The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-10-10


mandamus suit to compel the produc-
ton of these lists is quite as ingenious
as that of Colonel Schley, and has the
same tendency to reveal him as
painstaking official with an oyer-scru-
pulous conscience. By the length of
the Gubernatorial term, Governor
Smith has been deprived of the
''functus officio'' plea. He is still
really live State executive, while the
splendid Weste Maryland Colonel
is merely an official mummy. While
the Governor himself thoughtfully
furnished a scape-goat for Colonel
Schley, the Governor is the man of
last resort in the census business and
is obliged to make pe-goat of
''some room or rooms in the State
House." These, at least, will not be
able to hit back. They are under no
responsibility either to hide or to dis
cover the precious census lists of
which they are alleged by the Cover
nor to have the custody.
The Governor starts out by deny
ing that the disclosure of the census
lists is ministerial duty. 1t might
be illjudged and indiscreet, but he
hints, to permit Republicans to view
these repositories of political knowl-
edge. That is undoubtedly the view
taken by the whole Democratic ma
chine of Maryland, and that is the
reason why Governor Smith was
asked to carry out his part in a con-
spiracy to tax the people of Maryland
for political information to be used
only by the German Rasin gang.
With characteristic generosity, Gov
ernor Smith offers to produce, when
ever duly required" the tabulated
statement upon which he has based
his proclamation apportioning the
representation in the General Assem-
bly, from the various counties of the
State. This he admits is in his con-
troll, and not in the Gus tody of ''some
room or rooms in the State House"
The value and righteousness of this
offer can be appreciated when it is
considered that more or less com
plete summary of this information
has already been published in nearly
every paper in the State.
With his usual frankness, Cover
nor Smith meets every issue fully and
squarely. He wishes to take no tech
nical advantage, but is compelled to
do so to maintain the dignity of his
position. The Governor merely
wishes full proof that the letter he
wrote to Mr.. Goldsborough was gen.
uine and that the correspondence be-
tween Mr.. Goldsborough and Colonel
Schley has not been cooked up. He
wants full proof that a demand has
been made on him for the privilege
of inspecting the precious census lists
at least demand which could be
construed to be on behalf of the per-
sons who filed the pending manda-
mus suit. The Governor is a stickler
for orderly procedure. He stands up
on his "bond" and the literal inter
probation thereof.
Taking it all in all, the answer of the
Governor indicates that when it is
shown that he has legal custody of
the census lists and no valid excuse
can be made why he should give
proper representative of the people
of Maryland access to them, he will
do so before he will become a subject
for contempt of court proceedings.
OF course, the Governor could not
know when he was pushing through
this census measure and helping to
kill amendments which would make
available all the information paid for
by the whole people that so many
qualms of conscience and official scru-
pies could arise. Beyond a doubt,
when he signed the census bill he re-
allied that it was his highest duty as
sworn executive of the State of Mary
land to play his part in providing by
general taxation of the people of the
State for a Democratic campaign
fund. All of his subsequent acts are
merely in line with the high concep-
tions of his obligations formed at that
time. Governor Smith shows again
by his answer in the census case that