The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1901-10-26
Reasons for the Extra Session.

Extract from Speech of Hon. Lloyd Wilkinson, in
Baltimore, Oct. 49,
The Governor of this State called the Leg
islature together in extra session, and the
Democratic party in convention assembled
has Endorsed that action. That he was justi
fed in so doing, no honest man familiar with
the conditions preceding that call and desir-
Gus of seeing honesty prevail and fraud re-
buked, will deny. The story of the Federal
census, the outrageous conspiracy upon the
part of certain Republicans in this State to
obtain for certain counties larger representa-
ton in the House of Delegates than they were
entitled to- is too fresh in the minds of the
people of this State. In this instance there is
no need to appeal to the imagination, because
the evidence produced in the United States
Court was so conclusive that some of the par
ties are now in prison and others will be
there as soon as higher court can get
chance at them.
The trials in the United States Courts have
so clearly shown the people of this State the
frauds connected with this taking of the Fed
eral census that we do not need TO dwell on
them If such things had been done by Dem
ocratic officials some of our Baltimore organs
would have been compelled to increase very
largely the size of their papers to have ena-
bled them to properly characterize the depths
to which we as party had sunk. But as the
offenders were Republicans the passing days
enabled them, as in the case of Mr.. Malster,
to forget how very bad they had BEEN
The Constitution of our State places upon
the Governor the duty of appointing repre-
sentatives in the House of Delegates, either
upon the last Federal census or upon an emu
meration made by the State. Last year the
census was taken under Federal supervision
The Director of the Census completed his
work and the tabulated returns were sent 10
Congress So far as the Governor of this
State was concerned, he was compelled to act
under this enumeration, or have one made by
the State He had information of the most
reliable character that, so far as certain coun-
ties in this State were concerned, the emu
meration was false and unreliable
He was in possession of convincing proof
that showed that for party purposes number
of Republicans had conspred to give to
certain counties in this State representation
to which they were not entitled; that in car
rying out this deliberately planned conspiracy
men prominent in the Republican party had
placed upon the census listpersons who had
no right to be there-persons dead for many
years, not living in the district, and In many
cases enumeratng the same parties three or
four times. The Governor of your State,
knowing lldb tulS HOuGTdl was
false and untrue and that be was forced either
to become party to this vile conspiracy and
put the seal Of his approval upon it by basing
upon it the representatives to your General
Assembly or calling the Legislature together
in extra session to prevent the contamination
of Republican villainy, decided to pursue the
latter course. The returns had been certified
to him directly from the Census Department
on January IA, 1901, long before he issued
his call for the extra session. Director Mer-
riam himself, in an interview published in
the Baltimore Sun, winds up with the follow
ing statement:
1T is too late to change the figures of the
Twelfth Census, but it will be policy of this
Office to punish any offender.
Here we have the certified returns from the
Census Office on January IA, 1901 upon
which the Governor was to base his proclaim
alton of representatives to each county. You
have the opinion of Director Merriam him
self that it was too late to change the figures
of the Twelfth Census. Is there an honest,
fair minded, right thinking man in this State
who does moi believe that the Governor was
fully justified in calling the Legislature to-
gether and preventing the completion of this
vile conspiracy?