The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-08-31
Republican Gall.

From the C1tlZen, Freuerlck, Mo-, Aug To- lSOl.
s'TAe Legislature IN extraordinary ses-
sion tcasted money partisan census, useless to the
STATE but valabte to the Democratic campaign workers
at the taxpayers expense; pepetrdted a most Unfair
government Of Baltimore city districts and made itself
Infamous By It's unconstitutional disranehsfag election
La,c"
The above isan extract from the platform adopted
by the Republican State Convention on August 9th.
For cool effrontery it is admirable. As a frank
statement of facts 1t is most dismal failure. There
are three distinct propositions embodied in the one
sentence The first has relation to the State census
of 1901 the second to Baltimore city, and the third
to the election law passed during the extra session
of the General Assembly few months ago. A word
or with respect to these three propositions in
the order in which they have been stated.
First: It takes great deal of gall of the most
unadulterated kind for Republican State Conven-
ton to illuminate denunciation against partisan
census" 1t is the old story of the eulprt raising
the cry of ''stop thief" to divert attention from
himself Republican enumerators appointed to
take the Federal census of 1900 in st. Mary IS and
Anne Arundel counties were indicted in the United
States Court for fraudulent padding of the returns
for making partisan census" useless to the
Government because wickedly false, but valuable
to the Republican campaign workers" and man
agers-and were coRricted, some by the verdict of
court This is a matter of record and cannot be
disputed but the Republican State Convention.
though the events were recent, uttered not word
eondemning this iniquitious scheme or censuring
these efficient campaign workers; one of whom,
now out bail awaiting the hearing of his case or
appeal was in control of the Republican County
Convention of ST. Mary's county a couple of weeks
ago. Why pirate about partisan census in re-
ferring to the State enumeration ordered by the ex
ira session of the Legislature when the State emu
meraton was rendered necessary by the very frauds
which Republican officials themselves committed
If the Republican enumerators had not perpetrated
the outrageous frauds of which they have since
been convicted in a court of justice, there would
have been no need of a State census, and there
would have been none ordered 'at the taxpayers
expense" The criminal conduct of the Republican
officials was therefore the of the State census
and that conduct is responsible for the expense oc-
casioned by that enumeration.
So far from the State being useless to the
State il prevented great wrong from being con
sumated by Republican campaign workers and
managers and exposed corrupt scheme founded
ON reckless disregard of law and involving shock
ing moral turpitude.
The second proposition is that the Legislature of
1901 'perpetrated most unfair government of Bal
timore city districts" What this are at
a loss to understand Not understanding it we pass
it by until we are enlightened to its signifca-
ton.
Third The Republican State Convention tells
us that the Democratic Legislature 'made itself in
famous by its unconstitutional DISTINGUISHING cleo
ton law Let us see what the Republican con-
ventions idea of infamy is. The Legislature en-
acted ballot law and Republican politicians assert
that the effect of that law will be to disfmnchise
illiterate negroes Because it will do this the law
.f;t,,t and he ariel
ture is branded infamous. If this be infamous it
will be revelation to the thoughtful achte men of
the State.
According to the Federal census of 1900 there are
602 8 negro voters in Maryland. OF these a.
over forty per cent. illiterate The increase in
the total population of the State from 1890 to 1900
was 147 $780, but the increase in the registered vo
ers was 81 102 The ordinary ratio of voters to total
population is about Que to four, but the actual
ratio, as shown by the Federal census, was one in
two and a-half or an excess of 241S9 voters over
the number there should have been, and this num-
Der is Just two hundred and thirtysix less than the
aggregate iJiserate negro vote, In 1890 the regis
tered white vote was 1882; according to the Fed
era census of 1900 in that year 2O III literate
and IL 1877 iterate or total of e6S, an increase
of about 171l per cent. in ten years. In 1890 the
registered negro vote As, $50; according to the
Federal of 1900 it was in that year 49, 7S3 lit
crate and "a 425 iIterate or total of 60 POS, in
crease of about 30 per cent. in ten years.
In the election of 1895 when Governor Lowndes
defeated Mr. Hurst by S,767 there were 81 472 regis
tered negro voters If the forty per cent of illt-
crate voters prevailed in 1895 in 19OO-and there
no doubt that it didthen of the 472 registered
negroes at least 40 illierate; and this
Der is fourteen hundred and odd more than the ma
iority which Governor Lowndes received. In other
words without the aid of these 20,470 iliterate
negro votes the Republican party could not have
carried the election of 1895
Now there are "a 425 of these same illiteatc
voters. If they vote they vote the Republican
ticket They are ignorant and without the slight
est concern about good government. Indeed, they
do not want good government, because good gov
eminent restraints their vicious tendencies and pun
ishes their misdoings. Banded together under de-
signing leaders, who use them mere voting ma
Chimes they are thrown in solid mass to turn the
fate of election. They are menace to society,
to good order and to the safety of the community,
and if the new ballot law excludes them from con-
trolling election, as the election of 1895 was con-
troed, far from the law being infamous it is in
the highest degree mertorious 1t is not pretended
that the negroes majority in this State, but
they compose fully one-half of the voting strength
of the Republican party. Their number is increas-
ing out proportion to the increase of population
as the figures we have just given indisputably
show for in years the registered negro vote in
creased about 50 per cent whilst the white vote
increased but 1715 per cent This disproporionate
increase doubtless due to importations from other
States where the illiterates dsfranchised and
unless some check is put upon this padding of the
registration lists the evil will soon grow to such an
extent as to be unbearable. If the object of the
new ballot law was to eliminate from the polling
booths the illiterate and lawless element of the
negro so that the government of the State may
be in control of a0hite chosen by aChte men, il
can hardly be said that the enactment is infamous
if it aecomplishes that result unless it be conceded
that measure designed to secure and actually Sc
curing intelligent control of the State by Cte men
is in itself Infamous Such an assumption would
be preposterous.