Middletown transcript., 1922-08-12
THE LEVY COURT

l lated stories have been going
the rounds in regard to so-called irregu-
larities" of the Levy Court of this
county during the year l92l-l922, then
under the control of Commissioners
Stetser, Mccoy and Ball, Republicans,
who with the cooperation of Commits
sioner Collins, Democrat, constituted a
majority of the Court.
''Politically the Levy Court stood
four Republicans to three Democrats,
but the four Republican members of
the Levy Court were not working to-
gether for the reason that Commissioner
Jones, of Wilmington, had demanded
that he should be personally empowered
to make all the appointments in several
hundreds of rural New Castle county,
and because that was not conceded he
not only declined to act with the other
members of his party, but attempted
to organize the Court against them with
the assistance of the three Democratic
members. In this he failed, as one of
the Democrats, Collins, would not join
him.
Upon the decease of Commissioner
Collins not long ago, it became the duty
of Governor Denney to fill the vacancy,
his selection being Mr.. Thomas Latto-
mus, of Townsend, whose appointment,
so the report goes, depended upon his
pledging himself to give full political
support to Commissioner Jones, not
withstanding the latter's desertion of
his Republican associates. While a
report of this character is hard to sub
stantiate and may not be correct. there
is no uncertainty whatever as to the
course pursued by Lattomus when he
became a Levy Court Commissioner, as
he Immediately allied himself with
Jones and the two Democratic members
who, with his assistance, were able to
take over the control and direction of
aft and supersede the three Repub-
licans, Stetser, Mccoy and Ball.
''Let US now saw something in regard
to the so-called irregularities" which
have been presented to the public (pre-
sumably to serve some political end) in
the shape or wholly irresponsible
charges against the integrity and cap
acity of Commissioners Stetser, Mccoy.
Ball and Collins. The charges are, that
they did not have any budget for 1921
1922, that they We're wasting the peo-
pies money by purchasing and main
tanning no less than sixteen automobiles
at an enormous annual cost of some
S46, 900, and finally that, to enable them
to carry on this carnival of extrava-
gance, they intended to increase the
tax rate.
Upon looking into the matter we
find that they did have a budget
maintenance of automobiles for the
year 192l-1e22, as shown by the
books in the County Comptroller office,
was S14, OILS. 38, which is far cry from
SAG, ,000-that they had only eleven or
twelve automobiles instead of sixteen
as alleged-and lastly, that there was
not the slightest intention of raising
the tax rate.
'The details in regard to the expen-
diture above mentioned are to be found
in the Comptroller's books, consider
able portion of the outlay of Sl4, 0l5. 80
having been devoted to the acquisition
of new automobiles which were
necessary to replace useless and worn
out machines.
"Let us say in conclusion that Com
mssioners Stetser, Mccoy and Ball,
who were formerly in control of the
Levy court. do not seem to have done
anything to forfeit the respect and con.
fidence of their fellow Republicans and
of the taxpayers of New Castle county.
Their complete and absolute vindication
should not only be matter of general
qualification but impel every good Re-
publican to register and vote at the
coming election and to promote in every
possible way the success of the Repub-
lican ticket. "-Morning Ne'cs.
To one familiar with the workings of
the Levy Court for the past ten years,
the above editorial published in We'd
nesday's Morning News is amusing.
The truth of the matter is that the
Morning News during all of this time
didnot want facts, but preferred to
direct criticism at the Republican men,
bers and to belittle that body as far as
possible. The members of the Court
could not induce any of the Whining
ton papers to publish the facts as they
existed concerning the Levy Court dur
ing all these years, and the writer can
not understand this sudden change of
heart. Can it be that the approaching
election inspired the editor to give these
facts, or was it made possible by some
of the shining lights of the Republican
party getting the real inside facts :?