Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-30
SENATOR DU POINTS .DEFENCE.-

can meeting in Seaford, last Friday
night, Senator Coleman du Pont made
what is heralded as an exposure of
''false Democratic statements" during
the political campaign now drawing
to a close. According TO the reports Of
the meeting, they were duly branded
as falsehoods" and efrectuaily disposed
OF.
First Senator du Pont denied
charges by Democratic speakers OF
evil conditions of administration in
Delaware. under Republican control,
and denied there were any such. He
dilated on the States progress, espe-
matter of roads and schools, however
for which he claimed the Republican
administrations we're entitled to credit.
Well, the world has progressed
vastly during the past score of years,
and IL is true Delaware has not stood
still. But what the people OF Della
ware justly complain about is the
character and cost OF much of this
Improvement, especially as to roads.
For the State and the counties have
been making large expenditures for
improved highways, as we'll as sena-
tor du Pont for the fine Boulevard he
has built as gift to the State.
The complaint OF the taxpayers is
that much Of their money expended
on road work has been wasted. Under
Republican administration in Sussex
county the general condition Of many
roads has become 10 bad that the
people are indignant. The charge is
made that they are worse than ever"
Notwithstanding the money that has
been expended upon them.
Republican administrations in New
Castle county spent large sums Of
money on improved roads and then
allowed them TO almost go to ruin,
necessitating another large expendi-
ture, finally, to put them in good
shape. And the peoples tax burdens
were heavily increased both as to en-
larged assessments and higher tax
rates Not until partisan Republican
control of the Levy Court was broken
by "a Democratic-R Republican combina-
tion in that body wa. there any halt
in wasteful extravagance with a small
reduction in taxation.
In Kent county the people sought
and secured reform a decade ago by
turning out the incompetent and ex-
travaeant Republican administration
and keeping it out to this day.
There are now some good roads ir
Delaware. in addition 10 Senator du
Points admirable Boulevard, built by
the money of all the people. Democrats
as we'll as Republicans. Senator dr
Pont pointedly illustrated this i'm.
provement by stating that ten years
ago il took him two and a half hour,
10 drive from GEORGETOWN to Laurel
l6 miles. Ten days before, he said
he had made this trip in % minutes
''and WAS not in a fast car either.
What time Senator du Pont woulS
have made on this 16-mile trip in {
fast car" is a matter of conjecture
but certainly he was recklessly frac
turing the legal speed limit OF 80 miles
an hour when he made the trip in 9
minutes, thereby setting a lamentabl.
evil example and afYording encour
agement TO reckless drivers.
Senator du Points defence Of attack
upon his very vulnerable senatoria
record vAs lamentAbly weak. "I di
not 20 nor do i expect to return t
the Senate TO answer roll calls. I an
going there to do things for Delaware.
he declared. So il may pertinentl
be asked: What has he done for Della
ware thus far? Also, what assuranc
is there in his record thus far tha
he would do anything more for Della
ware" IL returned?
Senator du' Pont asked TO be Judge
by the people of Delaware, at the cleo
ton next week. for what ! may b
alb TO do for Delaware and the Unite
States" And the people surely hav
every reason TO answer that as ther
is no reasonable expectation he woul
do anything Of real value. judgin
BY his actual record, t will be /
81. .