Middletown transcript., 1916-11-04
Review of Some Gang History Prepared by
the Independents Of Kent County
Pamphlet Distributed is Vigorous Arrangement OF the State
Republican Machine

ton, for in it's clear and concise IAN
guage, il presents the corruption and
infamous practices of the machine in
a way that every voter can under
stand and appreciate. 1t gives in de-
tail some of the things that were done
at the primaries in Kent when the
voters attempted to elect men N.--om
they thought fit for office.
This pamphlet was prepared under
the direction of Frank Hall Davis, j.
Hall Anderson and William M. Hope,
all prominent men, who feel with the
utmost Indignation the insults that
were heaped upon them. 1t is not
only intended for the people Of Kent,
but will be also sent all over the
state. At least $4,000 copies will be
distributed in this way, and every
thinking man will understand its mes
sage and act accordingly on election
day
Under the caption Are You Against
Senator dupont and the Republican
Organization? the pamphlet follows:
Facts for Republicans.
Last June, the Republican Kent
County Committee with Mr.. James A.
PEELED, without the authority of any
party rule, four of its Republican
members, namely: State Senator John
A. Barnard, of the 7th District, State
Oyster Revenue Collector Howard
Hudson, of the 8th District, Mr..
George C. Herring, of the Sth District,
and Mr.. J. Freeman Clark, of the Srd
District, all of whom had been duly
elected, in March, by the Republican
voters in their respective districts to
serve for two years.
'"Che only reason given for such
unheard-of and arbitrary action was
that these four Republicans were not
in sympathy with the plans of the Or
ganization. Did you ever before hear
of Republican members of a County
Committee, who had been duly elected
by the voters of their districts. being
expelled from that Committee by the
other members thereof?
''This is a body-blow at majority
rule and local self-government in the
district represented by these four
gentlemen and is a direct insult not
only to them, but to the Republicans
in their districts who elected them to
represent those districts in the Coun-
ty Committee. Such action as this
is the first step toward party wrecking
and represents political despotism in
its worst form.
Do You Approve of This?
Shortly before the Republican
primaries last August, the chairman
of the Kent County Committee pub
licly declared that he would have
those primaries held in places not
easily accessible to Republicans who
were not in sympathy with the Or
ganization, and that the votes of those
Republicans would not be received
or counted, and if perchance, my Re-
publicans unfavorable to the Organi-
zation should happen to be elected
delegates to the State Convention,
that such delegates would not be al
lowed to take their seats.
'This is the same as telling the Re-
publican voters in Kent county that
they would be deprived of their right
to vote at Republican primaries un-
less they voted in a way pleasing to
the Organization. Can you imagine
the necessity of ever holding primar-
les unless all Republicans are allowed
freely and fairly to express their will
Did you ever hear of 16 members of
a Republican County Committee at
tempting to dictate to 1000 Republi-
can voters how and for whom they
should cast their ballots?
"Yet these outrages were actually
committed and the threats of the
County Chairman were actually car
ried out in the following manner:
Eighth District: The Republicans
of the Eighth District who have al
ways voted at both Frederick and Eel
ton were informed by the Organiza-
tion that they would be compelled
to go to Magnolia and vote altogether
in one place, and men from FELTON,
were compelled to travel ten miles
from their accustomed place of voting
in order to avail themselves of their
right of franchise. But they went
to Magnolia in great numbers and by
an overwhelming majority of three
to one defeated the Organization
delegates. Yet the Election Board,
controlled by the Organization, and
carrying out the threats of the County
Chairman, refused to issue certificates
to Mr.. George G. Herring, Mr.. Samuel
A. Creadick, Mr.. Howard Hudson and
Mr.. William Short the duly elected
delegates in their districts, but in
stead issued false certificates to the
Organization delegates who had been
defeated three to one by the voters.
Is not this party wrecking?
Do You Approve of This?
Third District: The Republicans
of the Third District who have always
3 voted at both Clayton and Kenton
were compelled for the first time in
history tc vote altogether at Ches-
void. But the voters nevertheless,
being determined to express their will
at the primaries, at great cost and
inconvenience went to Cheswold in
sufficient numbers to defeat the or
ganization delegates on their own
ground. But the election board in
this district, controlled by the same
organization, and carrying out the
same threats of the county chairman,
issued false certificates to the defeated
candidates and the will of Republi-
can voters was again treated with
contempt. is NOT THIS PARTY
WRECKING?
Do You Approve of This?
First District: Hon. Walter o.
Hoffecker and other Republicans from
the west end of the First District
who have always voted at Smyrna
were compelled for the first time to
go to Clayton; but again being deter
mined to express their will at the polls
they submitted to this outrage and
injustice and at the mandate of the
organization went in great numbers
to Clayton where they defeated the or
ganization candidates by at least eight
votes, in spite of the fact that there
were six more ballots in the box
than were actually cast.
stnIanrarfln alass Mr. Iohn I. Bradley