Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-03-08
FRIDAY EVENING. MARCH 8. 1901

THE WORST blow ever struck at the
svstem of free republican and repre-
sentative government created by our
Revolutionary. ancestors has been the
degradation of the suffrage. The rea'
s,n WHY our governments, State and
federal. were cleaner, stronger ana
wiser in the early days. was that the
voters were q higher class OF men,
morally and intellectually, than they
BECAME 10 the decade or two prior to
the war between the States. When, 81
ter that war, 10 addition to the &C.
moralizstion wrought by it, the ballot
was given to the whole mass OF the
Southern negroes, good government
became well nigh impossible. II
has besn, all over the South, constant
struggle between the forces OF order,
industry, property and progress, up
held by the white race, and the forces
of license, waste, extravaganza aud
disorder, which the negroes stood for. Ii
ia really wonder that the Southern
whites, amid their multiplied difficult
ties. and with negro suffrage to endure,
have been 9 BILE to maintain anything Ike
RESPECTABLE State and county govern
ment. The instinct of self-preservation
alone has sayed them. Had the negroes,
when freed, gone In large numbers to
the North. the people OF that section
would have made short work OF the
problem, how to deal with Sambo. We
are. therefore, in hearty sympathy with
those States which have endeavored by
organic changes In constitutions and
election laws to relieve themselves 10
part from the intolerable evils of negro
suffrage. We applaud the action OF
Mississippi, especially, and commend
the plan on which she acted to the con-
sideration of other States. Her con-
stitutiou has worked to charm.
The Governor Of Maryland has
wisely convened the State Legisla'
ture to deal with this question
and some others of urgent ne
cesslty. The criticisms made on
him by the republican leaders
are really tribute to his integrity and
good sense. The reasons he assigns In
his proclamation for converting the
Legislature are good. These are, TO
have corrected an erroneous census,
which, if allowed to stand, would give
some counties disproportionate
representation; a reform in the election
laws so as to correct abuses, frauds and
corruption, and lastly, to give power to
the Mayor and City Council of Bslti-
more to deal with the sanitary condi'
zion of that city. All these are legiti-
mate and urgent matters. Il is neces-
snry to shut out nonresident voters,
who are imported from Washington
aud other cities. and to punish bribery.
Baltimore needs sewerage system.
Nobody can object to an honest census.
The Legislature is now 10 session. 1t
is an important crisis in the history OF
Maryland. The republicans are much
disturbed by the presence of ex-senator
German ct Annapolis. II he were not
there to counsel and advise the demo-
Gratis OF the Legislature when called Oh
to do 80, he would be wanting in bis
duty. We believe that by his wisdom
aud that of the Governor and other able
democratic leaders of the State, the re-
suit will be publication OF Maryland
politics and a more conservative State
government than has existed there for
many years. The democrats Of Mary
land have our best wishes aud sympa-
ehy in this effort. They are splendid
body OF men, second 10 character to
none 10 the Union.