The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-01-31

is required by the constitution to read
and write. Whether similar pro-
vision in our Constitution would be
wise or just is a question | need not
discuss, but without it any such leg
islation as is proposed is worse than
unconstitutional is revolutiona-
ry usurpation."
Mr.. Roger w. Gull said:
THE announcement, for such they
should be taken to be, by Governor
Smith and Ex-Governor Brown that
an extra session of the Legislature
will be held mean simply that the old
and discarded leaders of the Demo
cratic party have adopted the des-
perate policy of 1895, as then stated
by Ex-senator Gorman-that being
in possession they intended to remain
in possession. There is, it is true, a
difference in the means to be employ
ed to accomplish this end. Then it
was Acknowledgement by the roughs /;
now it is disfranchisement by law.
Then Acknowledgement was frankly
brutal ; now it is disguised under the
form of an appeal to race anripathies
and even to the thought, for an edu-
cational qualification is the form it
takes. But under this disguise any
man may read the hateful determine
ton to undo the work of a half CEN
fury, reaching its fruition in the cleo
tion law of 1896, which made our
election day as quiet as a Sabbath,
converted the rough into decent
citizen, made every vote tell and the
independent citizen master OF the
political situation in Maryland.
ITO undo this great work, to make
the independent citizen once more a
negligible quantity, to make possible
again and to perpetrate as far as may
be the deplorable political condition
antedating 1895, is the intention of
the advocates of the extra session.
Every good citizen, every body of
citizens, every business interest,
should speak out now emphatically
against the nefarious scheme. Let the
Republican party in Maryland once
cease to be formidable opposition
as it will be for years under the law,
whatever its form, which is proposed,
and this State will become another
Pennsylvania, yielding for years to
come its legitimate fruits of mis-gov-
eminent, scandals and Quays. w e
have had German, and we know
what he means, as the Pennsylvanians
have had and have again Quay, and
we know what he means. Is Mary
land to become a GorIGan .satrapy as
Pennsylvania is q Quay satrapy for
the want of an independent, incor
ruptible and controlling opposition d?
| trust not. cannot believe that we
are to be subjected to such humilia-
ton.
This is not the time to speak of
the constitutional and legal side of
the considerations involved in the
proposed Acknowledgement of the
negro, or of the action of Congress if
the legislation is passed; these con-
siderations are grave and difficult,
but will be met when they arise. 1t
is sufficient now to appeal to the con-
science of the people to reject any en-
croachment upon their political rights
and powers contemplated by the I'M
worthy and desperate policy of the
leaders of the Democratic party
Mr.. S. s. Field said: THE Consti =
tuition provides that the Governor
may convene the Legislature on ex-
traordinary occasions.
las it looks like the Democratic
party is to be handicapped in the
campaign this fall by the same issue
upon which it was defeated in 1895
and 1897, l suppose an extraordinary
occasion exists to try to get rid of
some Republican votes; and as the
i ClCCblOll 10 ONcI anu Ultt
negroes are not needed now to CO.
operate with sound-money Democrats
in voting for honest dollars, some
voting two honest dollars and some
for the privilege of manufacturing
thousands of rags, l suppose the ne
gro vote ought to be got rid of.
Il think the pure Australian ballot
would be an Improvement, for a voter
ought to know at least the names of
the men he is voting for; but far more
crying needs are laws to insure fair
primaries, where the people, and not
a few bosses, may choose their candi-
dates, and to prevent bribery at cleo
tions. The extent % which votes are
bought is a disgrace to our State
which honest men of both parties
ought to unite to wipe out If an ex-
ira session will give us these mea-
sures of relief, by all means let us
have it,
I,.a C..,.r