Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-03-29
I III Il Sc N TINEL.
More Voting Districts Needed.
C2rtesgoad.nee q Ia Senlinel.

Ma EpiroR; 1t seems to me that when any
matter Of public interest affecting the people
Of our county is TO be brought to their notice
and public opinion elected, the Sentinet is the
proper medium through which to do it, for it
is the source Of all general information apper-
tanning to county affairs, and is, | believe,
read in nearly every household in the county
had hoped some one more accustomed 10
move in puhicailairs and more prominent and
capable than had long ago suggested the pro-
priety and advantage Of re-districting or at
east creating more voting precincts in the
county than there are Mt present.
The reasons for doing so seem obvious III
deed, for since the perpctrition of tina. out
rageous fraud upon the country, the 18Th
amendment, our vote has been so greatly in
creased that in some districts where nearly
doubled the pressure to vote is continued up to
the moment of closing the polls and it is far
Unto the morning of the next day before tho
counting is completed. Heretofore, when the
vote was smaller a voter could go to the polls
and il he desired to vote NJ once and return
home it was an easy matter TO do so, but now
when one goes there Is no certainty when no
can pnt in his ballot aud go away, for he is
obliged TO step into the ranks and stay there,
to crowd and be crowded, until he reaches the
window, or If wedgel in between dozen or
two pairs Of 18th amendments and be can not
stand the peculiar odor he backs out and docs
not vote at all and this latter alternative,
Mr. Editor, have seen at our polls at the last
two elections
Again, many persons must go from eight 10
ten miles TO vote, and with the same distance
home again it is too far either to walk or ride
ia view Of the necessary detention Mt the polls,
consequently they stay away and the vote is
lost; this, too, in nine cases out OF ten, is n
Democratic vote, Tor it is notorious that the
blacks will go, or ARE forced to go 10 the cleo.
ton under all circumstances. They don't
mind the squeeze and rather delight in tho
odor
With smaller districts or precincts the vote
is more easily gotten out and absentecs moro
conveniently sent for, and there is less liability
Of fraud on the registration rs well as better
opportunity Of detecting negroes who nre sss-
pceted Of being voted here and in the District
of Columbia with equal unscrupulouencss.
Moreover, it is notorious fict that since
emancipation negroes neither have nor care to
have homo or hnbttlion for any length of
time, and that they, unlike the white man,
have none Of those distinctive differences which
render them easily recognized Now, with
smaller districts where there are fewer voters,
with more limited bounds Of residence, detec-
ton Of fraud or attempted fraud is a thing OF
more ease aud certainty.
And now, if our delegation in the Lcgisla-
ture will give us more aud smaller districts,
think ut the next elections the Democracy OF
Montgomery will show 10 her sister counties
that che has and will give gallant seven hun
dred or more, and that she does not mean 10
rest satisfied with her last Fairs effort, but for
the love OF principle, hatred to tyranny, her
mission is PROGRESS.