The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-03-24
Annapolis Letter.

ANNAPOLIS, Md, March II, 1888. ,
EDITOR REPUBLICAN THE long
talked of election law has at last
passed both houses and may now be
regarded as an accomplished fact;
and, as was feared and predicted, it
falls short of what was so ardently
hoped for, viz: measure that would
prevent fraud.
The Republicans, aided by few
few honest Democrats. tried to amend
the bills in the house, but in vain.
The managers would not accept any
amendments calculated to prevent
repeating or false counting.
Mr.. Graves. of st. Mary's county,
offered an amendment requiring the
word no to be written opposite the
name of each qualified voter on the
lists who had not voted at the close
of the polls. This would prevent the
names being marked as having vo-
ted, and it is difficult to see what OBJ
lection could be urged against a
precaution so simple, and so effective.
as a means of preventing false count.
ing; yet without reason it was voted
down.
Mr.. Dodson, of Talbot county, also
pressed an amendment requiring that
after the ballots were counted and
the returns completed the ballots
should be burned.
This is also a provision of the Til
den act, which the Democracy was
pledged to, but instead of burning
the ballots and avoiding the posi-
bility of Misunderstanding, the bill
provides that strip of paper shall be
pasted over the key.hole. and the
hole for the admission of the ballots,
and the ballots returned to the clerks
Office, where they are to be kept a
certain time and then destroyed.
Mr., Laird. Democratic member
from Montgomery, spoke in favor of
Mr.. Dodson's amendment, and said
that it would not take more than ten
seconds to soften the paste, so that
the strips of paper could be taken off,
and that there was a possibility of
duplicate keys, and insisted that this
would afford no protection whatever;
| hnt fhiC q nnnndnnnnf al,
down. although it would be very diff
ticult to find any other reason, only
the one which naturally suggests
itself: they are not quite ready to
close up the avenues of fraud.
In 1875. when Harris was elected
over Carroll, if the law had required
the destruction of the ballots by the
judges, Eugene Higgins would have
missed his opportunity to make HIM
self immortal. He succeeded in get
ting his man counted in, although
the boldest deciple of reform does not
now deny the methods by which
Carroll was made Governor.
Higgins spends most of his time in
Annapolis, and his ear.mark is Wis.,
ible in great deal of the legislation
being passed at this session.
There is move on foot to establish
an immigration bureau at an expense
to the state of $4,000 to send COM
missioners abroad to induce immi-
grafton to Southern Maryland. and
Higgins is understood to be looking
for the appointment. OF course
"Gene" must be cared for. He has
engineered more political deviItry
through the Maryland Legislature
than any of Gorman's satellites, and of
course "Gene" must be looked after.
He is the embodiment of more pure
cussedness politically, than any one
else, and his influence is not abating.
have no doubt majority of the
county members intended to do the
square thing when they came here,
but influences are soon brought to
bear which makes it seem the proper
thing to herd with the crowd, and
they are speedily absorbed into it.
and losing their individuality and
their independence they 60, willingly