New-York tribune., 1901-02-18
GORJfAN'S MARYLAND PLAN.
HE HOPES To GET BACK To THE
SENATE BY DISFRANCHISING REPUB-
LICANs-PLANs TO OPPOSE HIM
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUSE.l

Washington. Feb. 11.-An important confer
ence of the Republican leaders Of Maryland. in
Guiding the chairman of the State Committee
and the chairman OF the Baltimore City Com
mittee. was held here last night at the residence
OF Senator McComas. Senator Wellington. who
bolted the party in the last campaign was not
invited. of course. The object of the conference
was to agree upon a programme of party action
to be followed after the Maryland Legislature.
which has been called by Governor Smith 10
meet in extra session on March 6. has adopted
"A new ballot law for the purpose Of disfranchis
ing the negro voters of the State. The 'Legis-
lature not only is Democratic. but also is in the
hands Of the old Gorman-Rasin crowd!
The sole purpose of the proposed disfranchise-
ment of the blacks is 10 pave the way for Mr..
Germans reelection 20 the Senate. as we'll as
70 strengthen the hold of the German machine
the Maryland State Government and the gov
ernment Of Baltimore. Governor Smith has
withstood the pressure for extra session
lcnger than it was generally believed he would
but now that he has yielded it is believed that
it was in consideration OF deal with the Cor
man machine. whereby he is TO succeed Judge
McComas in the Senate after MIR. German has
secured the seat held by Mr. Wellington.
The proposed new ballot law will put the
tire machinery of election In Maryland i'm the
hands Of the Democrats, and in that respect Is
quite one-sided affair as the notoriously
obnoxious Goebel Election law in Kentucky. II
will also produce a ballot confused IN its
arrangement OF names as practically to confne
the suffrage only to those voters who can readily
read. which means that all Republicans, white
and black alike. who are unedueated. will be
unable to cast legal vote; whereas with the
voting booths. books and ballots in the hands
Of Democrats the reading test will not proba-
bly, operate against tlliteTate Democrats.
With a show OF fairness and magnanimity
the Gormanites in the Legislature at Annapolis
will provide for Republican representation AT
the polls. but the provision will be so framed
as to conine to the managers of the German
Rasin machine the privilege Of selecting the
personnel Of this representation
At the conference at Senator McConas's
house the subject was thoroughly canvassed in
all Of its phases with the result that the Mary
land Republicans simply will have 10 depend
Upon the sense Of fairness among the inde-
pendent voters Of the state 10 save the party
They cannot hope TO prevent the legislature
from enacting the election law. but they
believe that they can make an appeal 70 the
people in the next campaign that VIII be quite
as effective as have been their appeals IN the
last two National elections. The Gormanitss
supported Bryan and free silver with enthusi-
asm last year, but the Democrats again lost
the electoral vote Of Maryland This, il is be-
Iieved, shows that on no platform which
Democratic National Convention is likely 20
frame can the Republicans be beaten out OF
Maryland. and IN 10 argued that the unfairness
OF the protected new election law will serve
only 20 sOidfy all the independent elements
AGAINST the Democrats in State as well as Ma
tional contests. At the same time the man
ayers Of the GorTnan-Rssin machine are boast
ing hilarlously OF the prospect OF their again
swinging Maryland hack into the Democratic
column after they force on the state new
election law.