The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-09-20
ADDRESS OF VOTERS.
Hon. Murray Vandiver, Chair
man Of the State Central
Committee, Tells Of the
Important Issues of
the Coming
Campaign.

desire continuance OF the good govern
ment which we now enjoy under Demo-
cratic control to interest themselves to
secure our triumph.
There can be no fair doubt that a
large majority of our total population
prefer that there shall be no change in
the administration of our State affairs,
and of our white people more than two
thirds are certainly and with great heart
mess on our side.
There is every reason why this should
be so.
The laws are vigorously enforced.
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 a way as to make the
burdens of the one as light and the
benefits of the other as large as possible,
may 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
1860, 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 or
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 wrongtully 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 nullihed
in whole or in part by the casting of
ballots by persons who are not bona
tide residents of the State
earnestly call on our friends in each
and every precinct in the counties to
bestr themselves in this most important
matter Note the names of all disqual-
flied and improperly registered persons.
Collect the testimony bearing on the
case of each one of these persons
Hand in lists of all these names at the
session of the registration officers on
October 9th 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 to
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 should
be so thoroughly conducted and vigil
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 no
fear of the result
Our amended election law compels
each voter to put his cross mark on the
official ballot opposite the name of each
candidate he wishes to vote for. This
of necessity requires each voter to act
with a 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 to
act for himself it reduces to 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 be
unable to mark his ballot as he wishes
Every registered voter can easily
learn before he goes into the voting
booth, the names of those for whom he
desires to vote and the number of cross
marks which he must not exceed, and
as the requirements of the law apply
with absolute equality to all voters alike
to the illiterate white man and to the
illiterate colored man on pefect equal
ity-there is no ground whatever for
complaint of unfair and unlawful dis
elimination.
We need not lose the votes of any
who wish our party to succeed for in
every precinct legitimate and proper in
struction can be had and should be
given whereby adequate knowledge of
the proper mode Of marking the ballot
may be readily acquired.
For the present content myself with
reminding you that the struggle in which
we are engaged is not complicated or