The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-10-07
Nominating Papers.

Wnlcn Is necessary 10 nave as tue prellnln-
airy step to securing place on the Austria.
liam ballot, as the late voting system is
termed, which is being introduced by most
Of the States. The law providing for the
Australian ballot system in Maryland was
passed 10 1890. Under this modern system
of voting the ballots are prepared by the
State or county at public expense and the
tickets of all parties are printed on the same
ballot or sheet. The old parties 10 exist
euce previous TO the passage of the Austria
liam ballot law, were accorded the right of
being placed on the ticket without further
preliminary proceeding other than the
proper certificate of nomination by the
officers of their nominating conyeutions.
These parties in this State were the Demo-
crat, Republican and Prohibition. All of
these haying polled more than one per cent
of the vote cast at the previous election were
entitled to position on the legal ballot
But any new party or party with a name
not appearing on the election books or
polling lists at the last election was required
BY the law of 1896, after making its nomi-
nations, to secure 200 signers who were
legal voters in the county or congressional
district to nominating paper" or petition
containing the names of the party's nomi-
ees,s which nominating paper" or petit
tion was forwarded 10 the Secretary of State
and the ticket was then entitled to a place.
This requirement was restrictive and
un-American in its spirit, and never would
have been enacted by legislature that was
truly democratic in its theory and practice.
Bnt the Maryland legislature being only
party democratic concern, whose nourish-
ment and life. giving element was the "spoil
Of Office" it proceeded to place as many
restrictions in the way ofapy future political
change or organized movement; that might
give the people the opportunity TO enjoy
their inalienable right to free suffrage, as
they thought would be sufficient to hamper
and prevent them from exercising that
right, without very considerable trouble
and formality.
When the legislature of 1892 assembled
signs and omens in the political sky indi-
Gated that storm was brewing, which was
very likely to swoop down on the heads of
the old parties and scatter the reeJy walls
and thatch roof of their political bungalows
to the four winds. Further protection was
deemed necessary by these old political
mousers who control legislation, to secure
them as far as possible against the approach
ing storm and they set about strength.
eniDg their barricade, the election law, and
repealed and re-encted the l31st section of
that law, making it necessary to secure 500
in place of 200 signatures to the "nominat-
ing paper" and the person or persons who
had charge of said paper must make aft
davit before Justice of the Peace that he
or they saw the signers place their names on
the paper, and that they must be known to
be registered voters in the district where
they domicied. In Baltimore city the re-
quirements are made still more difficult and
annoying to comply with.
The object of these anti-American re-
quirements will be evident to all who glance
at the law, which is no less than an attempt
to abridge and nullify the right of free
suffrage and if possible prevent voters fl ON
haying any choice except between the
corrupt old parties. The Prohibition party
being more strictly sentimental than
political party, the old ring tax eaters no
longer feel any uneasiness about it.
Senator Writ resisted this change in
the election law and voted against it as
the records show, and it was only at the
heels of the session, and after two failures to
pass it. that The ring succeeded 10 its nefar.
ious object. Our three statesmen from this
county in the other house do not appear to
have made any effort to prevent the outrage
on the elective franchise. In fact it is not
known that one of them opened his yawp
during the session, but faithfully held the
benches down and when the ring master
cried "Simon, thumbs up'' or "Simon,
thumbs down." they thummed up and
thummed down accordingly.
The Peoples party is proclaiming a new
political gospel and steadily driving in the
old party lines from the west and south,
and wish to place their ticket before the
voters Of this State, but find themselves con-
frouted by the requirement of procuring
500 signatures 10 nominating paper, in
each Congressional district in the State,
which in the aggregate is 5000 names. IT
is true, those signers are under no obliga-
ton TO vote for the ticket, but securing this
number is attended with very considerable
annoyance and labor, and possibly some
expense, and the time being limited in
which to accomplish the work it amounts to
almost certainty that all the districts will
not be able to comply with the requirements.
This, the second Congressional district, in
all probability is one that will fail to secure
the requisite number of signatures to the
nominating paper in time-the limit of the
time when The papers must be in the hands
of the Secretary of State being 20 days be-
fore election exclusive of the day OF
election.
One of the nominating papers is at the
MIDLAND JOURNAL Office, Mr.. Samuel
Tyson, Colora. has charge of one and Mr..
Moves has another paper. Voters who feel