if the legislature should see fit to extend the
city limits for a short distance, so as to in-
clude the paved streets, the built up streets
outside the city, those who now receive all
the benefits and prelection of the city govern-
ment, might vote that they would not come
out of Baltimore county into the city, simply
for the purpose of escaping that portion of
the city taxes which they ought to bear,
Men now go and build houses just outside
of the city limits, where they get all the pro-
tection of the city government, all the benefits
of living within a city, while they escape the
taxes in the city. Now a man should not be
allowed to exercise selfish interests in that
way. If he wants to live in the county, let
him move in the county; if he wants the
benefits of a city, then let him pay for them.
This proposition practically puts it into
the power of two or three landholders to de-
cide the whole question of legislative policy
in regard to this matter. I do not believe
the legislature will do anything which will
not be acceptable to the people. I know the
people of the city of Baltimore will ask
nothing against the interests of Baltimore
county.
Mr. RIDGELY. I do not place it upon that
theory atall. I do not understand how the
people of Baltimore county get any protec-
tion from the city of Baltimore. I do not
understand that argument. This is a ques-
tion of right, one which belongs to the people
of the community to be consulted upon the
subject. it is a question of the transfer of
their relative political position; and I ask
this house, upon that ground, to give them
protection.
Mr. STIRLING, What I meant by the people
of Baltimore county receiving all the benefits
of the city government, was this: not that
those who belong bona fide to the county
receive these benefits; but I refer to the
people who transact all their business in
town, who are in effect citizens of Baltimore,
who go to our mass meetings, some of whom
are made presidents of those meetings; some
who the moment you touch their real in-
terests, are all Baltimoreans. They are mer-
chants, mechanics, manufacturers, men who
do business in Baltimore city, who belong
there; men who have no interest in Baltimore
county, who actually receive all the
benefits of the city government in their busi-
ness. These men go just outside of the city
limits, on a street which runs continuously
from the centre of the city out to their
houses; they go there to escape their portion
of the city burdens. They want to receive
all the benefits of the city, and then evade
their share of its burdens. I know men who
are worth millions of dollars, who have put
themselves in that position, and thereby
escape taxes on their property to the amount
of $500,000 or $600,000 annually. Wherever
a man owns a farm, or a country-seat, or any |
property bona fide in the county, that 18 all
well enough. But I am opposed to these
Baltimore city people doing this?, while they
live on streets built out by the city, and oc-
cupy three-story brick houses on those streets,
and who are not country men at all,
Mr. RIDGELY. I only desire to observe that
the class of people of whom the gentleman
from Baltimore city (Mr. Stirling;) speaks, is
very small compared with the abiding, fixed,
rural population of Baltimore county.
Mr. STIRLING. I know that.
Mr. RIDGELY. The number of Baltimore
county people who transact business in Bal-
timore city is comparatively a very small
number, alongside the great body of the
people who have their fixed residence and
agricultural pursuits outside of the limits of
Baltimore city.
Mr. HEBB. My first impression was to vote
for this amendment. But if it is not adopted,
the legislature will have the right to alter
the limits of Baltimore county and Baltimore
city, as they may deem most expedient, and
I think it is better to leave it in that way.
Of course those parties who live just outside
of Baltimore city will always vote to stay out
to avoid the city taxes.
Mr. STOCKBRIDGE. So far as that is con-
cerned, there is really a greater practical
difficulty about this matter than any that
has yet been stated. Everybody knows that
taxation in every city of large size, which
has to maintain a government like that of
the city of Baltimore) is unavoidably higher
than taxation in the county. Now there are
many men who own whole rows of houses,
and warehouses, in Baltimore city, and rent
them, who have their own residence? in the
city of Baltimore, where they live six and
eight months in the year, and yet who also
have their country residences outside of the
city. Now these men, in electing which they
will have as their residence, having the op-
portunity, will select the county. The result
of which is a practical saving to them of
$10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 a year in taxes
alone. Because all their personal property,
all their floating property is taxed where
they claim their residence, in the county.
And while the city is protecting this property
of theirs in town, while they are doing busi-
ness there, and having all the benefits and
protection of the city government for the
great bulk of their property, they are paying
only county taxation. This operates very
gross injustice; and such men will never
consent to change their place of residence
from the county to the city, for the very
obvious reason which I have slated. There
are other practical objections and difficulties,
but this to me is the insuperable objection,
so far as the limits between Baltimore city
and Baltimore county are concerned.
The question was upon agreeing to the
amendment of Mr. RIDGELY. |
