The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-07-03

REGISTRATION AND ELECTION
UNDER THE OLD AND UNDER
THE NEW LAW.
published by Authority of Maryland Democratic
Editors Associaton.)
The first article issued by the Associa-
ton told how, by partisan trick, the oath
of secresy was omitted in the election and
registration law passed by the Republican
Legislature in 1896, and the illiterate col
ored voters thus placed under absolute
espionage and control of Republican cleo
ton officials. The second article presented
a table showing the colored and white Re
publican vote by counties and in Bal6-
more, and pointed out the danger threat
ening from Republican rule, because the
white Republicans in number of counties
were far from being representative citizens,
yet they absolutely controlled the colored
vote and had an unfair advantage in con-
trolling legislation. 1t was shown that
these white Republicans, and unrepresen-
tatiye citizens, in the counties of Maryland
where the colored population is large, were
represented in the Legislature upon per
capita basis of 1861, while an equal distri-
button of the III members of the General
Assembly among the 213, 900 registered
white voters fixes the per capita represen-
tation at 1920.
In this article it is proposed to look into
the necessity for any change at all in the
election and registration laws and to give
the taxpayers of the State some idea of
the cost of this partisan and unfair law of
1896, heralded and applauded as the con-
summation of reform that was to secure
absolute purity in registration and voting.
There never was any necessity for the
Australian system of voting in the counties
of Maryland, however much it was needed
in Baltimore. But the demand for it
there led Democratic Legislature to pass
fair law, in which many counties of the
state were excepted from its operation
The next Legislature extended it to the
whole state, because it was feared that the
lack of uniformity in voting might furnish
excuse, in the event of the national House
OF Representatives being close, to unseat
Democratic Representatives from this state
1t was remembered how Gar Reed expelled
Democrats from the 51st Congress upon
very fimsy excuses, and it was regarded
best not to take any risks, and make the
law applicable to the whole state.
That law threw around the voter every
proper safeguard to insure the casting Of a
free and untrammeled ballot Elections
under it were as fair and honest as it is posi-
BILE to make them by legislative enactment,
yet the Reform CD element of Baltimore
made the charge that the law did not
embody all the essential features of the
genuine Australian system, and this charge
was taken up by the Independent press and
spoilsmen and shouters of the Republican
party. Thus sentiment was created that
a better ballot law must be passed, and the
Reformers of Baltimore entrusted its prep
aration to a committee of which the un-
savory John C. Rose was member
Rules and regulations for registration as
well as election were combined in it, and
the whole made long and scarcely intelli-
gible law 1t was purposely made so in
order to cover up the fact that the oath of
secresy was omitted and the illiterate col
ored voters placed under the espionage and
control of Republican election officials
Not only did the law provide for regis
tration and election, but provided for an
entirely new registration, wholly unnec-
essary and expensive matter.
The registration act in force prior to the
time when the state began experimenting
in reforms, provided for fair registra-
ton of voters. Under it there was a full
registration, and provision was made
for annually revising the books, op-
pOrtunity being given new voters to have
their names entered and opportunity to
have the names of those who had died OF
moved away stricken off. No new regis
tration in the counties was necessary, but
a demand for it in Baltimore in 1882 re-
suited in the passage of a new law requlr-
ing it. 1t was made to apply to the whole
state, to avoid any doubts as to the con
struction of the constitutional provision fol
uniformity. The Democrats of the coun-
ties at first opposed new registration, be
cause there was objection upon the part OF
many old Democratic voters to any regis
tration, and it was feared that some would
decline to re-register To satisfy the de-
mand in Baltimore, and to avoid doubts as
to constitutionality if a new registration
were provided for Baltimore only, the
Democratic members of the Legislature
from the counties consented to a new reg
istration for the whole state. The result
showed that the fears of the county mem
bers of the Legislature were well founded,
for many white Democrats failed to register,
while the Republicans, and particularly
the colored ones, made haste to have theil
names put upon the new books. This
falling off in the Democratic vote, in con
sequence, resulted in the loss of a congress
man in the fifth district, and in the cleo
ton of Republican judges in place of Dem
ocrats in the fifth, sixth and seventh judi
cial circuits and the placing of negroes OF
iuries to sit in judgment upon causes be
tween white citizens and in cases where
their liberty was at stake.
Gradually. however, prejudices against
re-registering were laid aside and the Dem
ocratic vote was pretty well registered
again. This was the situation in 1896
when Republican Legislature decreed {
new registration, well remembering thei
success following that of 1882. As il
1882, the colored voters swarmed th
registration offices, and the cumbersom
and slow system devised in the new law
made it necessary for white Democrats t
stand in line, sometimes for two hours, be
tween unwashed blacks, in order to ge
registered. Many became disgusted at tn
inconvenience and disagreeableness i'm
posed and left the lines and did not regis
ter. 1t seems the law was purpOsely pre-
pared to disgust Democrats and preven
them from voting. The white Republi
cans in the counties where the black vot
is large and heavy did not mind the asso
citation and mix up of whites and blacks
They were accustomed to it, but in tn
northern and western counties there wa
much complaint upon the part of whit
Republicans. The questions that regis