Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1888-02-24
WILL THE PLHDGES BE CARRIED
OUT.


opening Of the last State camp ign, a.
serted that elections in this State wer'
held under the management Of the IN.
principlsd political boss, and in ms
quence every trick known 10 that cl1s,
of individuals had been used and would
continue to be resorted to, 50 tina. Il,
dominant party would BE- enah i tor
tain patronage and power. II possible
10 correct those evils, the Republican
party adopted platform which declar-
ed an intention to repeal all laws which
made election and registration frauds
possible. Following the adoption o.
this platform. and to convi c the pub
lie that the pledges therein made wsud
Be carried out in gooi filth Star
ticket. which for worth and character
could not be excelled, was placed in the
field, and Immediately some Of the ablest,
puresi and best men Of the State form
efly allied 90 the Democratic party de-
clarrd their intention TO support il. To
check nate the action Of these gentlemen,
who from the hustings declared the cor
rupton which existed in their party
and TO prevent the stampede which APP
norred likely to take place, the leaders
Of the Democratic party admitted THEN
past sins and declared they would pass
the Tilden election law, or something
better, which would prevent election
and registration frauds On those
pledges their State ticket was elected ~
The Republican party discredted those
pledges; they discredited them when
they said they would give annual regis
tratiJn in Baltimore, and other large
cities and towns Of the State, they dis
credited them when they asserted that
the minority would have such repre-
seniation as would prevent the dominant
party from placing in Office incompetent
or corrupt registration aud election Off
GERS The Republican party still dis
credits those pledges, for they never b .
lieved, that the Democratic managers
had any more intention Of reforming the
election machinery of the State than
they had of relinquishing the power
which they had gained by the most out
rageOus practices on the rights of the
people. If such had been their inten-
ton, there is now no obstacle in their
way. Laws have been submitted to the
legislature by Attorney General Whyte,
Hon. james A. Pearce, and se,eral
other prominent Democrats all embody-
ing the same general features. and
which If enacted, would make it almos
III iH PVeoiOi'J ~ piaO'iSN b"uu ~ Wv
elections or registration. bat tho-e laws
drawn by able and eminent men have
been passed by and will not be adopted
No ono can truthfully say that the Dem
ecratic pledges made at THAR State con
vention, that they would enact law
which would contain all the beneficial
provisions of the Tilden act, with such
additional safeguards as experience
should suggest" are embodied in the
law which the Election Committee
have agreed to report, for the vital fea
lures Of the Tilden election law are, mi
nority representation throughout every
step Of registration ami voting We
are not surprised, for We have heard bt
fore pledges made by the same old party
which claims to be all that is pure, in
telligent and good, and have seen those
pledges ignored, but in the language of
the Baltimore Sun" which we requote:
1T will find when its day Of trial
again comes that its misdeeds will be
remembered and its promises laughed
TO scorn."