Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-10-10
Saint Narg 5 BEACON.
To The Voters.

OF The good government which We now
enjoy under Democratic control 10 in
terest themselves 20 secure our triumph.
There can be no fair douiss that large
majority Of our total population prefer
that there shall be no change 10 the adj
ministration OF our State affairs. and of
our white people more than two-thirds
are certainly and with great heartiness
on our side.
There is every reason why this should
be so.
The laws are vigorously eaforced.
Good order and tranquility prevail.
Oar finances are in q healthy cOndi-
ton.
The duty of dealing with the great
practical questions Of taxation and edu-
cation in such q 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
wheiming preponderance Of those who
are most deeply interested in It's full
performance and who will suffer most
from its neglect.
Encouraged by these obvious and con-
vincing considerations and stimulated
by the gratifying record Of our work in
the memorable campaign of 1890, there
sull 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
IL Is absolutely certain that there are
now on the registers many thousands of
names which are wrongfully and un-
lawfully there and which should be
stricken of.
In the counties no effort should be
spared TO parge the lists of these names.
The votes of our honestly and really
qualified voters should not be nullified
in whole or in part by the casting of
ballots by persons who are not bona fide
residents of the State.
earnestly call on our friends in each
and every precinct in the counties to
bestir themselves in this most important
matter. Note the names of all disouali-
fled 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
oil the registration officers on October g.
and demand that they be stricken of at
the meeting of these officers on October
10Th, and ON that day be prepared with
the evidence to sustain your demand.
See To IL also that no new names be
improperly registered
In baltimore City an. entirely new
registration will be made and this should
he so thoroughly conducted and vigilant-
ly watched as To be made absolutely &C.
curate.
In this way the registries will be what
they ought to be-complcte 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 vo.er 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 10 act
with certain amount of independence,
intelligence and discrimination,
IL does not absolutely stop bribery.
IL does not entirely put an end to cor
rEptiOn.
No laws 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 a minimum
the chances and dangers of bribery, cor
ruptiOn and intimidation.
IL secures individual freedom.
IL goes far to make the ballot absolute
ly secret.
xut tho Faaanna hla n
Its provisions give to Illiterate voters.
there is no man so ignorant as To he
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 10
vote and the number of cross marks
which he must not exceed, and as the re-
qulrements OF the law apply with abso-
lutte equality To all voters alike-to the
llllterate white man and to the illiterate
colored man on perfect equality-there
Is no ground whatever for complaint of
unfair and unlawful discrimination.
We need not lose the votes of any who
wish our party TO succeed, Cor in every
precinct legitimate and proper instruc-
tion can be had and should be given
whereby adequate knowledge of the pro-
per mode OF marking the ballot may be
For the present ! content myself with
reminding you that the struggle in
which we are engaged is not complicat-
ed or ~obscured by the sharply debated
questions which divided our people in
the Presidential contests of 1896 and
1900.
We are not now dealing with the rela.
tive advantages of Protection or Recip.
rocity or Tariff framed to produce such
Revenue only as is demanded for An
honest and economical administration
OF the Federal Government.
In common with our fellow. citizens
all over the Union and with the neonIe
of the civilized world, our hearts are
stirred To their deepest depths by the
awful crime which has deprived onr
Country of its chief magistrate, Presi.
dent Mckinley, whose eminent and
patriotic services can never Ia. forgot,en
by grateful people and whose blame
less life shall stand to the remotsst ayes
as an example aud inspiration 20 all
who reverence purity, integrity and
honor, but we have not now under re.
view the wisdom and expediency of the
foreign and domestic policy of his adj
ministrat'on.
We are not now concerned with the
discussion and settlement of the great
questions growing out of the war with
Spain, or the proper policy to be pursu-
ed in fixing our duties and oblipatio rs
To the people of Cuba, Porto Rico and
the Philippines, but the controlling
Issue in this State campaign is. whether
the honest. intelligent, economical. con.
sentative and successful niSt ra.;or