The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-04-19

EFFECT OF NEW LAW.

A special dispatch to the Baltimore
Sun from Washington says:
Much discussion has been heard in
Washin gton as to the effect on MARYLAND
voters residing here of the new State
Election law. 1t has been said that 4 great
number of persons entitled to vote are
practically disfranchised, that the remain
der must give up their homes in Washing
ton or sacrifice their franchise, and that
the law is a matter OF more intimate con-
Germ in the capital than anywhere in Ma
ryland. From such an investigation of
the situation as can be made at this time
it would seem the seriousness of the case
has been much exaggerated.
Iii the new election law it is provided
"that all citizens Of Maryland absent from
the State at the time of the passage of this
act must appear in person within 80 days
after the passage of this act before the
Clerk of the Circuit Court of the county
in which they vote; or, if they are resi-
dents of the city of Baltimore, then be-
fore the clerk of the Superior Court in
Baltimore, and there make oath that they
intend to resume their residence in Mary
land on or before May 5, 1901
Such residents of Washington as desire
to vote next November, therefore, must
return to Maryland before May ) and re-
side there uninterruptedly until Novem-
Der. Filling to make the affidavit indi
Gated and to resume actual residence in
the State these persons forfeit their citi-
zenship and cannot regain it except as all
other persons may become citizens of the
Stately residing within its borders for
one year continuously.
The whole number of Maryland voters
in Washington is estimated to be about
Montgomery county, 100; residents of
Prince George county, 100; residents of
Baltimore and other on the two railroads,
rs Of these it is said 100 either live in
the State the entire year and come to Of
fee in Washington every day, or spend
eight or nine months at summer homes
out of the District. All of such voters
are expected to have established them
selves in Maryland before May 9Th, as the
law directs, although one or two have ex
pressed dsnclination to leave the city
SO early in the year. The remaining vo-
tiers are said to be laborers and mostly
colored men. 1t is a manifest impossi-
bility for these men to live out of Wash
ington. 1t has proved sufficiently difficult
to provide for their reg stering and
voting in previous years. In consequence
it is expected the entire number, well
over 100, will forfeit their citizenship.
Most of the Marylanders in Washington
are employees of the national Government
and are Republicans. The Maryland
Democratic Club of the District last fall
did not include more than % resident vo-
tiers, all its other members being Prince
Gerge's and Montgomery county residents
who came into the city to attend the
meetings. The Maryland Republican
clubs here at that time claimed to enroll
several hundred voters, who needed trans
portation and expenses. Of course many
of those reported as entitled to vote were
legally disqualified, but from the opera
tons of those clubs it is believed the
greater number of Westinghouse affect
ed by the Maryland law are former Re-
publican voters