Smyrna times., 1920-11-10
KENT DEMOCRATS REJOICE
OVER VICTORY IN COUNTY
SECURE LEVY COURT DESPITE
REPUBLICAN 'RIPPER" SCHEME
They Also Secure Nine of the Ten
Representatives to the Legisla-
ture-Big Majority in County.

Representatives to the Legisla-
ture-Big Majority in County.
While every other place seemed to
go along with the Republican land
slide, Kent county at Tuesdays cleo
ton rolled up its usual safe majority
for the Democratic party in both coun-
ty and district officers, surprising,
with a single exception, its record of
the years since the county was divid-
ed into Representative districts. The
Democrats elected nine out of ten
members of the lower house of the
General Assembly, and the two State
Senators, one form the Second Sena-
torial district, Charles H. Hopkins,
and the other from the Fourth dis
trict, Charels D. Murphey, of Har-
rington, reelection.
The election of nine Representa-
tives is one of the greatest victories
of the contest, for the reason that two
of the Representatives elected are
from heretofore solid Republican dis
tricts, the Seventh and Tenth.
In the Seventh district the Repub-
lican candidate, Edward Todd, was de-
feated by Willard S. Brown, Demo-
crat, by a majority of so. This dis
trict has not in recent years elected
a Democrat to the Legislature. 1t had
been reported that notice was served
by the party leaders several weeks
ago that if Todd was allowed to re-
main on the ticket the party would
have to stand the consequences of his
defeat. Further, a statement was
made in the Kent County Prohibition
Convention, held there three weeks
ago, by a woman delegate from the
Seventh district, that she had heard
many Republicans say they would not
vote for Todd, hence neither Todd nor
Brown was indorsed by the Prohibit
tionists.
In the Tenth Representative dis
trict another Republican stronghold
Benjamin F. Davis, Democrat, was
elected over Howard R. Moore, Re-
publican, by a majority of 81. The
issue in Milford was the School Code
and the opposition to the code and the
alleged favoring of it by Moore, is
held responsible for his defeat.
Frank Davis Only Republican Elected
Frank Hall Davis, a Dover lawyer
and former auditor at Washington
also unsuccessful candidate for attor-
ney-general against Andrew c. Gray
in 1908, was the only Republican elect
ed to the Legislature in Kent county
His majority over Edgar H. Atkinson
Democrat, of Dover, was only 16. Per
haps the greatest surprise to the Re
publicans was the election by tht
Democrats of two of the three new
Levy Court Commissioners, whicl
body, after January l, will be the con
trolling body of Kent county affairs
instead of the ten-member Levy COur
which has been in vogue for man.
years.
Three Commissioner bill was one o
the so-called "rippers" passed at tn
last special session of the Legislature
by which the Republicans hoped t
gain control The first election unde
the new law discloses that the Demo
Gratis not only elected two out O
three, but the one Republican who wa
elected barely escaped defeat in tw
strong Republican districts in whic
he was running. The new Levy Coul
will have the appointment of a re
ceiver of taxes and many minor ot
ficers.
MajOrities For County Officers Var,
The majority for the county Office
varies. The largest being receive
was 1898 and the smallest was 6S
an average of 835 majority W;
turned in for the State and Nations
ticket.
Daniel M. Ridgely, Democrat ca
didate for Prothonotary received Il
largest majority when he defeatt
Lawrence Moore, his Republican O
ponent by majority of 1898. Tn
will be Ridgely's second trem
Prothonotary.
James V. McCommOns, Republica
made a strong fight for Coun
Comptroller, but his Democratic o
ponent, Thomas Meredith received
majority of 843 vNses. McCommo
was secretary pro tenn. of the Sena
during the last session.
Charles w. Graham, Democr;
overwhelmingly defeated Mansh
Rash, Republican, for Sheriff. G1
hams majority was 1104.
Luther Needles, Democratic can
date for Coroner received the sma
est majority of any of the candidat
for county office, but he defeated
Republican opponent, Nutter Marv
by a majority of 688.
Beers Only Beat Hope 80 Votes.
There will be two Democrats a
one Republican in Kent county's n
Levy Court which will be compo:
of there commissioners. The coils
fight for these offices was staged
the first commissioner district VIII
Henry Beers. Democrat, defea