Milford chronicle., 1919-09-26
CODE OPPONENTS TRY
TO PROVE TOO MUCH
ONLY 42'PER CENT OF The CITIZENS
OF SUSSEX SIGNED THE PETITIONS
AGAINST new LAW.
FALSE PROPAGANDA SPREAD
OPPONENTS OF THE CODE ENROLLED
MUCH LESS THAN HALF OF The
VOTERS AGAINST THE LAW.

the legislature 10 repeal the measure,
the Evening Journal of Wilmington
under date of September 21. says:
The Sussex county leaders Of the
opposition to the School Code for
warded to Governor Townsend last
week a bundle of remOnstrances
against the Code They were accom-
panied by a letter which contained
this statement:
These 5,453 signatures from 120
school districts Tin Sussex county,
show that 95 per cent of the people
are opposed to the new Code"
1t begins to appear, many Della
wareans think, that the leading en-
emies of the Code here attempted to
prove too much. 1t is felt that they
should have confined their opposition
to generalities instead OF committing
themselves to specific statements.
Roughly speaking, there are $4,000
voters in Sussex county. This does
not include women tax payers who,
under the law. are entitled to vote up
on school matters and whose sigma
lures to the remOnstrances against the
Code were sought by enemies of the
Code. 1t does not take long to prove
kAAaL psHpo HA6 6AAdAuAES al nUN % pei
cent of more than 10000. As a matter
of cold fact, they are about AZ per
cent of $4,000.
In other words, taking the remon-
strances against the School Code at
their face value, the best the oppo-
nents of the Code in Sussex county
could do was to enroll considerably
less than half the voters of the cOun-
ty against the Code.
According to we'll informed citizens
of Sussex county, this is not far from
the real division of sentiment. If any
thing, it is too liberal in crediting
strength to the opposition. Joseph L.
Cahall, former Secretary of State, for
a long time very intimate with school
affairs in Sussex county and connect
ed with the draft board in Sussex
county during the war, is most em-
phatic in his assertion that nothing
like 95 per cent of the people in Sus-
sex county are against the new school
code
1T might be correct to say that 95
per cent of the people who have done
the talking up to date are against the
CODE" said Mr.. Cahall, but those who
have been doing the talking do not
represent the people. The friends Of
the code are now to be heard from
When they have had their day there
will be another story to tell"
This opinion was verified by a dozen
Of the leading men of Georgetown. One
man said that when the facts were
sifted out of the mass of misrepre-
sentatiOn which is being circulated, it
will be found that not 25 per cent Of
the people of Sussex are against the
code, and that many against the code
are willing to give it trial and judge
it on its merits at the end of years
operation.
A prominent citizen, who is physi-
elan of large practice which brings
him into contact with a large number
of persons, expressed belief that out
side a radius of about eight miles Of
Georgetown, extending southwark and
eastward, that there was not much
sentiment against the code. What
sentiment against the code which does
exist, in his opinion, is largely man
ufactured by propaganda, originated
and carried on by a few Georgetown
politicians.
Another physician who comes in
contact with a large number Of fam
lilies says the opposition to the code is
largely confined to a certain element
in Georgetown, to the eastern half of
Broad Creek hundred, and to the hun
1reds of DagsbOro, GumborO and In
1ian River.
"The northern and the western sec I
tons of Sussex are overwhelmingly
60 ,af hn in nnininn - q
he said.
Incidentally, it is noticeable that an
proportion of the ply
sicians of this section are in favor Of
the code, and give it as their opinion
that the majority of the people is the
same way. Moreover, they are agreed .
that much of the opposition, if not
most of it, is due to a well organized
of misrepresentation and
his opposition will disappear as the
people learn the truth.
The writer investigated at some
ength and detail this campaign of mis-
which was used by a
few politicians of Georgetown to Sc
cure signers to the petitions which
have been forwarded to Governor
Townsend asking for a special session
If the legislature TO be called for the
purpose of repeating the code. There
s no doubt that such a campaign was
yaged and that malicious falsehoods
we're circulated in order to arouse
popular sentiment against the code
ind disreputable methods were used
o obtain signatures to the anti-code
petitions.
Outside of the mass meeting held in
he Georgetown court house Septem-
)er 6, all of this campaign has been
conducted in "gumshoe" fashion. The
eaders of it have Stunned public dis
ussion. They have Stunned public
discussion at the mass meeting, al
hough they freely INDUCED in public
The meeting itself was
packed" by the men who called It.
hey had the men there they wanted,
nd they wanted no one who was a !
riend of the code and able to explain
r defend it. Assistant State Superin-
endent Shilling was present in the be-
ef the meeting was honestly called ,
D discuss the code. When some Of
hose present asked questions regard !
1g the code Mr.. Shilling asked per- :
Mission to explain the points they j,
sked about. The moment it was ,
1und by those manipulating the meet ,
lg that he was capable of explaining :
he code, they ordered him to take his
eat, refused to recognize him again
nd acted as leaders in jeering and
insulting him.
The meeting was the opening of the
ampaign in Sussex county against
he code, the Inauguration Of the
lovement to obtain signatures to have {
he Governor call a special session of {
he legislature. The spirit which dom {
mated the entire campaign. the meth
Concluded on tenth page)