The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-09-05

ceased, and the State passes into
the hands of self-constltuted rulers.
Therefore the recommendations re-
garding the reform and improve
ment of the election laws have my
heartlest recommen dalton. Thanks |
to the reformers of all parties in
the State, valuable advances have
been made toward electoral purity,
but there are loopholes which should
be closed, and the platform clearly
points out the ones that need the
earliest attention.
| The right to vote and have his
vote properly counted should be
secured to every citizen of the
State, and one great help to this
end would be such a revision of our
laws as would give us an annual
registration in Baltimore city, and
at least quadriennial in the counties,
with an annual revision of the lists.
A few years experience with the
Australian ballot proves that above
the statute is the machinery which
ut creates. Fair registration, fair
elections, are only possible when
the officials are honest and faithful
to the extent of being tolerant to
all and giving advantage to none.
INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES.
independence in politics is the
corrective of the failures of the pri-
mary, and the candidates of indie
pendent citizens should have
place upon the official ballot.
When the control of the school
system of Maryland was taken away
from the people it was placed in
the hands of the judiciary, and
thence passed under the control of
the Executive. Believing that in
the education of the young lies the
future safety and prosperity of the
State, | should strongly urge that
our public schools be at once placed
under local control; removed en-
tirely from political influences, and
the great benefits of a free and lib
eral education brought within the
reach of the humblest child, and in
order that every impediment might
be removed l would cheerfully
sanction law providing for free
books, so that the end and aim of
our whole system of free public
schools might be the more effectu-
ally accomplished.
i FAv0RS CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
1 believe the better sentiment of
our people will favor the appoint
ment to the Police, Fire and other
City Departments of the public SER
vice, according to the merit system,
which has been so greatly extended
IN the Federal service under Presi-
dents Arthur, Cleveland and Har-
rison. The State of New York has
adopted it in its Constitution and
the city of Chicago has also adopted
it by an overwhelming majority.
| Such appointments, by merit and
service during good behavior, will
help to scale down the tax rate and
show the people that in these de-
partments the public money is spent
with good results.
| now pledge myself in favor of
civil service reform, and will not
forget that l am so pledged to ex-
tend the merit system and to
recommend the enactment of such
legislation as will permit the people
of the several counties and munich
palities to pass upon this question.
/ THE OYSTER BEDS.
l have confidence in the action of
the convention in interpreting the
needs of our people in regard to
the public oyster beds, land if elected
l will conform nv actions to the
same. The management of the
4 Oyster Police Force has been fire.
quently and, l think, justly criti-
cised, and it would be my earnest
effort, so far as in my power, by the
judicious appointment of compe-