The Washington times., 1911-04-26

|
will close next Monday.
A mayor and three councilmen will be
elected in Hyattsville, a mayor and two
members of the council in Mt. Rainier,
while in Capitol Heights a mayor and
three councilmen-at-large will be
elected. Glen Echo is another that will
elect a council.
In Hyattsville the present mayor,
| William p: Magruder, is candidate to
succeed himself. He Is opposed by Capt
Roger Bells. a retired Government en-
ploye.
Mt Rainier has a three-cornered
fight for the office of mayor. Robert E.
Joyce. the present incumbent, is a can
didate for reelection, while two other
candidates. E. S. White and ]. T. K.
Plant, are opposing him. Inasmuch as
the supporters of Mayor Joyce say that
more than half the qualified voters of
the town are pledged to their candidate.
the situation is intensely interesting to
the voters.
First Election.
Capitol Heights will have its first
election under it's charter. This char
| ter was last year attacked on the
| grounds that it's provisions were not
|
an election that was to have been held
was put over until this time. Louis F.
Litz and H. L. Miles are the opposing
| candidates for mayor, and while the
fight has not been waged quite so earn
| estly here as in the other towns, the
election is sure to be close.
The Hyattsville voters have really
been brought into the election fight
| through a division on the question of
site for the proposed municipal build
ing. An offer made a year ago by the
present mayor, William p. Magruder. to
/ sell a lot for the structure to the town
and construct the building himself was
| turned down on argument that the lot
| was restricted in size, and was too near
the railroad. Town council meetings
for months were given UP to the ex-
change Of accusations and denials, until
finally a lot was purchased from an
other citizen and plans for building
accepted.
Following closely this question, upon
which the adherents of the mayor and
his opponents had arrayed themselves
with characteristic fidelity to their
causes, came the announcement by
Captain Bells that he would stand for
the mayoralty election. His candidacy
was without event until Mayor Ma
gruder came out on reelection stand.
Then began an interchange of charges.
Bells Statement.
Captain Bells. who is a veteran Of
the civil war. came out with the state
ment that he was forced to enter the
contest by Mayor Magruder.
Il was asked by the present mayor to
become a candidate more than two
months ago." said Captain Bells, but
/ declined. Later, Mr.. Magruder in
formed his fellow-citizens that he was
not a candidate for the mayoralty, and
when he definitely stated to me that he
favored my nomination ana election. I
yielded to his argument"
Captain Bells declares himself in
favor Of several town reforms. cash
basis on which the affairs Of the town
shall be conducted; opposition to in
crease in taxation: the maintenance OF
a sinking fund for the liquidation OF
bonded Indebtedness; the erection of
municipal building and fire house. and
speedy improvement of the town streets
are some of the features Incorporated In
his platform.
reelection has up to this time been
practically devoid OF any spectacular
features The mayor has at his back
the support of the greater part OF the
argument for return to offtce has been
that such action will insure the contin-
ued prosperity of the community.
The Councilmen.
Three councilmen are to be elected in
Hvattsville, and in each ward the pres
ent incumbent of the office is seeking
reelection. In the first ward Coun-
Gilman H. X. Burgess, a supporter of
Mayor Magruder, is opposed by w. A.
Dorr. Councilman o. A. Greager, OF
the second ward, who supports Captain |
Bells, has William A. Books as an op- |
ponent, while in the third ward Coun- |
Gilman S. J. Kelley, another Bells sup |
porter, is opposed by j. Frank Rushe. |
Both Mr. Brooks and Mr.. Rushe were |
defeated candidates for town council po- |
sitions at the last election. The hold
over members of the council are Messrs. |
Fuller, Fainter. and Develin.
In Mt Rainier the election excite |
ment eliminated last night in special |
session of the mayor and town council. |
Late Monday night and early yester- |
day the town was flooded with circu- |
lars by the anti-Joyce factions. The |
citizens and taxpayers of the town |
were urged to attend the meeting, and |
Potts Hall was crowded to capacity.
According 10 lH6 JOyCo SuppOI idcI i
night had been selected by the oppo- |
sition as the time to spring sensational |
charges of gross misconduct and mis-
appropriation of funds on the part of |
Mayor Joyce. The opposition met its
Waterloo at the very outset of the |
meeting, however, when Mayor Joyce
ouelled slight disturbance at the rear
Of the hall by declaration that mas
much as the meeting was only that |
of the mayor and his council no inter-
ruptions by citizen would be tolerated |
until the termination Of the public
business.
Asked Questions.
The meeting Of the mayor and coun-
Gil soon lost every characteristic that
such a gathering is supposed to pos
sess, and became not much more than
an induisition. in which the mayor and
his council were asked to answer and
explain the questions of a dozen ex-
cited citizens. Mayor Joyce came out
victorious, using the simple expedient
of referring the questions to the sew
eral members of the town council and
officers. Inasmuch as such an action
involved the representatives of the sew
eral factions the attempt to give a po-