The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-17
WHAT THE POLITICAL BOSS WILL
DO FOR VIRGINIA ALSO.

place In Maryland. Maryland has the
most perfect prototype OF the political
boss in German. that our institutions
have developed. lie has ruled Maryland
despotically for so many years that his
power seemed TO be consolidated and fixed
beyond all power TO dissolve IT. But the
self-respectIng citizens Of the State are
rising up now and making a supreme
effort 10 end their thralGom and they
will break his power at the coming cleo
ton. unless he saves 1t by the 1900
fraudulent registrations which he has
placed upon the registration books of
Baltimore city.
Mr.. Charles J. Bonaparte. a leading
citizen OF Baltimore. said in speech
there a day or so back of what IS now
going on in Maryland:
Honest men may honestly differ as to
protection and free trade 10 Federal
supremacy and State rights. as 10 gold
currency ana silver currency ana paper
currency. but honest men all think alike
as to a free ballot and a fair count. If
any man helps in. OF winks at. or covers
over any kind Of cheating at the polls
that man is not "A misinfOrmed or mis-
guided felow-citizen to be argued with
and shown his error He IS a scoundrel,
and he should be called scouDdrel and
est man. 4 party which would gain or
retain power through election frauds is
not a party TO which honest men can or
will belong. II is not party at all
in any true or worthy rfnsc of the
word. Ii IS a conspiracy against the most
vital interests and against the most sacred
rights Of the people"
This is not what is TO be classed as
STRONG language" 1t is the language of
soberness and truth. The man who will
connive at frauds in elections is not to
be looked on as a msinformcd or mis-
guided man. He is to be looked on as
degraded scoundrel who would degrade
all honest men to his own level. These
are ringing words. which should become
the text wherever this subject is re-
ferred 10.
We have quoted from the Baltimore
Sun several articles that pointed out in
detail the manner in which the reSistra-
ton lists of Baltimore have been flled
up with fraudulent names. We quote an
other as follows:
Mr. Roger W Gull chairman Of the
Committee on Elections of the Reform
League, in a conversation yesterday said
that since he gave out the statement pun
lished in the sun of last Thursday show
ing in general way the extent ana
systematic character of the registration
frauds committed at the september ana
October stitings, he has had occasion 10
investigate more in detail the reglstra-
tons in the different wards, ana the re-
suits of such examination not only con
firm his statement as then made but
present the wholesale nature OF these
frauds i'm startling manner.
at would be impossible to imagine
more remarkable state Of things tnan Is
shown. for instance, by the registrauoh
in the First precinct of the Ninth ward.
''The public will obtain from consid-
Grafton of the registration in this one
precinct "A keener sense OF the cohuluon
| of the registration lists than II / Were 10
go through with all the precincts OF the
city. ,eo,
new registration year, OF when the pres
| ent year is a revision. In 1894 mere
were registered In that precinct OF the
Ninth ward 702 persons. but IN TINS
year of revision there has been net
addition to the registration lists OF ls3
names. making, the total registered vote
Of that precinct SIS persons.
"The police. however. In 1894 found
only 40 voters in the precinct. ana III me
election of last fall the vote showed that
Mr. Kerr for judge. and Mr. C0"en, iof
Congress. each received 1893 votes, while
Mr.. Dubler, for judge. and MI. Smlln
for Congress. received 30 votes oach' ana
Mr. Hochheimer and MI Prenuss each
votes We all know how astonlsninSly
large the vote always is in that precinct
nn5 certoinlv the vote of last fall was no
exception and yet the vote ihen was
PSI less than the registration as II STANDS
to-day. after the September and october
s,ttincs. and 10 more than the police
found of voters IN 1891.
"But il is when We come TO look into
the registration from certain houses IL
this precinct that the wonder OF the
thing increases. as we come 10 under
stand how the registration has been
brought about. s.
"Fifty-nine persons are registered from
the lodging-house l2i Marsh Market space.
and the remarkable thing about II is
that not a single name has been stricken
off from the registered list OF this house
either in 1894 or 1895, no one having died
and no one having removed.
But If the population of l2i Marsh Mar
ket space goes far TO explain the ire
mendous registration in the FIRST pre-
cinct OF the Ninth ward. we SHAH be
further enlightened on that subject when
we come 10 look at the registration from
the lodging-houS lW Marsh Market
space. From this house Y names remain
on the books after the striking or OF
four persons that were registered last
year
"Fifty-fve persons are on The rogistra-
tion list from ~ east Lombard street
Eve have, then from these three houses
i'm this one precinct 1S6 persons register
ed, The public will draw its own infer
ences from the figures which l have
submitted
~ gentleman or standing IN lle COM
munity repoXed to me this morning
conversation which he heard by accident
the other day between three fellows whose
appearance proclaimed them of the class
whose abiect wretchedness makes them
the implements of this part OF the ring
politicians art These three men, il APP
peared. were quarrel,ng over the division
of some money which had been paid
them for illegal registration. and in their
anger talked with more frankness than
was prudent in a public place. one of
them was heard TO protest that he was
tired OF this business because he had
received only Sc for registering In between
forty and fifty precincts. while q friend
of his had received so for registering in
not half that many, and besides getting
only 81 he had been given only two drinks
the whole day
Il was led TO believe recently from
Information furnished me that a man
had registered in another precinct of the
| Ninth ward. from 42i CORTLAND street.
under the name of John Morris. | Sc
| cured the attendance of this man at my
| Office on Thursday last and produced the
evidence of his guilt before him. He
| broke down completely, and. with n pro-
| fusion Of tears. confessed his crime and
! told me the following story:
81 was standing on Fayette street.
near North. on the day that | eg.stered
under the name of John Morris, i2i Court
] land street, and was somewhat under the
| influence Of liquor. when man came
up and gave me and two or three other