The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-09-27
ADDRESS OF VCRS.
Hon. Murray Vandive'hair.
man Of the State Cal
Committee, Tells OF
Important Issues
the Coming
Campaign.

Ffl070 CiHSfAS' intel
The importance of our apprq succ
election iustifies at the beginning fairs
an earnest anneal to peep
e.i, shall
ueshe d coii'iiiuA''ee u wv $50 VI
ment which we now ENJOY under ical :
cratic control to interest themselv we o
secure our triumph. cam
IT,, a. do,,l+ tIyou t
tote
large majority of our total populs Ke
prefer that there shall be no changand.
the administration of our State affanls
and of our white people more than tiiu'
thirds are certainly and with great hei
mess on our side. Is
There is every reason why this shot n
be so. e
The laws are vigorously enforced. J.
Good order and tranquility prevail
Our finances are in a healthy condi.
ton.
The duty of dealing with the great
practical questions of taxation and edu-
cation in such way as to make the
burdens of the one as light and the
benefits of the other as large as possible,
NAV most safely be entrusted to us, for
we undoubtedly represent an over
whelming preponderance of those who
are most deeply interested in its full per-
Torrance and who will suffer most from
its neglect
Encouraged by these obvious and
convincing considerations and stimu-
lated by the gratifying record Of our
work in the memorable campaign Of
1862 there ought not to be any doubt as
to the result of the contest in which we
are now engaged.
All we need is that the full strength
Of our party shall be brought to the
polls.
That this may be done we must first
turn our attention to the vital task of
making our registration books perfect
and complete.
No name not entitled to be on these
books should be permitted to be put OF
kept on them, and no name entitled to
registration should be omitted.
1t is absolutely certain that there are
now on the registers many thousands of
names which are wrongfully and unlaw-
fully there and which should be stricken
off.
In the counties no effort should be
spared to purge the lists of these names.
The votes of our honestly and really
qualified voters should not be nullifed
in whole or in part by the casting OF
ballots by persons who are not bona
hde residents of the State.
| earnestly call on our friends in each
and every precinct in the counties to
bestir themselves in this most important
matter. Note the names of all disqual.
flied and improperly registered persons.
Collect the testimony bearing on the
}.
Hand in lists of all these names at the
session of the registration officers on
October Sth and demand that they be
stricken off at the meeting of these
officers on October 18th, and on that
day be prepared with the evidence tc
sustain your demand.
See to it also that no names be i'm.
properly registered.
In Baltimore City an entirely new
registration will be made and this shoulC
be so thoroughly conducted and vigi.
lantly watched as to be made absolutely
accurate.
In this way the registries will be what
they ought to be-complete and perfect
records of the lawful voters of the State
The vote cast on election day will be
the vote of our people and we have nc
fear of the result.
Our amended election law compel:
each voter to put his cross mark on the
official ballot opposite the name of eacI
candidate he wishes to vote for Thi.
of necessity requires each voter to &C
with certain amount of independence
intelligence and discrimination.
1t does not absolutely stop bribery.
1t does not entirely put an end to cor
ruption.
No law can completely accomplish
these desirable results.
But by placing each voter beyond the
controlling hand and tongue of election
clerks and by requiring each voter t.
act for himself it reduces to a minimum
the chances and dangers of bribery
corruption and intimidation.
1t secures individual freedom.
1t goes far to make the ballot abso
lutely secret.
With the reasonable assistance which
its provisions give to illiterate voters
there is no man SO ignorant as to b,
unable to mark his ballot as he wishes
Every registered voter can easil,
learn before he goes into the votins
booth, the names of those for whom h,
desires to vote and the number of eros
marks which he must not exceed, ant
| as the requirements of the law apply
with absolute equality to all voters alik,
to the illiterate white man and to tn,
illiterate colored man on a pefect equal
ity-there is no ground whatever 70
complaint of unfair and unlawful dis
elimination.
We need not lose the votes of an,
who wish our party to succeed, for il
every precinct legitimate and proper in