Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-07
Maverick Montgomery

Faced with the overwhelming DEM
ocratic registration in Maryland, Repub-
licans additionally need either decisive
issues or exceptional candidates to
capture Statewide offices. It is obvious
that yesterday they had neither. While
his margin of victory waA only frac-
ton of his 1858 plurality, Governor
TaweS easily won another four year
term as Governor. Not surprisingly,
his principal running mate-a Kennedy
Democrat-did even better. Daniel B.
Brewster, the first Democrat to win
Maryland seat in the United States
Senate since 1852, led the Statewide
ticket. And in a closer race for Con-
gresham at Large, Carlton r. Sickles,
who should prove to be an able Con-
gresham, defeated Newton ]. Steers, jr.,
novice who will be heard from later.
Significantly, Mr.. Tawes even car
ried three of the four down-state slot
machine counties, despite his commit
ment to fight the one arm bandits
at the State level He lost big only in
Montgomery County, where voters in a
massive protest vote rolled up $4,000
ballot majority for Frank Small, jr.
The real surprise of the election,
however, was the stunning upset at the
local level in Montgomery, where an
outpouring of about IS per cent of the
registered voters clobbered the liberal
element which has controlled the county
government at every level. Republican
candidates. for the first time in eight
years, registered convincing 5-to-2
control of the County Council, defeat
ing even such old line Stalwarts as
Mrs. Stella Werner Republican Gilbert
Guide wrested the Montgomery seat in
the State Senate from Mrs. Margaret
Schweinhaut. And G. o. P. candidates
won virtually unprecedented 6-to-4
majority for the Montgomery repre-
Sentatives in the House of Delegates
For the most part, those Democrats who
were elected had the Endorsement of
non-partisan conservatives.
In the most conclusive and hardest
fought of all the local races, moreover,
clear-cut 4-to-3 control of the County
School Board was won in a breeze
by nom partisan candidates supporting
economy, fewer "frills" and a return
to more basic concepts of education.
The four unseated incumbentS had run
on the past record of the School Board,
giving Montgomery voters a clear-cut
issue. The winners have insisted that
they are not school wreckers," but in
tend to preserve the high standards of
Montgomery schools at less cost and
more conservative administration
Their means of accomplishing these de-
sirable goals remain to be seen.
On the whole, the charges of ex-
cesSive spending and high taxes Gin
GLIDING the recent 37-cent raise in the
real estate tax rate) constituted the
major factor which turned the tide
against the liberals. But there also were
others. The Republicans worked hard,
under the leadership of the new G. o. P.
chairman, David Scull. number of
the defeated liberals had backed cur
tailment, nnwisely, in our opinion, of
the present county planning setup And
the wounds suffered by Democrats in
the hardfought primary last May ap-
parently did not completely heal 1t is
obvious that Montgomery is in for a
number of changes, the outcome of
which may bring significant alterations
in the character of the county.