The Democratic advocate., 1903-10-03
A Comparison of Records.

The AdUOcdte proposes to show tne recoru
of Hon. Stevenson A. Williams IN the Mary.
land Senate and gives its readers, in last
weeks issue, an instalment from the proceed
ings of that body, showing that at the e, extra
session of 1901 he voted against the bill pro-
yiding for a State census. The 4dcOcates
report of the proceedings in that case IS cor.
rect but its conclusions therefrom are about
as erroneous as they could well be. 1t &C.
cused Mr. Williams of voting against the bill
because he was perfectly willing to accept the
fruits of the fraudulent Federal census IN
Southern Maryland. when the fact is that he
knew, as every other person who gave the
subject reasonable consideration knew, that
the Federal authorities would correct all er-
rors in the census, whether Intentional or
otherwise, and that the bill providing for
State census was simply imposing an unnec-
essary burden upon the taxpayers. -Sentanei.
The Sentinel merely drew upon its magma
ton when it said ''the Federal authorities
would correct all errors in the census" 1t
has not a particle of evidence for the asser-
ton, nor had Stevenson A. Williams nor any
body else. In fact all the evidence is to the
contrary.
The ADVOCATE challenged the accuracy of
the Federal census in Charles, st. Mary's,
Prince Georges, Anne Arundel and Kent
counties the first week in December, 1900
Personal knowledge of the population an
conditions in the counties named led to the
belief the Federal census was inaccurate, and
this belief was further strengthened by the
number of registered voters and the election
returns.
The ADVOCATE gave the matter close investi-
CATION and consideration, and was the trst
paper in the State to advocate the calling OF
an extra session of the General Assembly to
provide for a State enumeration OF lnhabl-
tants.
After the ADVOCATE had charged fraud In
the Federal census, other papers took up the
matter and it was widely discussed throughout
the State. Marked copies of the ADVOCATE,
securely wrapped and stamped, and marked
.personal." d" were sent to the Director OF the
Census.
For more than two months the fraudulent
character of the census was charged but the
Federal authorities took no notice of the
matter until Gov. Smith issued a proclama-
tion convening the General Assembly in ex-
traordinary session, basing his reasons there
for upon the wide. spread belief that the Fed
eral census was inaccurate. Had Gov. Smith
not called an extra session of the General
Assembly the presumption is that the Census
Bureau would not have made an investigations
And after it did investigate and found fraud
had been practiced by the census enumera-
tors, the census returns from the counties
where fraud was discovered were not correct
ed, and they stand today as official just as the
rascals who perpetrated the frauds made them.
The Sentinel, we repeat, drew upon IFS i'm
aeination for its assertion that Federal au-
thorites" would correct all errors. The fact
they did not, after finding that one enumera-
tor alone had more than 500 fraudulent names
on his lists, is evidence that there was no IN
tention to correct errors, not even to undo
down right rascality
As an offset to the ADVOCATE s arragnment
of Mr.. Williams the Sentinel charged that
while Mr.. Warfeld posed as "a man OF lnde-
pendent character" he "never turned his
back on upon Mr.. German, through whose
consent he is now the candidate of his party
for Governor"
There are about 100, 900 Democrats in this
State who never turned their backs upon Mr..
German. There has not been any reason to
do so. His leadership has been able and
wise, and looking to the success of the party
and to the good of the whole people The
Sentinel cannot make any capital by intlma-
tions against Mr.. German as boss or other
wise. He stands too high for tina. journal to
reach, and next year the Democracy of Mary
land will endorse him with enthusiasm and
unanimity for President of the United States.
That Mr.. Warfield is the candidate for Gov
ernor by the consent of Mr.. German. is about
As true as the Sentineps assertion that the
Federal authorities would correct the census
returns. 1t is utterly and absolutely without
foundation, known to all, except the Sentinel.
Mr.. Warfield asked no ones consent to be-
come a candidate for Governor he was
taken up by some of the Democratic press four
wears ago before he even announced his can
didacv, and this year, months ago, every
Democratic paper IN the State, with three OF
four exceptions, were his warm supporters.
He went before the rank and file of the party,
and to the rank and file he owes his nomination
not to the consent of anybody. Mr.. German
favored his nomination after he found the
people desired it. He was desirous Of Dem
ocratic success in Maryland, and he knew the
way to secure it was to listen to the voice of
the people, He had no favorites to press,
and would have been satisfied with any one of
a half dozen conspicuous Democrats, whom
the people might select. Mr.. German did
not press any one for Governor. but stood
aloof and let the rank and file of the party
select the candidates.
The Sentinel cannot misrepresent Mr. War
field and his position, for the people who read
know the man and how he was nominated; !;
nor can it defend Mr. Williams by drawing
upon its imagination for facts regarding the