The Government of Kent County, Maryland

The government of Kent County has its roots deeply embedded in the past. For, though slight importance has been attached to her first settlement in the annals of the history of the English Colonies of America, Kent Island was the third strictly English settlement to be established along the Atlantic Seaboard after Raleigh's unfortunate experiment at Croaton on the shores of North Carolina. Settled at first as a part of Virginia, Kent Island later became a part of the Proprietary Colony of Lord Baltimore which he named Maryland in honor of Charles's Queen, Henriette Marie, commonly called Queen Mary.Before concluding this study it would seem desirable to make some attempt at evaluating the governmental machinery and processes as they are found in Kent County. It is much easier to find flaws in existing institutions and processes of government than it is to find the proper solution of difficulties. The writer has no desire to criticize merely for the sake of pointing out weaknesses in the system of government under which he lives. He is a citizen of Kent County and of the State of Maryland (by adoption), and shares whatever benefits the government of the County and State confer, the same as any other citizen, and realizes fully his part of the citizens' responsibility for good government. Any criticism that may be expressed in these pages is intended to serve a constructive purpose. After an intensive study, covering almost two years, of the government of the County, the writer does not find himself in entire agreement with some of the modern critics of County government in the United States. There soma to be a strong tendency among students mad reformers of County government to want to sweep away, almost with a wave of the hand, the existing institutions and to substitute new and untried forms therefor. Such a policy is, to say the least, little short of revolutionary. Some proposed reforms in County government may be needed in some Counties in some States, and without doubt some improvement is needed in Kent County, Maryland; but before advocating any modification of the machinery of any individual County it is necessary to determine the extent of the need for change and also the cost of instituting the proposed reforms--the cost in money, man power, and irritation that is likely to be produced in attempting to change or substitute--and the workableness of the new plan.