The Republican., 1900-11-29


tion much pressure has been brought
to bear on Governor Smith to induce
him to call an extra session of the
legislature with the view of having
enacted law which will disfranchise
the colored voters of Maryland. The
Democratic politicians all over the
State, especially in Southern Mary
land, are very anxious to have adopt
ed some measure which will accom-
plish this purpose, and it is believed
that the only thing that stands in the
way is the great expense the tax pay
ers will be under by holding an extra
session of the legislature.
This State having gone Republican
by $4,000 majority at the last election
the Democrats fear that it is firmly
anchored in the Republican column
unless something is done to change
the situation. There can be no doubt
but that there are hundreds of voters
in Maryland who have become dis
gusted with the Democratic party,
and who will not again give it their
support. To offset this great loss the
Democratic managers have come to
the conclusion that the colored voter
must be made victim of, and they
do not hesitate to declare in party
circles that negro disfranchisementi is
absolutely necessary for the success
of the party in this State. 1t is an
open secret that ever since the Dem
ocratic workers began to recover from
the stunning effects of the last cleo
tion they have been trying to devise
some means to escape defeat in the
future.
When spoken to about the question
in Baltimore some days ago Governor
Smith is reported to have said:
II have received a number of com
munications in regard to such step,
but have not given the matter any
consideration
Chairman Vandiver, who was pres
ent, said: Il have received communi-
cations from nearly every county in
the State strongly advising that a
special session of the legislature be
called with view to amending the
election law. do not know but what
it would be good thing. However,
the matter should require close look
ing into before any steps are taken in
that direction. To my mind there is
no doubt that such bill would pass
the House of Delegates, but l do not
know what it's fate would be in the
Senate, as the Democratic margin is
very close there. 1t is matter, how
eyer, that would be bear discussion
and the press is the best medium by
which the sentiment of the people
could be obtained"
From what has been said the col
ored voter can readily understand the
position of the Democratic party in
regard to his rights as a citizen in
Maryland, and with this situation
confronting him no self-respecting
colored man can afford to vote the
Democratic ticket. Some days ago
the Baltimore Morning Herald had
this to say:
Yesterdays MoT4i7lg Herald con-
tanned the account of an apparently
we'll authenticated report to the effect
that strong pressure from Southern
Maryland is to be brough to bear on
Governor Smith with the view of per-
suading him to call an extra session
of the legislature to amend the exist
ing election law. The amendment
proposed is to change the form of the
ballot now used by removing the
party emblems, the practical result
of which would be the disfranchise-
ment of illiterate voters.
1t is to be hoped that Governor
Smith would not for a moment seri-
ously consider such a proposition
should it be submitted to him, and
we have too much faith in his public
spirit and in his regard for the well
fare of the Commonwealth to believe
that he would do so. The calling of
an extra session of the legislature is
an expensive proceeding at any time,
and to convene our lawmakers at
this iuncture for the purpose men
toned would be wholly indefensible,
both from the viewpoints of economy
and of public policy.
The laws now on our statute books
pertaining to the elective franchise
may not be ideal, but they are the
best that Maryland has ever had, and
they should not be subjected to any
change whatever except upon care
full investigation and mature deliber-
alton. Under their operation the
State has had the fairest elections in
it's whole history, and the expression
of the vox populi through the medium
of the ballot box has ceased to be
reproach and niockery, as it was at
not very remote period.
Recent elections in Maryland have
shown that under the existing laws
the independent voters control the
result, and this is as it should be. So