Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-10-24
THE CAMPAIGN CLOSING.

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Their leaders cannot assail
the character and personality
of the Democratic candidates,
for the latter are men above re-
proach. They can not prove
that the State finances have not
been ably and carefully man.
aged, so they wisely make no
such claims. They have no
logical or appealing issue to
present to the people, so they
kick up a lot of dust and howl
themselves black in the face
about the election law.
Mr.. Wartield and his COL
leagues are meeting this issue
squarely and manfully. No
law at first has the smoothness
and completeness that can be
impaired through experience.
The Democratic platform and
the candidates who stand on it
both promise that the law will
be improved and perfected as
far as possible to guarantee JUS
tice and the, recording of the in
telligent and public spirited
sentiment of the people at cleo
ton time.
The Election law in Maryland
is the same law that prevails in
Massachusetts. If it is a good
thing in Republican New Eng
land, why is it such bad thing
in Democratic Maryland? Even
the Baltimore Neaos, which is
foaming at the mouth, and
shedding buckets of ink in
TRADE against the Democratic
party, admits that the Massa-
chusetts law is all right. "But,
says the Ne,us, "the law was put
on the Massachusetts books
years ago by a constitutional
convention, while the Maryland
law was adopted recently by
the legislature" A convinc-
ing argument surely.
It is we'll remembered that
the beginning of election law
reform in Maryland-the Aus
tralian ballot Act of 1S9O-was
bitterly opposed by the Repub-
licans, who saw that under it
they could no longer force the
negroes to vote open ballots
and be herded and controlled
like cattle. The Republicans
do not want any secret ballot
whatever. When they were in
power they removed the oath
required of the voters assist
ants, so that every illiterate
negro could be inundated
without fear Of the law.
Mr.. Williams believes in vot-
ing for pictures, as so many
who make up his party do not
know how to vote for anything
else. He would not only head
the ballot with pictures, but put
a picture after every name on
the ballot. What a reflection
upon the intelligent, self-re-
specting voters! But at any
rate the negro could go readily
over such a ballot, making
marks in front of Lincoln's
nose, even if it did not have a
single idea of the principles in
volved or the value to the COM
munity of a thoughtful, intelli-
gent vote. The negroes who
loaf about street corners in town
when crops are going to ruin
because farmers can not get
help can vote all right for a pic
ture, and their votes will count
just as much as will the farm
ers; although they have no idea
whatever of the men and meas
ures involved.
The Republicans driven to
extremities for campaign issues
have resorted to the old dodge
of yelling doleful about "boss-
ism" and abusing Mr.. German
and Mr.. Rasin. Everyone knows
how Mr.. Warfield came to head
the ticket. how, if any "boss-
ism" had been attempted which
was not, the overwhelming de-
mand of the people would have
choked it off. If any man ever
was a peoples candidate Mr..
Warfield is. Recalling the Re-
publican primaries and State
Convention, it would seem that
their orators would keep silent
ON such subjects as "bossism"
and machine control"
The truth is, the splendid per-
sonnet of the Democratic ticket
has had the,Republicans scared
from the first, and Mr.. War
fields brilliant and magnetic
campaign is keeping them so
steadily on the run that they
cannot gather their wits to de-
velop any but their old issues
and cries. If the Democrats Of
the counties do their full duty
these bowling followers of
Roosevelt and McComas will be
chased far into the dark woods.
IJsed for Pneumonia.