The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-08-19
DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
The Sentiners Concern About the
Colored Vote.

The SentinerS Concern About the
Colored Vote.
The Republican organ of Carroll, With the
Democratic State platform for text, COM
plains that efforts are annually made by
Democrats to influence Negroes to vote the
Democratic ticket Money is not always
used, says the Sentinel, ''but within the past
two wears editors of Democratic newspapers
have boldly advocated the creation of a fund
to corrupt colored voters and thus force the
Republicans to buy their ballots if they de.
sired to keep them faithful to the Republican
party
The use of money to influence elections is
a deplorable practice. 1t serves to debaueh
white voters and make them lose sight of pub
lie interests and regard elections so lely as a
time for the making off few dollars. ltdoes
not so act ON the all colored voters. Many of
them cannot read the ballots they cast; but
few nav any taxes: not one in hundred has
any conception of government and are not
any more intelligent on the subject than they
were when they were given the elective fran
chise tweuty-nine years ago. To many OF
them election day is merely holiday, with
free hack rides to the polls aud free whiSkey.
When they go to vote they hunt the bust OF
Lincoln on their tickets and make cross
mark. Not one in hundred votes Demo
cratic ticket. Unprincipled white men have
taupht them that Democrats are hostile 10 the
Negro race and that Democratic supremacy
NAV mean return to slavery; and while very
few of those who were slaves are alive today,
overdrawn pictures of slavery have been held
up TO the colored people at every recurring
election and they vote with the Republican
party almost to a man.
The Sentinel speaks as though none but
Democrats use money in elections. II Is 50
narrow and hide-bound a partisan 1t sees no
good in Democrats. To it every Republican
Is 4 saint in politics and every Democrat cor
runt. Ii viii deny it, but that IS the common
estimate Of the paper by Democrats It Is
often remarked, aud wondered at that in an
enlightened community paper should be so
narrow and ridiculous.
The first time money was used 70 any CON
siderable extent in this county was in 1879,
and the Republicans inauguraledi It. No one
who has any knowledge Of that campaign will
DENY it. In the special election Of 1893 for
State Senator the use Of money was shame
full. The Republicans were supplied with a
large fund, aud to keep them from using II to
debauch Democrats they were forced to use
much Of it to hold the eolored vote, for the
Democrats. in order to make them do SO,
made offers to buy the Negroes. They knew
that the Negroes would support the Republi'
can nominee. but when the Democrats offered
them money to vote the opposite ticket they
made the handlers of Republican cash pay
them. In doing this the Democrats were
simply protecting themselves.
Two weeks ago the Sestiael gave an init
nation Of how il was outraged by attempts Of
Democrats TO get some Of It's dusky voters
this fall. In its issue of last Saturday it had
this 10 say
pernocmtic politicians frequently become the
sureties OF celored men charged with crime. Here
is a case in point: \ colorsd man IN thls city.
released from tie custody Of the sheriff, quite re
GENTLY upon hail Furnished by the chairman OF tIe
Democmfic county committee nc, the aesnsed
colored man. asserted publicly, that . prominent
official Of the court offered 70 get M Grouse y 81
his security If he the accused would promise %
vote the Democratic ticket a. the next election aia
epdeavor TO get fifteen other colored men 10 do
likewise. He did not say that MI Grouse was cog
nirap. Cd or a PARTY to- the bargain. bat he declar
cd his intention to make good his side o. H. lie
may have been romaucing At any nate his "orl
would not be accepted against the denial OF me ON
cial whom he boosted had made the proposition
but the fact that he is on bail furnished by the
chairman Of the Democratic GENITAL committee i
matter OF record and doesn't rest upon his mere
assertion.
We undertake to say that the only truth in
that statement is that Mr.. Grouse went bail
for colored man who is charged with yio-
lation of the gambling laws. Aud We say
further that The allasion to "a prominent OH
cial Of the court is a mean insinuation not
warranted even BY any exigencies Of party.
II the Sentinel cared for the accuracy Of its
statement the facts eonld easily have been
secured. All the court officials live in West
minister and are daily on the streets or at their
Offices Accuracy, however, Was not what
the Sentinel was concerned abOut--i,s object
was to show that, while the Democratic plat
form said that the Republican party depends
almost entirely for its success upon the large
Negro population, Democrats were negotiat-
ing for colored votes for the November cleo
ton. 1t accepted the word Of some one who
alleged that he heard the released colored
man say he had secured bail in exchange for
the vote OF himself and fifteen other coiored
men. The accusation of the Sentinel is too
serious to be made upon such fimsy evidence.
The released man denies that be made any
such declaration, and we are sure that no
court official, prominent or otherwise, would
undertake to use his efforts to release accused
persons for a consideration. The SentiHeFs
inuendo is sweeping. As there are num-
Der of court officials it should specify which
one, aud not attempt to allow suspicion TO rest
upon the innocent. Name the man, or con-
fess to having made a charge without tounda-
ton in fact. and upon mere hearsay evidence,
and that your zeal in an endeavor to hold the
colored vote outstripped your Judgment and
discretion.