Montgomery County sentinel., 1944-11-09
DeWey Wins County BH
1900; Charter Fight Close
Gardiner Predicts Another Try - Opponents
Elated Senator Tydings And Congressman
Beall VictOrs Il

montgomery County voted down
the proposed charter by majority
Of 1920 last Tuesday and at the
same time voted against PresideSt
Roosevelt for the first time in tie
four times he has been candidate
for the presidency. Dewey carried
the county by nearly five thousaisd
votes. The size Of the vote against
the President was q complete sak3
prise to all, Democrats and Reppb-
licans alike. It had been generally
assumed that Republican sentiment
in the county had indicated mucl7
reduced vote for the President even
the possible loss Of the county BY
small margin. But when DeweysB
total scared to above four thou
sand and approached five thousand
political leaders knew that the
normal silent vote was almost niaS
animcusly anti New Deal.
The charter fight went into the
last returns before any definite IN
dication was shown. During the
whole count the vote for and
against remained at near q fie.
With Bethesda and Chevy Chaae
turning in handsome majorities Hi
favor Of the charter II remained
for returns from smaller districts
to overcome the lead. The total
vote for charter was ls.2ee ana
against 14,431.
Charter advocates, although con-
ceding defeat, indicated that an
other attempt would be made to
bring the charter proposal befoBo
the voters
Allen H. Gardner, president IL
the County Charter Committee
said:
~The charter cause was good
but our efforts were not as effec-
tive In votes as those Of the mac
hine. Montgomery citizens who
want charter will not be discous
ragged. Charters have often lost
in the first vote for adoption. An
other year win Gomez
49,
Judge Albert e. BrAuit, execu-
tive secretary Of the Citizens Com-
mittee to Defeat Charter, made the
following statement:
"We exerted our best efforts 10
defeat the charter because we hon
estly believe the present system OF
county government il completely
adequate, with a record Of good re-
suits.
1--WE felt the proposed charter
was an experiment which was not
justified in view Of the splendid
governmental conditions existing in
the county at this time"
Thus ends one Of the hardest
fought political Issues seen IN any
Maryland county In recent years.
The issue was clearly drawn. Both
sides had spent much money In
presenting facts about the propos-
ed charter to the voters. Eminent
speakers and writer's aligned them
selves and much energy was spent
making speeches, and writing
statements.
Comparison Of this years elec-
tion figures with the former Roose-
welt county vote shows that the Pre-
sident carried Montgomery in 1882
by majority Of 3547 against Hoo
YER; in 1885 he carried the county
against Landon BY 2s4s and in i0-
40 his majority against Willkie was
reduced to 1454. This comparisonl
shows that there has been a gra-
dual decline in New Deal support
but the change from a majority Of
1454 in 1910 to q loss by 1850 In
1914 is greater than the most en-.
thusiastic Republican leader dared
predict. 1t represents change OF
$500 out Of q total vote Of around
thirty thousand.
Senator Tyding carried the
county by majority Of more than
1900 and led the record vote for
Dewey.
Congressman ]. Glenn Beall car
ried the county by S,700 and also
carried all the counties Of the dis
trict. His majorities in other c0un-
ties were approximately as follows:
Garret 2,4OO; Allegany $500
Washington $500; Frederick $500.
MIR. Beall's district majority is ex-
pected to be above $4,000.