The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-04-12
THE NEW ELEcTIONLAW.

LIE VIEW ELEC i ICN LII NJ
As the provisions of Maryland's
new ballot law are becoming better
understood the careful thinking peo-
pleare becoming more impressed with
its fairness. About the time of its
adoption the partisan press raised
such a howl of indignation that
many persons were deceived as to
what the true intent ofthe law meant.
Some of the more ignorant class even
thought that it went so far as to dis
franchise every one except Democrats.
This progressive step has received
much discussion throughout the
United States. When looked at from
a fair and impartial standpoint it be-
comes apparent that we are uponthe
dawn of new era in politics which
cannot but lead to better and purer
elections. The one great stumbling
block in the past has been the feigned
il1iteracy of the corrupt voter and all
that was necessary for the vote buyer
to be sure that the goods were being
delivered was to enter into a combi-
nation with the ballot clerk and
there could not possibly be any mis-
take. While this was not a practice
in our own county yet it is said to
have been open and notorious in
Southern Maryland. The whole
transaction was said to be above
board and the money was not paid
until after the ballot had been de-
posted in the box.
When the present law was first
considered it was deemed by many
persons that the intention primarily
was to disfranchise thenegro. Now,
however, when we carefully examine
the action of the Legislature it can
be readily seen that the blow was
aimed at the corrupt practices that
had existed in many of our southern
counties. The most effectual weapon
in the hands of the Republicans was
big campaign fund that they did
not hesitate to spend with a lavish
hand. Money was the ruling power
and the only way to get at the
perpetrators was to take out oftheir
hands the means ofknowing whether
the bribe-taker performed his part of
the nefarious bargain. The abolish
ment of the ballot clerk did this
efectually.
A considerable number of journals
throughout the United States are
disposed to look upon our law as
just one as it does not discriminate
against race or color. Among these
are the BosToN HERALD, SPRING
FIELD REPUBLICAN, WASHINGTON
Posi-, CHICAGO RECORD and INDIAN
APoLIs News. Republican organs
like the PHILADELPHIA PRESS and
CHICAGO TRIBUNE have also frankly
admitted that the law was unob-
jectionable. The comments of the
PHILADELPHIA RECORD strike the
point so forcibly that we republish
lengthy extract from the same. 1t
says:
"There are several important
features of the recent Maryland
electoral legislation that are Of
peculiar interest here in Pennsylvania
where INSCRIPTIONS partisans in the
Legislature are resorting to every
maneuver to battle and defeat genuine
ballot reform. Independent voters
of all parties must be satisfied with
measure which requires the citizen
to mark the name of every candidate
for whom he wishes to vote, instead
of making a cross in circle to vote
the whole ticket. AS a consequence
there will be a more discriminating
exercise of the suffrage and more
split tickets. Parties will be required
to make better nominations when
every name on the ticket shall be
subject to the scrutiny of every read
ing voter.
''Besides DISTINGUISHING illiterates,
white and black, the new Maryland
law jealousy protects the secrecy of
the ballot by requiring every voter
who may claim to be physically I'M
able to mark his ticket to make salts
factory proof of such disability.
When such proofshall be SATISFACTORY
ly made, the Election Board will
assist the voter in making up his
secret ballot. Thus there will be
none of the corrupt connivance so
frequent in Pennsylvania, under
which the voter, alleging the need of
assistance, takes the assistant and
witness of bribery into the booth
with him. Nothing could be more
satisfactory to the friends of reform
in this State than the adoption of
the Maryland law in all respects in
which it is applicable. The dis
reimbursement of illiterate, white and