The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-03
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 1890.
SENATOR GoRMAN AND BALLOT RE-
FORM,


FORM,
The position in oppositionto ballot ie-
form which Senator German, OF mary
land, has recently taken. has attracted
very considerable attention, not SO
much on account OF his admitted
shrewdness. az on account Of his repre-
senting 10 this respect, the most back
ward wing Of the Democratic party
that wing which is controlled by the
wishes Of ring politicians. rather than
BY the true Interests Of the people 10
other words, German is simply follow
Ing the example Of David u. Hill' o.
New York, man who ia as much the
exponent Of all that is selfish ana re-
dictionary IN our political life as Grover
Cleveland is Of all that 10 progressive
and patriotic. When the Saxton bill.
which embodies tho details Of the Aus
tfalien law in modified form, came
before the present Executive OF Ne"
York TO be signed, he promptly vetoed
IL for the real reason that it was not &C
centable to the rank and file Of the ward
Doli,icians. 10 thwsrt and discomfort
,shom bad been the true ground Tor its
being brought forward in the Lsgisla-
ture.
Owing to The Preparation, year al'er
wear. Of the grossest electoral frauds IN
ths CITY OF Baltimore, q strong pubic
sentiment has arisen in Maryland ID Ia
vor OF the passage Of some election law
that will allow the voice Of the people
10 express itself without the customary
interference Of ward bosses and heeiers'
It's against this sentiment, SO natural
aud proper in a free people, that Ssna-
Tor German, who is a cross between
Malone and Hill, deliberately sets nm
yelf. and with the characteristic fur
,isepess of the t, pical politician takes
s.--..-1 oaf mo ~ Mary
land editors to disseminate his views III
way in which they we're apt 10 pro-
duce the earliest and most direct i'm
preston.
There is little Eoundness in the rea'
sons which no is reported to have given
Tor his opposition TO the passage Of a
new election law in bis State, reasons
which show that he is simply moved by
determination to maintain his own
power.
Senator Barbour, Of this State, has
declared that an election law. under
the operations Of which Virginia could
be carried for the Democratic party by
over 10000 majority, in bis opinion,
served it's purpose sufficiently well.
Se2ator German. on the other hand.
~clsects to the adoption Of the Austria
liam ballot law in Maryland on the
ground that the Democratic majority
in that Commonwealth is already too
small to make it a safe measure, d
being fatal defect Of that law III
his view. although he does uotacknowi-
edge il in 90 many words, that it is not
as flexible to improper influences at the
Dolls as the law now in use-in other
words. il does not allow the majority
60 be fraudulensly Increased, or ma
l,rity even manufactured IL necessary.
The position Of Maryland is not the
position Of Virginia with respect to the
volicg strength Of the negro race. The
people Of the former State cannot oiteI
the same reason in opposition to ballot
reform that has been urged in this Com
onwealth-namely, the presence Of
over one hundred thousand black voters
in our midst who are about as capable
of exercising the suffrage in az enlight
ensd spirit as so many cattle.
Is there true son Of Virginia who
does not keenly lament that k would be
a doubtful experiment under the Pc
culiar circumstances in which we are
placed, to pass the Australian ballot
law in the form adopted in Massachu
settsY This is the misfortune OF our
present situation: that we are forced TO
follow a conservative course that looks
like the grossest blindness and indiifer
eucs to all the suggestions Of modern
progress, and which the world at large
very naturally mistakes FOR provincial
Ism and bourbonism OF the most reac-
tionary type.