Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-29
lAldmore Sun Special.

x iE{&llsDury, Nd, NOV. 70. The con-
dlt{ons as to election bribery in Kent
1eI5hty, while bad enough, are not so
I aa exist in some other portions of
|E@ Eastern Shore. Wicomioo and
9rcester counties are among the worst
51bnties in the Stare for vote buying.
I|Ic system has grown in Wicnmro to
5 alarming extent. go much SO that
Bay out of registered vote of 5,S7T
& is fair to estimate that there are at
3st 1000 negro purchasable voters.
lie number of men who sci their votes
|M Wioomio county is somewhat gauged
W the price paid for votes. At SIS
9&ch there are at least 1000 people who
III their votes. At $40 the number
&Quld be diminished to probably 1880.
an 80 there are not more than |, 800
md at So 1.-THE price paid by the Re-
publicans in the last campaign) the
1umber would not reach over |, 900 who
FQnld take money for their votes.
Tho number Of voters who sell has
4 en greatly augmented within the past
In years by the colored voters. Prior
T. 1896 the colored voter in Wlcomico
Is tue TO his party, always voting for
s lincoln without hope for fee or re-
@Hrd, but after tho Republicans gained
) troll OF the State and (althougb win
[Ipg py the votes of the colored
~ pther) showed him so little attention
|Ubt the colored man decided that he
0Suld get some of the spoils, and out
y registered vote OF 1876 there are
\ least 800 colored men who sell their
tes or at least take money for their
|&tes on election day. For the most
II these oolored citizens vote the Re-
blican ticket, but IL there is mo
bney out'' they go home and do not
X Be. A fair example of this was shown
the late election. 1t was given out
Fly in the morning that the colored
N was not to be paid for his vote,
a up to 10 o'clock the contract was
M good, but the culored brother re.
Jed 10 vote and the Republican man.
r Brs got scared and paid them the
7&gniticent sum of 50 or s3 each to
tand up and be good citizen"
~ is rather funny, but the Republi-
"a icanagers On the Eastern Shore
rays refuse to gay the negro as much
4 his vote as they pay the white man.
leie is always at least 50 difference
4 the price, This Wholesale sel-out
M the part of the colored man has been
5 1erious problem with the Republicans
W WWicomlco county. The regular legiti-
A&te vute of the Republican party in
Ioomico county is about 1000, or
LOO at the outside, and out Of this
( 800 are negroes, and when 1000 Of
91s 1,300 have to be paid for their
Mes and at least 300 of the white Re.
'pblicans Fave to be paid it only leaves
\ 4olid party OF about TOO on the Re-
3Hblican side. The Democratic rarity
,olls ON an average about 2, 800 votes,
nd it is estimated that there are about
20 OF these who take money ON cleo
Ion day.
lsPrior to 1891 the buying of votes in
<lcomico county was done on a much
|MRller scale. Then it was not called
*ouying votes;" it was put under the
1ore respectable name of "payIng a
~ for his days WORK. and 81 was
~ staple price. When the fusion fight
ia 1901 TORE the Democratic party
|Shnder the price that year was raised
e< sl5, ard where there had been
*xnerly not over 500 people in the
&hnty who even took the dollar on
||6ction day in 1896 the number had
creased to over 1000.
Eh 'ouo al ohorb was HlHuB 10 StOp
i# buying of votes and several very
pminent people were arrested on
*ction day and it was thought that
De bills would he found against thom
NJ the grand Jury, but nothing was
|1pe with the cases.
be Republican paper at Salisbury
pc out Saturday last with strong
peal IN favor OF putting a stop to the
Of money at elections and it is pos
n Hle that some movement will be made
'y the parties in Wicomioo 10 nut "A
top to the buying CT votes. 1t has
'efn suggested by people who arc best
|efsei In the politics OF the county that
1e surest me hod of stopping the use
y money would Ee to change the ballot
aF and give the State the euro and
|nple Australian ballot; that is. to
|&ncve all the emblems and print the
5ames of the candidates in one column.
P1sc to remove from the election house
W the clerks and allow no assistance
any voter. A law of this character
&puld probably dis'ranchise about
DUO whites and 800 negroes in
icomico county, that is, there are
|pout that number who cannot read
ID write and who could not vote intel.
Rantly under such law as this, hut
4 the same time it would have its
pd effect. In the fist place it would
an incentive to send all the younger
eration to school, SO that they could
"a ip themselves to enjoy the right of
f4pchise, and second, it would do
way entirely with the use of money at
Nations, as with the absence Of the
|loction or ballot clerks to instruct and
III the ballot of the illiterate and
M seller there would be no sure way
get the value received for money
%. This would be the most effectual
n to get clear of the USE of money at