New-York tribune., 1901-11-24
A CONTEST IN MARYLAND.
REPrRTICANS WILL PROBE 1nH1
CHARGES of DEMOCRATIC
FRAUD.

Baltimore. Nov. % (speciaD.-The Repuohcans oi
MARYLAND are determined to prone 10 'iie oo'
,bs charges of fraud in the late election lhaue
against the Democratic officials IN many u Inc
counties The investigation ana coh'es's nv" M
nroeress throughout the State are under the dlrec
tim of Tinted States Senator McConas anu Ohaii
no, c.o1dsborough of the Republican State COM
mittee with the assistance OF pronilieh' i' 80,
including Charles ]. Bonaparte, John - l'oS1 a
George R. Gather The fight will be carried ih'o
the LEGISLATURE which meets January l. ISo- anu
perhaps to the State Court OF Appears anu 'iie
United States Supreme Court
Tho Democratic majority in both houses OF the
LEGISLATURE though small is sufficient TO insure e
election of Arthur Pue German 10 'he oiii'eu 80
Senate but when he comes to take MS sea' nc
,,o,- be q contest there. The talk Of carrying the
fight to the Senate owes its origin 10 an appiopii
ton by the last Senate to defray expenses ieu
nv the legal department OF the seherai soNe
IN determining the consttutionality OF the Ia" OIL
Narvlan6 and in the Southern States by whlch re-
strictions are placed on suffrage 'other"lse rie
renor of the of the seat is without louua-
ton.
BEFORE the investigation in the counties is COM
,.a5 - &c exnected that there will be start
ling DEVELOPMENTS It is not within the power OF
the Republicans make a contest OF the eiectioi
of DIR + W Herring, State Controller except Win
the legislature 1t is their intention to make a
formal move for such contest by ASKING ior the
annointment of an investigation committee Ihey
do not entertain hope that Democratic iesisia'uie
will agree to the contest by which there is posi-
b1ntv that Dr. Herring would not be found to be
elected They would put up the plea that such
contest will require recount OF all ballots cast at
the recent election, and would cause the state
great expense. OF course. the Democrats VIII put
I'D the plea that the election was fair The hepuo-
licans will contest the elections OF minor Demo-
cratic office holders in the counties IN "hch the
Wholesale frauds charged. with the view OF
securing evidence of the generally crooked methods
in the last election.
The Democratic party has officially acknowledged
Lloyd Wilkinson, secretary Of the State COM
mittee having signed the statement-that the Re-
publican party carried the last election by more
than u GOO majority. but 1000 Republican votes
were thrown out and not counted, hence a part OF
their Democratic State ticket was thrown in to-
gether with the legislature. The following is the
language Of the report: That 1000 VIII
fully represent the number of Republican ballots
rejected in the late election is apparent 10 one
In the Republican ranks. they unquestonab by
vote votee 00 "h' 'e democrats '7''e' 10 p0' 'S''
Up to the present year no man or party has ever
the Maryland Constitution which gives the right OF
iaW Of s conceded to have been the best ever on
the books there had been held four general
every vote was counted according to the intent OF
@ iss ore aha han hG czens Soe and n 1877
more than 2il,0co; in lSas when the present Gov
eFsSF WeFe cast s and counted In 1890 than $500
exercised this right. but this year with the same
nipulated with the avowed purpose OF deprivng
citizens of their legal rights less than 100000
are recorded as having been cast-more than 700)o
than in the last election and almost 5000 less
than in 1897.
Ten thousand Republican votes admittedly were
thrown out. These registered voters. hence
legal respects and under the constitution OF
Maryland were much entitled to vote any
Mr.. Wilkinsons report asserts that II Is Illegal to
teach an terate person how to mark his ballot,
they taught 10000 voters. who were registered
cording to the constitution OF the State. how
retain the right he and his colleagues were trying
TO rob them of. Here IS his language:
When a law that the Republicans claimed was
aimed at 80 Oo0 erates in their party succeeds in
preventing only 10000 Of such illiterates from
voting. and having their votes counted. it hardly
lies with them charge fraud on the opposite
party. They themselves the guilty parties and
have evidently beaten the law by 10000 iiterate
their party vote of 1899 with SC coo iiterates in their
ranks. To do this they must have cast and counted
000 illiterate votes"
There are nearly fifty precincts in Baltimore IN
which colored voters registered. and the Re-
publican ticket was elected in q large majority of
several wards in Baltimore where the colored vote
is least numerous ii is found that majority OF
votes were cast for the Republican party
The same condition exists in the counties. Car
rett County has only 90 colored registered voters,
vet the Republican majority is 800. Calvert County
has over J. 400 registered white voters, and the
Democratic ticket did not poll 500 votes in this
county at the last election. Washington County
has over 10000 white registered voters, and the
Democratic party did not secure 1900 votes at the
registered voters. and only about 700 voted the
Democratic ticket The statement that the Repub-
Iican party had the solid support OF $4,000 coored
registered voters is not substantiated by the official