as administrative costs are concerned, if this charter should be adopted? We have now five County Commissioners with an annual salary of $2,400 each and "no more for any purpose," and they are required to meet for the transaction of public business on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week, and as much oftener as a proper discharge of their official duties may require. They are required to meet daily from the first Tuesday in March in each year until the levy is made. During the year 1919 the Commissioners sat 150 days for the discharge of their official duties. The' salaries received by them, the Treasurer and the appointees who discharged the principal duties assigned by the charter to the County Council, the County Manager and the heads of the thre& departments, are as follows: 1. Salary of County Commissioners.$12,000.00 ] 2. Salary of Fire Marshal.......... 2,100.00 3. Salary of Police Marshal........ 1,500.00 I 4. Treasurer....................... 3.000.00J 5. Roads Engineer.................. 5,000.00 Total...... ................. .. .$23,600.00 I do not think it possible for the County Council to discharge the duties imposed upon it by this charter without meeting at least as often as the County Commissioners did in the year 1919 for the discharge of their ordinary administrative duties, and taking the minimum salaries fixed by the charter, the overhead expenses for operation would be substantially as follows: 1. 16 Councilmen acting as a lawmaking body—26 days in December of each year .................$ 1,950.00s 2. County Manager (minimum salary) ............................... 5.000 00 8. Heads of Departments (minimum salary)...................... 10.500.00 4. 15 Councilmen, meeting for 150 days for the transaction of the ordinary administrative and ex-(Continued on Page 7.) Old Town National Bank Gay and Exeter Streets BALTIMORE, MD. United States. State and City Depository Capital, Surplus and Profits, IlDeposits, - $ 250,000 140,000 2,000,000 JACOB W. HOOK. President. AARON BENESCH, Vice-Pres HENRY O. REDUE, Vice-Pres. and Cashier P. M. MILLER, Asst. Cashier. Board of Director*. J acob W. Hook. Henry A. Brehm. J. Henry Snydor of C. James King. Aaron Benesch. Lewis C. Rice Kobt. Fusselbaugh. A. C. Dietrich. Louis E. Bartell. 'TWtTTttTTTWttVtTWttWW The Eureka Life Insurance Company BALTIMORE, MD. Incorporated 1882 The Eureka Life is now a legal Reserve Old Line Stock Life Insurance Company with 37 years commendable history back of it. Issues Every Form of Modern Life Insurance. ll-l-ly Si 1 BROCKWAY "The Right Way" Brockway for the Farmer MR. FARMER: It will pay you to follow the footsteps of Mr. H. E. Morris, Glenarm, Maryland, in making your selection of motor hauling. Look at this splendid 3^-ton BROCK-WAY MOTOR TRUCK shown in this ad. As Mr. Morris says, "This truck has more than paid for itself. I could not do without it." THINK FIRST, MR. FARMER, AND THEN JOIN;THE LONG LIST OF BROCKWAY OWNERS. Brockway Motor Truck Co. of Baltimore, inc. 1921-27 NORTH CHARLES STREET MT. VERNON 1866 "Brockway the Right Way" Brockway Motor Truck Co., Mfgrs., Cortland, N. Y. Govans Central Garage York Road—Adjoining Funk's Hotel GOVANS, MD. Right on your way to the city. Now open for business, with an up-to-date Machine Repair Shop and full line of Automobile Tires, Tubes, Accessories, Oils, Gasoline and"Amoco Gas, the new motor fuel. Agents For The CHEVROLET MOTOR CARS AND TRUCKS 24 Hour Service and a Service That Will Appeal To You If it is good service that you desire with moderate prices, a trial is all that is necessary to have a continuance of your patronage. Free Air—All You Want. All kinds of Ignition Work. Battery Recharge and Repair. Detroit Batteries for all makes of cars.