The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-11-22
Those Election Contests.

AS is usual after an election, the air IS
rife with reports of contests, counter con-
tests and charges of fraud. 1t is under
stood that some of the defeated candi-
dates i'll our own county will ask for
recount, charging that the large number
of ballots thrown out on the plea of being
improperly marked, will, if counted,
materially change the result.
The republicans, it is stated, will make
contests all over the State, claiming that
frauds were perpetrated in twenty out of
the twenty three counties.
At meeting of the republican State
Central Committee, held in Baltimore last
week, the initial steps were taken looking
toward the prosecution of the work.
Chairman Goldsborough states that re-
ports received at the meeting show the
number of ballots thrown out on account
of being improperly marked to have been
1900 in the counties and 5000 i'll the
city of Baltimore, making a total OF
$4,000. A large majority of them he
claims were republican votes.
The republicans hope more especially
by the contests 10 secure campaign ma
terial for the fight next November, when
six new Congressman are to be chosen
from this State.
According 10 democratic chairman Van
diver his party will not be caught nap
ping, having engaged twenty of the best
lawyers in the State, he alleges, to look
after these threatened contests of the
republicans.
In recent issue of the Baltimore SIM
the following article concerning the con-
tests appeared:
"The republican leaders of this State,
according to well-inforned leader, pro-
pose to carry their contests over the
recent election to the United States Sen
ate itself, and in that body make the
fight of their lives to prevent the seating
of the Hon. A. P. German as the Senator
from Maryland.
This, it is claimed on very high
authority, is the real and fixed motive
behind the proposed contests i'll the
counties, and the gathering of campaign
material, the securing of certain county
Offices and the ousting of the democrats
who the returns show are elected are but
minor objects incidental to the main one,
which is to contest Mr. Germans seat in
the Senate.
"Mr. German will be decided upon by
the democratic caucus and elected by the
democrats of the General Assembly, on
joint ballot, early in January, but he does
not take his seat until March a, 1903.
Before that time the republicans plan to
have their case complete, the evidence all
in and every detail finished of the state
ment to be laid before the Senate in a
contest which they claim will be as sell.
sational as that made against Senator
Clark, of Montana
"The contests in the counties will begin
In earnest in few days, and will be
pushed by the most prominent republican
lawyers in the State. Step by step evil
dence of the alleged frauds will be col
lected. Contests will be made in the leg
islature for that purpose alone, and a
large sum of money will be raised to
enable those making the contests to carry
them through to the finish.
"After the General Assembly meets at
the proper time the republicans will eau
Gus and decide upon their choice for
Senator. The entire republican vote will
be cast for the man selected, who, it is
said, will be the person to contest the
seat of Mr.. German.
cat the proper time the collected evil
dence will be laid before the Senate and
the allegation made that Mr.. German
was fraudulently elected Senator, and
that the legislature that elected him was
illegally elected, and that the lawful
Senator is the nominee of the republican
minority, who contests Mr.. Gorman's
seat.
AS, are the two branches of the legisla-
ture, the United States Senate is the sole,
exclusive and absolute judge of the quail
ihcations of lis members and has full
power to judge such case.
ga contest i'll the Senate itself is the
only logical end to the charges which the
republicans prefer. Contests for local
county offices and over seats in the leels.
lature are practically valueless except so
far as proof could be gained of the alleged
frauds. Then, it is claimed, except as
campaign material, this proof is worthless
except i'll contestiug Mr.. Germans seat.
"If, as the contests in the counties
progress, the republican leaders find that
the proof of fraud does not materialize
the idea of contesting Mr.. Gorman's seat
will be promptly dropped.
The democrats claim that most of the
republican charges and threatened con-
tests are bluff and assert that in no
county do they fear a recount or are
unwilling 10 have the courts pass upon
the methods"