The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-07-07
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HOW IT WAS DONE IN 1875.

A representative Of the Baltimore .ia,ericaa in
tervicwei the Hon. :. Teaekle WALL. On the move
bcin. made TO have Maj. Allison succeed himself
Clerk Of the Superior Court of Baltimore, and
received the folIawiss deeply iutefes,ng informa.
ton:
"few people have any idea Of the Importance
VI the Office of the Clerk Of the Superior Court
a factor in political reform, and few knoW how
necessary 1t l. to have IN that position a free
from the influences Of corrupt politicians. The
Office i aimo,t important in tina; respect that
Of the Mayoralty it.elL Ia the FIRST place, the
Clerk of the Court has great amount 81 patron.
age, and what Is n more important consideration.
he u the custodian Of the ballots east at all gen.
eral elections, aud has charge of the polls and
registration books. For many years the Office was
garied as n hospital for broken. down political
buinners. as public crib for the feeding IL the
LangeFs-on and henchmen of the bosses. The
men who did the dirty work in politics, instead Of
being supported out Of the private funds Oi the
manag gers, were placed ON the list Of paid em.
ployees in the Clerks Office Of the Superior Court,
and when the time came 90 do the bidding Of the
bOises they went and did il. II 10 important to
have in that Office a who is not disposed 10
tolerate such abuses. and who will set his face
against the prostitution Of the position for poIi,
cal ends. As custodian 81 the election records
the ballots, poll. books ani REGISTRATION iists) IL
u within the power Of the Clerk to panier TO the
worst political elements in midst. ! say with
out hesitation that IL IL susceptible of proof that
after the election Of issS the managers and their
henchmen had 10 the ballots and poll book
10 the sacred keeping Of the Clerk of that Court,
and deliberately altered the books and removed
the ballots east for the Reform ticket, and sabsi.
tutei for them tickets which, upon investigation,
had never been deposited in the ballot box. Il Is
also n matter which can easily be proved that
these manager, or the men dcputized By them,
were ell inta the raufn where these regards
were kept, with the knowledge and conssn, Of Mr..
Robinson, al tina; time the Clerk Of the Superior
Court. Thousands Of tickets which had never
gone through the aperture Of the ballot box, and
had evidently never been handled by a Judge Of
tie election, were placed AMONG the ballots in
custody Of the Clerk. aud when the commissioners
appointed by the Court made their investi cations
they discovered these evidences OF fraud for these
tickets had been placed there in the bunch with
out even being folded. II vas in this way that
the will Of the people ieiei by the bosses In
1875. II shows how . weak man can be made
subseryient TO the wishes Of the bosses. and how
man who 10 under obligation 10 the agcrs can
be made the means OF setting at naught the deci.
sion Of a whole people. "a made known through
the baliot.box. But Il demonstrate above all the
necessity Of placing in that Office man whom tie
bosses will not dare 10 apProach-a man who has
at heart the highest interests Of the community
and who can be reiiei upon at all times 10 die.
charge honorabiy the duties exaeted Of his posi-
ton, and who will not sacrifice the eiiy's welfare
10 the demands Of clique Of politicians"
From the foregoing II will be seen for what base
ptal for political bummers aPablie crib for feed.
ing hsnehmen Of the bosses. Men who DO III.
dirty work Of politics, instead Of being supported
out Of the private fund Of the bosses, are placed
upon the list Of employees Of the Clerks Office