Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-05
CHEVY. CHASE AG0G
Maryland Suburb Eagerly
Awaits Election April 18.
VILLAGE OR NOT VILLAGE
That Is the Question to Be Decided
by Voters.
BILLS In THE LEGISLATURE
Public Opinion Is Divided-Only
Property Owners Allowed to
Cast Ballots.
VILLAGE OR NOT VILLAGE
BILLS In THE LEGISLATURE

CheVy Chase, Md, is now souarely
racing the issue whether or not It liz to
De a grown-up municipality, operating its
own government and deciding its own
problems. All preliminary skirmishng is
finished, and the lines are closely drawn
READY for the real struggle which will
occur Monday. April Is. On that day the
citizens Of the nearby suburb will walk
to the polls. and for the first time in their
history. hold an election of their own
am the will Of the majority will de-
tern:ine whether Chevy Chase is to be an
incorporated village or whether It is to
remain In it's present condition and have
Montgomery county, of which 1t is an in
tegra. part
At the session Of the Maryland legisla-
ture which has just adjourned two bills
relating to Chevy Chase were passed. The
nrst was introduced by Delegate Garrett
or Glen Echo and the second by Delegate
Marriott. by request. The Garrett bill
senate it was championed by Senator
carr. SO that 1t became known as the
Garrett-Carr bill. and it's terms were
largely the result of a compromise be-
tween the warning factions in Chevy
Chase
1t provides In detail for the incorpora-
ton OF Chevy Chase with the charter of
a village. and the limits of the village are
prescribed by the terms given to the
land by the original owner, the Chevy
chase Land Company. SO that If the
charter prevails at the ensuing election
Chevy Chase, the village. will include all
of sections and 3 and part Of section
4. together with Martins subdivision as
a special taxing district
Provides for Trustees.
The Garrett-Carr bill specifics that
Chevy Chase shall be governed by
president and board of four trustees,
chosen at the town election. All other
offices are to be appointive, and the list
will include a board of assessors police.
town clerk. health officer. etc. and all
officers save the clerk and the police will
be non-salared.
The Marriott bill specifies that Chevy
Chase shall be constituted a special tax
ing district in Montgomery county, and
that the moneys raised by special as
sessment upon the Chevy Chase property
shall be collected by the county commits
sioners and disbursed by the Chevy Che Sc
Association on Improvements in Chevy
Chase
Throughout the agitation for a change
which. after all, was largely forced upon
the residents by the gradual retirement
from the field Of the Chevy Chase Land
Company. there. have been two factions.
One supported the charter proposition
and the other favored the creation of
the special taxing district. The legis-
lators at Annapolis refused to take the
responsibility Incident to determining
what the citizens of Chevy Chase really
wanted, and for that reason both the
Garrett-Carr and the Marriott bills car
rfed common provision, namely, that
the bills should be submitted together tn
a referendum. and that the one which
showed a majority of votes should be-
come the law.
May Be Second Election.
The voting to determine the future
status Of Chevy Chase will occur April IS.
and If the charter prevails another cleo
ton will be held. probably before the end
Of the month. at which the president and
board Of trustees will be chosen: 1t has
been determined that the ownership of
real property in the suburb shall be a
factor in determining the eligibility of cit
liens at the polls-and even more than
that, the property owners who would vote
must be actual residents within the
bounds of Chevy Chase village. Men who
are residents, but not owners of their own
homes or Of other property in Chevy
Chase will not be permitted to cast bal
lots.
There are between 40 and 200 resident
property owners who are eligible to vote.
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