Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-06-03
lPublfsh,d bv authority Of the Maryland
Democratic Editors AssociatIon.l

Democratic Ediforx' AssocfatIon.l
The essential principle of the Australian bal.
lot system, which has sustained public senti-
uncnt in many States of the Union in incorpor-
afing its cumhrous and expensive provisions
into their election laws Is that il affords TO the
individual voter the privilege of voting secret
ballot. This privilege. thus dearly supposed
90 be attained. has been understood TO effec-
tuaily rid the voter from the domination and
power Of those who may have a controlling IN
hacnee. by reason Of other relations in life.
over his individual political action. Upon this
ground. solely. of securing liberty of action in
the exercise Of his elective franchise on the
part Of the individual voter. freed from the
control Of those Who are in position to ex-
ercise a coercive intimidating influence
upon him. has the Australian ballot system ap-
pcaled to the favor Of the advocates OF election
reform. and this single and distinctive feature,
as has been already stated is the essential prip-
ciple 81 the system IL must follow. therefore,
that any law purporting To- embody the Als-
tralian system. which. instead Of freeing the de-
pendent class Of voters from the espionage, SUI
pcryision and domination of the class whose
influence and resentment thcy fear and are
subservicnf TO. subjects them more completely
and domination. is a sham reform which ought
to have the condemnation and not the support
Of honest men.
In States largely engaged in manufacturing
industries. corporate works and the like, where
the Dependent; iaborers. who were subjected TO
the controlling influence Of their employers,
arc for the most part capable Of reading
and marking their own ballots, the Australian
ballot machinery. which screens The voter while
in the act Of voting from ali espionage and SUI
pervision. exercises very saiutary influence in
securing a free and un;rammeicd expression
Of the popular will. TIE domination in roliti-
cal matters Of corporations and other large en-
ployers Of human labor had grown TO be po-
tent and dangerous Influence in elections. and
the Australian system as an elective reform
has grown in favor as a remedy to this great
and growing mischief.
But she illiterate voter who cannot read or
mark his own ballot. has always constituted
troublesome factor in the problem Of giving
practical application to the Australian theory.
lie. instead Of being screened from observation
by the new machinery, Is subjected TO more
close and complete scrutiny in the marking of
ms ballot Tor him by the officers designated for
that purpose. who are always the partiSans of
the leading political parties Therefore, when
the proposition was first made TO introduce the
Australian idea into the Maryland election Iav
tn iS0o-many OF the more thoughtful Demo
cratic leaders were apprchensive that the large
per ccntage OF Iliterates in Maryland. belong
ing almost exclusively to the Republican party.
would give improper advantage to that party
IN the operation OF The system, IN that Il would
subject the illiterate colcrcd voters more coro-
pleteiy than ever TO the espionage and donI
nation OF those who had become the r,ol;.icaI
leaders In the communities xhere they ORE.
dominate. =
These complaints came more especially from,
thoughtful Democrats in the Neoro.do,,,r,,r1
counties. which had at that TING. rnarr ~. "a
ballot system. just fairly begun 20 eme,re t,o,,
more thar a decade Of ruiuous Negro dor,;
nation condition of affairs has exiS.sd =,
years IN those counties. OF which the voters os
the other counties and Baltimore CITY have mr..
lair conception. The extraordinary methods
OF intimidation and coercion by which the won,
deriuf cohesion OF the Negro vote WINS secured
ana Tor many years maintained in those conn.
ties and Negro domination thereby fas4r,ed
upon thcin. WI no doubt be sunrise IN
many good citizens OF the city and Of s;~.cr
counties. who view the matter eoaptaceu;fv
nom distance. and sometimes upon not erea.
PtoFoeation show disposition 70 co-oocrz4n
Win NOSE bad forces. A sentiment has hen
eunn'ng!y inculcaied into the minds Of The -.
ne'as' and supcrstitious Negro voter, ana
more especially OF the women and ehiiarcr,
VINO constitute their families. that for a colored
man to vote anything but the s.ra;gh, Ren,,h-
mean ticket IS to be traitor to his race ana +.
SINNER OF unpardonabIe ofense. This sep,;-
men'' shrewdly disseminated through wei r..
or'ea'ed co'ored preachers and other ;r,,.-.
'ouS'y CHOSEN agencies. made deem ;,norrs-
sion on the rank and file of the colorrd nrr,,.
lat'on' which stiil exists to a verv vrDc-sI -
'en'' especially among the women.
, nut gradually. through the arneIiora.;r, 10
lushee OF daily and neighborIy intercourse ,v;,h
'"e whites, this condition Of conoac. rae A.,
esohism began TO show evidences ~ -
ton among the more kindly dispoxrd 80 49,.
Negroes. and after a years exrer;eoc. -
.he fFsi National Democratic adr,:.Is,-,z;o-,
aein0'is 'raied that they would not be .p,,. h.cl
INTO slavery by the Democrats" e d;-rf,,I,-
preu'e'ed TO them at midnight s,s,h,-;,,rs