Milford chronicle., 1919-11-21
CITIZENS OF SUSSEX AND KENT
HEAR SCHOOL CODE DISCUSSED
ThrOng the Milford Amoy Last Tuesday Evening Listen Pierre
S. du POn of Wilmington and Daniel J. Layton, Jr, of
Georgetown. Meeting is Enthusiastic
DR.. JOHN S. PRETTYMAN, PRESIDING OFFICER

I sex Mr. dupont concluded that ii
,wo-thirds of the colored districts in
Delaware and the adjoining counties
N neighboring States all paid tax
rates as high as those now asked un-
Ter the new system, the new rates are
not so unreasonable as some try to
make it appear.
$50 OF Children in School
Another place Mr.. DUPONT scored
was in his discussion of the $50 days
school clause. He review the oppo-
sition to that clause, and said the
state Board had made a ruling that
children could stay ont of school un-
I'll November. if their help were nee
essary on the farm. But the school
records show that the school attend
ance records for Sussex county in
September was so per cent. and for
October it was S5 per cent For Kent
county rural schools during the same
months the attendance was Sc and 50
per cent, respectively. This was bet
tor attendance than under the old
law and 1t is a high average for any
State. II shows $50 days is not un-
popular nor too long, when So school
children out of every 100 attend
school 1t certainly would be wrong
to shorten the term and close the
schools against the S5 per cent in or
der to accommodate the Is per cent
In conclusion, Mr.. DUPONT sad tn.
greatest thing of all is the need
public cooperation. No law. however
good can be a success if the people
do not help enforce it and give it q
trial.
DR.. Prettyman Uses Poor Judgment
Following Mr. dupont was another
effort by Dr. Prettyman Again read
ing from notes, he charged that Nj
DUPONT had "pussyfoOted" and dOdgeo
the issue and hadn c scused the Code
that his remarks had been 'platitud
inOus generalities and trivial senti
mentalities" He then said. We have
here with us a man Of acumen anC
intellect, a student and a successful
lawyer. Mr.. Dan ell }. Layton. HI
will now eXpound to you THE CODE.
Daniel J. Layton Speaks Over an Hour
Mr.. Layton said it was a pleasure
to follow Mr.. DUPONT because Mr.. du
POnt states the question as fairly a.
he is capable of stating it, He is sin
cere in what he says, he really be
lieves what he says regarding the
Code but he fails in this: he does no
know the minds of the people of Sus-
sex and Kent counties. A man who
1oes not know the people cannot eX-
plain their laws to them or understand
heir wishes. Mr.. Layton then charged
the School Code friends with intoler-
anH Hnfafr fanfsnu fs,
stead of defending the Code they be-
gan attacking the critics of the Code,
impugning their motives and ascrib-
ing to them base and mean qualities.
He accused the friends of the Code
of launching a campaign of foul news
paper publicity, and referred to some
articles published in the New York
Sun, which he denounced as common
slander against the State of Delaware.
He accused the friends of the Code
Of being behind these articles and said
It was "one of the ways they intended
trying to force the Code upon the peo-
pie of Delaware" He denounced the
New York Suns articles regarding
bound children and said If they were
true, somebody would have heard of
Il and action would have been taken.
He said Governor Townsend evidently
never had heard of it, or he would
nave taken action, and that he had
been deputy attorney general for
hree years and he had never heard
# IT,
He then took up the report that he
vas opposing the Code for political
easOns. He denied it, He said he
lad been accused of being a candidate
or the next legislature, and he issued
n unqualified denial that he would
'e candidate for the legislature He
aid he had been accused of wanting
o be judge. As in his Georgetown
peech, lie did not deny this. Neither
i'd he go on record as not being a
andidate. He merely said he didn't
hink he ought to be a candidate for
upreme judge, because although he
ras professionally equipped for the !
OsitiOn. he did not believe he was l
suited for the job,
nd besides. If he got the job, some
eOple would die Of heart failure.
He then attributed his opposition to D
he Code to the fact that it is auto
ratio, un-democratic and un-Ameri- d
an" 1t put power and the spending {
old no commission from the peoDle. {
.e said there We're two schools OF
0litical economy Those who believe
democracy, like Thomas jefferson
nd Abraham Lincoln and those who
9iieve that because OF their birth and 2,
ealth and social position they should !,
ave the right to rule their fellow =
en-. He placed himself in the first -
ass.
The Schools Football for Politics =
He said he was also opposed to the n
lde because It would make the pub II
, schools Of Delaware the football "
politics. He said the School Code N
as not political issue unless the Z
lends of the Code made it So He n
en- delivered an ultimatum 10 the
.hOol Code friends: Unless they n
op their publicity for the Code, un-
ss they agree with him and other F
emies of the Code that it is very
fective, unless they pledge them
Ives to join with him and other en-
lies of the Code to amend the Code. "
ID unless they join with him, RE NJ
blicans and Democrats alike, in Sc G,
citing and electing a governor and be
legislature next year who will be st
to the people--unless they c;
all these things, then the School ey
de friends will stand accused OF pI
aging politics. II
Taking up the passage Of the Code.
said it was not understood when
E Code was introduced in the last
neral Assembly that it was to be
ssed. II was merely to be discuss pt
He said late in the session It Cl
ddenly began to be whispered about II