Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-03
G.0.P.Nonliinee
Issues Debate
Challenge
Cou9hIon Speaks at
So
Tukomu Park as
Race Neurs End
BY JACK ALLEN.

ty Democrats are attempting to
"befuddle" the issues of the cam
paign, Paul M. Coughlan, Repub-
lican nominee for reelection as
county commissioner, last night
challenged ANY candidate on the
Democratic ticket" to meet him in
a debate on "the real issues"
Mr.. Coughlan spoke at the Ia
koma Park firehouse in one of the
last major rallies to be held by the
Republicans before the general
State and county elections Tuesday.
The G. o. P. campaign in the
suburban area of the county will
be closed tonight with meeting
at the new home of the Woman's
Club of Chevy Chase at Connecticut
avenue and Dunlop street.
Good Government Issue.
1.-THE only issue of the campaign
is good government" Mr.. Coughlan
said. 1T is a question of whether
the people want to continue the
good government they have received
under the Republicans during the
last four years or desire to return
to the type of government they had
before 1885"
He said the Republican ticket
would need the help of "free-think-
ing, independent Democrats" and
predicted it would be forthcoming
from that source on Tuesday.
The Fusion Democrat leaders
who have joined up with the Demo-
cratic organization cannot carry the
1000 free-thinking independent
Democrats back with them," Mr..
Coughlan declared.
He claimed credit for the Re-
publican members of the county
board for the recent negotiations
through which the county bought
the Capital Transit Co.'S abandoned
railroad right of way through the
center of Connecticut avenue, in
Chevy Chase, Md, so that the State
can proceed with long delayed
highway improvements.
A few days ago Democratic Com
missioner Robert D. Hagner issued
statement declaring he had
worked for three years in the in
terest of the land deal.
The speaker explained that the
commissioners offered $4,000 for the
property, for which the traction
concern was demanding $4,000, and
the offer was refused. The transit
firm, however. said it would take
$4,000 for the property, he said.
$500 Contribution.
Mr.. Coughlan said the board then
raised its offer to $500 and the
company again refused. At this
juncture in the negotiations, he de-
clared, the Republican commission
ers obtained a $4,000 contribution
from the Chevy Chase Land Co. to
make up the difference between the
$500 offered by the commissioners
and the traction firms price.
The commissioner said State Sem
ator Stedman Prescott of Mont
gomery County sponsored a bill at
the last legislative session to per-
NIT the commissioners to issue 500
900 in bonds to buy the right of way
and improve Connecticut avenue.
THE Republican commissioners
did not sell the bonds, though he
said. They arranged with the State
Roads Commission to do the work
as a State project and the only cost
to the county will be the $500
spent for the right of way. We
saved the taxpayers $72,500."
Interest Rates Pointed Out.
The speaker asserted that the
county had Jared better financially
under the Republican commission
ers, declaring that in 1882 the DEM
ocratic board then in power dis
posed of a $1,000 900 bond issue and
was forced to pay per cent interest
on the securities. whereas the Re-
publican commissioners recently
disposed of an issue at par with an
interest rate of only 1.24 per cent.
Ira c. Whitacre, candidate for
county treasurer, said former DEM
ocratic boards increased the coun-
tvs Indebtedness from s1,60O,0OO in
1926 to $10,500,000 before the fusion
alliance of Republicans and anti
organization Democrats took place
in 1885.
He declared the debt requires the
county to pay out about 100000 in
interest each year, "or about 1917
cents on the tax rate"
Mr.. Whitacre denied allegations
the commissioners have not retired
any of the county's debt during the
last four years and said they had
paid off about $744,000 in principal
on bonds and certificates of indebt-
edness and in addition had paid
about 100000 in interest charges
during that period.
A. Charles Stewart, Republican
candidate for the House of Repre-
sentatives, was called home to Cum
berland last night and was unable to
appear before the rally. He had been
listed as the principal speaker.
Brief talks were made by other
Republican county candidates, in
Guiding Wilson L. Townsend of
Kensington, nominee for the Circuit
Court judgeship; J. Douglas Brad
shaw, R. Duncan Clark and John D.
Sadler, candidates for the House of
Delegates; Chester Wells, Walter
johnson and William H. Fulks, can
didates for county commissioner
and Thomas M. Anderson, candidate
for States attorney.
Frank H. Karn, candidate for re-
election as county commissioner;
Elmer E. Goebel, candidate for the