The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-01-12
Extra Session Of the Legislature.

Smith should call the General Assembly TO-
gether in extra session.
First, to have correct enumeration OIL inc
nonulation of the state, so that there may NC
q fair and equitable apportionment OF mem
hers of the House of Delegates.
Second, to provide an educational qual'h-
cation for voters.
TL;,d 10 Law ont the Congressional districts
under the new apportionment OF Representa-
tives by Congress.
In AN article OH December the ADVOCATE
demonstrated by facts and figures that Inc
Federal census was inaccurate, and that couh-
ties with small white populations and large
Nooro foundations would have undue repre-
sentation in the House of Delegates, and sug'
oested to the Governor that the matter "i
state enumeration of the inhabitants was one
for serious consideration. 1t was pointed out
that counties with neither large towns nor
manufacturing interests had been credited
with large increases of population, while o'her
counties. with thrifty populations, numerous
towns and villages and industrial enterprises,
b.d e;tbar re,rograded or increased but little
in population. 1t was shown that Anne
Arundel county, for instance, with regis
tered vote $50 less than Carroll, was credited
with a population of nearly 5000 more, and
with only an excess of Is more inhabitants
than sufficient to give it an additional repre-
sentative in the House of Delegates. The
ADVOCATE also noted the fact that all OF the
counties that would be entitled to AN addition
al member of the House of Delegates under
the Federal census were Republican, and Of
these four are in the Fifth Congressional dis
trct.
MARYLAND has been spending large sums OF
money annually for public education Tor the
mast thirty five years There is no obligation
education, but as government is good or bad
as the people are intelligent or ignorant, 1t
has been deemed good policy TO MAINTAIN
schools. For fhe vast expenditure of money
for public education the state has right to
expect proper return. There is iIt'Ie ex-
cuse now for illiteracy, and the state should
either have a compulsory educational law or
an educational qualification for voters 1t is
useless to spend money for public educatlon'
if the schools are not availed of. If a law
compelling attendance at school of children
is not deemed advisable, certainly no com
plant can be made if law be passed disfran
chising all persons who cannot read and
write, for there is no excuse for any person
in the state being wholly ignorant
Ard the venal and purchasable vote is
largely the ignorant vote. The use OF money
in elections is crying evil in this state as we'll
as in others, and the battle is generally, itnot
always. to the strongest purse. The require
ment of an educational qualification for voters
would moi only be an incentive to rising
generations to avail themselves of the oppor
tunty for free education, but would secure an
intelligent electorate and abate largely the
corrupt use of money ut elections.
Parts of Maryland, notably in Southern
Maryland, are retarded in growth and pro-
gress by the presence of large iliterate vote.
White people from other sections will not
settle there, and many white people are leav-
ing; and this is the fact in some counties ac
credited under the recent Federal census with
large increases in population.
Under an apportionment bill which this
week passed the House of Representatives, and
which will in all probability be passed by the
Senate. Maryland will still have six Repre-
sentatives in Congress. 1t may be well to es-
tablish the districts as they are. but be that AS
it may, it would be better for Democratic
General Assembly to establish them than to
trust the matter to future legislature that
may be dominated by Sidney Mudd and other
INSCRIPTIONS politicians.
AS to the passing of law to require ed
ucational test for voters the Republicans have
already determined to charge the Democrats
with that purpose in the next campaign, aud
endeavor to enlist the sympathy and votes of
all illiterates. 1t will matter not whether the
charge be true or false, the iiterates will take
no chances and vote against as. 1t would be
no relief should Gov. Smith publicly decline
to call an extra session of the legislature
the charge would be just as industrously cir
culated.
Mayor Hayes of Baltimore, has vigorously
spoken against an educational qualification
for voters, and one Senator, at least, is re-
ported as not disposed to support a measure
Imposing lie lHiS, uOWeNtT, SHoulu De no
barrier to the duty imposed upon Gov. Smith.
A state enumeration of inhabitants, so as to
have fair and just representation in the
House of Delegates, should be made. An |
act imposing an educational qualification for |
voters should be passed, and the Congress
sional districts should be arranged bya Demo-
cratic General Assembly. Let the Governor
call an extra session, and the members who |
oppose these measures can reckon with their |
constituencies.
1t is noted above that bribery in elections
is a crying evil in this state as well as in all
others, and that the purchasable vote is large
ly the iliterate vote. So necessary is the use
of money at elections, according to a large
public sentiment in all parties, that candi-
dates are sought who are capable of contribu-
ting handsomely to campaign funds. If they
are capable, so much the better; but candi,