Evening journal., 1901-03-21
10000 VOTERS
DISFRANCHISED
Maryland Will Not Allow IL
IiterateS to Vote
GOVERNOR SIGNS THE MEASURE
Democrats Believe That The New Law
Will Keep the State in the
Democratic Column

election bill, having for its object the
practical disfranchisement of most OF
the $4,000 illiterate voters of the state
passed the senate yesterday It was
Immediately sent to the house, where
all the amendments made by the SEN
ate were concurred in, and the bill
passed. The measure was signed by
the governor today, and is now law.
The final passage of the bill was
marked by the utter absence of any
thing Of a sensational character. In
the senate but one protest was entered,
which came in the form of a speech
from Senator Dodson, Republican, who
characterized the entire proceeding as
a blot on the fair name and honor Of
the state. The final vote was IL to II,
a strict party division
In a quarter of an hour after pass
ing the senate the bill was before the
house, where its consideration was inn
mediately begun. One by one the sem
ate's amendments were taken up and
concurred in without division. Then
it was put upon its final passage, with
no attempt at delay upon the part CT.
the minority except a motion to allow.
them one hour to consider the amend.
ments. This was promptly voted down.
and the bill was passed by vote Of
% to 26, the Democrats having six
votes more than the majority required
by the constitution. Five Democrats
Messrs. Buckley and Lakin of Fred
erick, Keys Of Cecil, Pattison of Dor
chester and Garner of st. Marys, voted
with the Republicans.
The most important change in ex-
listing methods accomplished by the
enactment Of the new law lies in de-
priving illiterate voters of the assist
anee of ballot clerks in preparing their
ballots. Under the previous practice
these clerks accompanied such voters
into the booths and marked their bal
lots for them, or showed them how to
do 1t. The Democrats claim that this
practice utterly destroyed the secrecy
of the ballot and made It possible for
corruptionists to learn through signals
from the ballot clerks whether bar
gains made with corrupt voters had
been carried out. The arrangement Of
names on the ballots has been altered
so that the candidates for each Of
fee are grouped, instead of being ar
ranged in groups according to tho
party they represent. Party emblems
aFe abolished and other changes made
which makes the new law very nearly
similar to that in existence in Massa-
chusetts.
The effect of the law is, of course,
largely a matter of conjecture. and one
upon which the party leaders widely
differ. The Democrats expect. that 1t
will disfranchise about $4,000 negroes
and perhaps 10000 white voters who
cannot read nor write. OF these, it Is
claimed, all the negroes and about 80
per cent of the whites vote the Repub-
lican ticket. With these out of the way
the state will be safely Democratic for
many years to come and the immediate
result will be the election of a Demo-
cratic legislature next fall and of a
Democrat to succeed United States
Senator Wellington in 1902.
The active interest taken by Senator
German in the passage Of the bill
leaves no doubt Of his candidacy for
the senatorship in the event that the
effect of the new law is as the Demo-
Gratis expect it to be.
The Democratic leaders here are
greatly elated, and the Republicans
correspondingly depressed over the
revelations concerning the padding of
Tic SCuouo Alobo B1 leutidl tAuAAlIl-
ators in Charles and ST. Mary's coun-
ties, this state. Much stress was laid
on these alleged Irregularities by Gov
ernor Smith in his call for an extra
session, and by the Democrats in urg-
ing him to issue the call. One Of the
most important measures now before
the general assembly is the bill to pro-
vide for a count to be made under tbs
auspices of the state, and these revela'
tions make the immediate passage o
the bill a certainty. Former UnitcC
States Senator German and Governor
Smith both declined to discuss thl
matter until they had received furthoi
information, while the Republican,
from the counties involved contenie'
themselves with expressing sympathl
for the arrested enumerator and con
fidence in the innocence Of Congress
man Sydney E. Mudd. who is charged
by the accused enumerator with hav
ing instigated the padding OF the lists
About twenty men who are ex
perts in census taking are now at worl
In the two counties involved, under di
rection Of Assistant Director of tn
Census Wines. Their work Is eXpecte
to occupy about a fortnight. Directo
mcAiidH Stlu last hlshl tndl tnele WI
be no accommodation in the countio
affected. The figures as finally correct
ed, however will be placed on file
the bureau. Mr.. Merriam pointed ou
that the corrected figures. which wi
reduce by 500 the 1876 population II
ported in one of the counties. wi
cause the loss Of member from th
legislature.
Policeman Abel, who was arreste
Tuesday night in Washington charge
with making false returns while ac
ing as a Maryland census enumerato
waived examination in the police cou
yesterday and was held for the gran
Jury. His bail was fixed at $500.
No DesertiOns From the Topeka.
Washington. March 21.-Commandl
nnInnn Of the Tnnnka has felnnra I, lnl