New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-16
4 ROSS-PIDDEN GOVERNOR.

Tho docision Of Governor Brown, Of Maryland,
IN tho case of the Democratic members OF the
Baltimore Board Of Election Supervisors seemed
on its face to be remarkable one, ana yet ul-
der the circumstances we doubt whether IL en-
cited great surprise however deep anu genera
the Indignation it may have provokn a'iohs
the honest, law-abidng citizens OF Baltimore
who have witnessed so many Exhibitions Oh Tue
tremendous pIyyr and resistless influence Vi
Senator German and the sub-bosses OF the DEM
ocratic party in Maryland during the last Ten
wears In all that time Maryland has not hao
a Governor who possessed enough hrmness OF
courage to take a position that ne knew "o"iu
be right and to hold it against the party bosses
There were doubtless many honest people IN
Baltimore who hoped that Governor Brown,
after the fair disposition he had shown on several
occo sions and especially after the unhandsome
treatment he had received at the hands or SEN
ator German and his leutenants would hoid
OFT against them in this case, but if those honest
citizens so believed they labored under del'i-
sion His decision simply registered the will or
the marty bosses. and it places the cause OF hon.
est elections in Maryland in greater peril than
before.
The election law Of Maryland clothes the Gov
crnor with power to appoint three supervisors
of election for each county and also for the city
Of Baltimore and not more than two members
Of each board are to be members OF the same
political party The election supervisors appoint
the officers of registration and the judges and
clerks Of election on the same basis. The inten-
| tion of the trainers OF the law to make non
partisan boards OF supervisors. registration ana
election. and to carry out this intention the law
,ba + Il ~
by the Governor and as ii stands today in the
original gave TO any member OF each board OF
| election SUPERVISORS the power to veto the APP
| poinlmcnt Of registrar or election officer which
| he regarded as improper or unsuitable The
| Legislature subsequently approved codifcation
| Of the State laws and In this new code twhich
| was prepared by the present Democratic Attor-
ney-Ccneral OF the State) the word veto In the
| election law was hanged 10 vote" thus viru-
ally making tho boards Of election supervisors
partisan boards and to that extent multiplying the
| Intention Of the trainers OF the law This year
| the partisan majoritics OF the boards OF super
vors in several Of the counties as we'll az in the
| city Of Baltimore have carried things with a
| high hand.
| In Baltimore Chairman Bans, German Rasin
| Democrat, has exercised supreme control, the
| other Democratic member having been mere
| fgrlrehcad. voting rs The chairman Instructed
him TO Yc,e The Republican member, OF course,
was powerless Charges were preferred against
| the Democratic supervisors by Democrats who
demanded n fair and honest registration and
election as well as by Republicans, and the Gov
ernor was pettioned to remove them from office.
No accusation whatever was brought by anybody
against the Republican supervisor. The testi-
mony against the Democratic supervisors was
Overwhelming They had not only winked at
the unlawful acts Of the Democratic registration
officers but encouraged them to persist In 1t. and
had insolenty refused even to investigate or
consider charges brought against them by
reputable citizens, and they had violated the
spirit II not the letter Of the law by appointing
unsuitable men, some Of whom were Democrats
to represent the Republican party as judges and
clerks Of election. With all the facts before him
Governor Brown removed the Republican super
visor. against whom NO accusation had been