Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-13
FALSE CHARGES
ARE D|SPROVED
BY THE RECORDS
No Truth in Partisan Criticism of
Kent County's Democratic
Administration.
WHAT THE FIGURES SHOW

Special Correspo ndence of Every Evening
Dover. Jan f2.-Much has been said
from time to tune, etltorially, by the
State Sentinel OF this town. concerning
the affairs of the Kent county Levy
Court and tho methods of county govern
ment, hut always III a fault-iindinp man
nor. Tho Sentinel has misnformed the
public The facts, as shown by the records
of the county, clearly show that when the
management at affairs was taken from the
Republicans and handed over by the
voters Of Kent county 10 the Democrats,
there waa a deficiency IN tho county
treasury of between 5000 and 5000
and money WAS borrowed io tueat the
indebtedness
Under the Republican regime men werr
receiving s - per day for work ON the
public roads and for the iee ol teams
83 per day Stone for roads and bridge
work waa purchased at 60 cents per ton.
and freight was 4S cents per ton. Lumber
about one-third. cement, na-haIf, as
compared with prices Of today, in fact.
everything which enters into road
buiding has more than doubly increased
over the rates Of nearly eight yrare ago.
when the Democrats assumed charge
Of the county affairs Notwithstanding
this increase IN prices tho present Levy
Court las been able tn build many nrw
concrete bridges IN different parts Of Tho
county, as we'll ~ repair many old
wooden and iron bridges which had
become worn out under the Republican
management. and which were not even
provided for All al this work hy the
present Levy Court, together with the
usual road work each year. has bern done
and pad for ont of the general fund
The Levy Court admits il Il not able
~ keep all Of the roads labout Z. 900 miles
in the ten iistrictsl. II aa good condition
~ it would like hJii the reads 50 kept
M, compare vcry iayoraIlY with the roads
IN the adjoining counties III the Stafe
built Of the Same untrtlal, and tho IN
tentiun 81 tho present Levy court IS IA do
much more during the present year. pro
vldci bhat labor aud materials can be
secured.
The system ii spending money from
the general fund al the county fpr othcr
purposes. murh criticised hv ihe State
Sentinel, Is explained Ily The following
facts
Under tho law. tho money raised by
taxaIou for thc uec Of thr general fund.
only icu tonts ol the average ~ eenis rate
throughout tho county Il act apart for
road varf,, and he rreords n tho cornp
troIiors office show sIt5, ,aSs.S0 collected
for that purpose The aano records shuw
that s20i ~ - Waa spent or sNs 40 4S
moro than was provided hy Law, during
2 Ipcrioti If ,cvcn wears This shows that
tho general fund n providing more than Ifs
share, more tllan tic law ptoyldca for
The uplccp Of roada Al tho cost of this
work haa been met from the general fund
Notwithstanding all this each Legislature
for tho past seven years has added extra
expense IN the county, which has had To
como from tho general fund, including
mothers pensions. interest on Good
Roads bonds. new Offices created snd
salaries increased
The frequent charge ot the sentinel
that the improvements madc - the Kent
county house was paid for out 81 the Good
Roads fund IS anothcE fabrication Tins
fund amounted 10 Sl50,0N and every
dollar Of tins money has been used III
making many miles o( stone. she'll Stag
tarvia and dirt roads in different parts
% the county. OF the $50 600 already
issued. there remains IN The treasury
at the present time SIS, 5,S2i37. The
records IN the county comptroller 5 Office !
hcrc show that the above amount was
used exclusively for good road work and |
not for repairs 10 the court house, as
charged b. the Sentinel
lhc taxpayers OF kcnt county arc
thoroughly cognlzaat Of the fart that 81 /
10 roads, tho new court |
house, and all other expenses Of the county /
have been met, notwithstanding the /
expenses, without raising the |
tax rate since 1919, and there Is stlll q
balance III the general fund OF SIS. BOD .i5. !
Kent countv's comptroller. Harry B. /
Grievcs. invites anyone who questions
tie above statements to inspect be books |
Of his office. for verifcation