The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-03-10
Redistricting the State.

Redistricting the State.
A bill has been drafted providing for the
redistricting of the congressional districts o.
MARYLAND. The first district is to remain a:
Il now is. The second district is to get the
first ward of Baltimore city, and all of Balti
more county, and will lose Carroll county
The third district will lose the ninth ward o.
the city and get the fifteenth ward. The
fourth district will get the ninth ward anc
lose the fifteenth ward. The fifth district will
get Montgomery county and lose the hrst anc
thirteenth districts of Baltimore. The sixth
district will get Carroll and lose Montgomery
county. This is essentially a party bill tc
insure FIVE Democratic congressman.
The above is from the Annapolis cores
pondence of the Baltimore Sun, under date
of March 9th, and discloses monstrous po'
litical scheme in the interest of Mr.. j. Fred.
C. Talbot, of Baltimore county. This is the
sole object ofthe bill, no matter what specious
arguments may be advanced in support of it.
To accomplish this, too, the sixth congress
sional district, in which the Democrats now
have fighting chance, is to be firmly and
hopelessly Republican,; the vote of the second
district to be reduced, and the Dem,
majority increased, and the V; ref Of the fifth
district to be increaec9- et ~ .lI;.;o,, olso
% .ba Dor,o Jart@Seu' WIN d" "OUi''o" "''0
" ~, .re .:Ie. -s,cratic majority.
fhen the bill gets before the legislature, it
will be advanced in support of it that 1t is
designed to render more hopeful the chances
of Democratic success in the sixth district,
and it will be recited that in the last congress
sional election Carroll gave over 700 Demo
cratic majority, while the Democratic major
ity of Montgomery county is sometimes less
than GOO. The fact is, the Democratic ma
iority of Carroll, on straight vote, does not
exceed 800, and it often happens that the
majority runs much lower.
The changes proposed by the bill are unim-
portant, except as to the second, fifth and
sixth districts The bill proposes to take
Carroll, with its I 200 voters and 300 Demo.
cratic majority, from the second district, and
to add to the district the first and thirteenth
districts of Baltimore county, with a vote OF
2l6O and Democratic majority of 254, and
the first ward of Baltimore city, with $500
voters and Democratic majority of 70.
Tins the vote Of the district is to be reduced
about 100, and the overwhelming Democratic
majority of $500 to be slightly increased.
The fifth district is to lose the first and thir'
teenth districts of Baltimore county, with
2l6O votes and 254 Democratic majority, and
gain Montgomery, with $500 votes, and, In
nau,noratIp m nj
over 600. The fifth district in the last con-
gressonal election gave more than 2,I0C
Democratic majority. 1t may be safely put
at 1900 when a straight contest is made
This bill then proposes to take away 25C
Democratic majority in Baltimore county and
add the 6ea or over in Montgomery, making
n net Democratic gain of $50 or more to the
district.
The sixth district is to lose the $500 votes
of Montgomery, with Democratic majority
of 600, and gain Carroll, with 1900 votes and
a Democratic majority of 300. The sixth
district is now debateable ground. Mr.. Nc
Comas, confessedly the most popular Repub'
lican leader in the district, had but about 40C
majority in the last contest, but here comes
proposition to increase the Republican ma
iority by 300 or more, thus making the dis
trict solidly and hopelessly Republican.
The figures given above are taken from the
official returns, and it will be seen that the
vote of the second congressional district is to
be largely reduced and the Democratic ma
iority needlessly increased, that the vote and
the Democratic majority of the fifth district
are both to be increased, and that the vote
and Republican majority Of the sixth are to
be increased. And this is to be done in order
that Representative Shaw and other leading
Democrats of Carroll shall be shelved in a
Republican district, and that Mr.. Fred. Tai
bolt may go to Congress.
1t cannot be possible that the Maryland
Legislature will lend itself to such scandal
GUS purpose. Mr.. Talbot has served three
terms in Congress, and at the end of his SER
vice stood no higher than at the beginning.
Members of capacity and industry usually re-
ceive recognition during their second term
but Mr.. Talbot received none even during
his third. Not only did he fail to secure re-
cognition from his party in Congress, but he
also failed of recognition from the present
Democratic Administration. For months Mr.
Talbot was an applicant for Assistant Attor
ney- General He was endorsed by Senator
German who was all powerful with the AID
ministration so far as Maryland appointment
were concerned, but President Cleveland drew
the line at Talbot and rejected his apphca
ton. But for the persistence of Mr.. Talbot
In his efforts to obtain the appointment, thu
position would have been given to a membe
of the Carroll bar.
After his rejection by the Administration
slr. Talbot appealed to the people ofhls dis
trict to elect him to Congress, as an endorse
nent and a rebuke to the President, but the
Democratic party of his own county rejected
his appeal. And now changa in the con
gressional district is to be made in order tina
Mr.. Talbot aspirations may be grati6ed, ana
for other purposes, and the debateable sixth
district is to be made hopelessly Republican
We cannot believe the Maryland Legisla
ture will lend itself to any such scheme
The Injustice and bold impudence of the bill
will be apparent to any one who examines it
Are the Democrats of the Legislature going
TO so redistrict the State that hopelessly Re
publican district be organized,i in orderth one
who faited to take rank and position during
three terms in Congress, and who was but re-
Gently rejected by Democratic Administra,
tion, shall again be sent to Congress? We
think not.
Where is the Delaye
Something is radically wrong in the mails.
0,,. ph;ladalnb;a naners are freanently two