Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-10-29

AS / understand it, the question
before the people IL, win our Elec-
lion Laws be 50 amended as 10 effec-
tuate and notfrustrate theintentions
81 the voters. A man goes into the
booth and intends to vote either the
Democratic or the Republican ticket.
His cross-mark goes q microscopic
point below line. and his ballot il
thrown out and he loses his vote.
The Democratic party is not TO be
censared for this result. Mr.. Bryan
and myself. without consulting each
other, both gave opinions that this
ballot ought to be counted. The
Court of Appeals took q different
view.
Democratic Intentions.
The Democratic party intends to
amend this law in such way as 10
give expression to the will OF the
voter. Mr.. Williams claims that
the whole law ought to be substan.
tally changed hecauseit disposes of
the emblem. and of Mr.. Lincoln's
head and OF the hickory tree, and
thus prevents 60. 600 gentlemenfrom
voting their sentiments, viz, from
voting for Mr.. Lincoln 8 head laugh
teri. and therefore doesn't enable
the independent Democrats todefeat
the Democratic party-that Is tosay,
that the Independents voters cannot
defeat the party to which they belong
without the aid OF the GO. 900 gentle
men aforesaid. who are OF different
color from Mr.. Bryan and myself.
do not agree with Mr.. Williams,
because In the first place I do not
want the Democratic ticket defeated,
and in the second place / think that
the independent Democratic vote
ought TO assert its strength within
the party lines and ought not to
depend upon the $4,000 illiterate
Republican voters to help them to
defeat the Democratic party. An
independent Democrat within the
party would have more strength
and influence than he would have
without the party. This is q doc
trine that / have asserted during
my whole political career. Mr..
Warfield made his fight within the
party, and when public sentiment
displayed itself in his favor the
leaders fell into line. l have lately
tried thesame plan myself, and while
] am not quite out OF the woods, Mr..
Warfield is, and he is coming into
port with flying banners. [Great
laughter and applause.l
Due To Courts Construction.
The whole trouble about the Elec-
ton law has arisen from the con-
struction that the Court of Appeals
has placed on it. Hardly anyone
had an idea that it would be interpre-
ted in this way. always thought
that technicalities would be thrown
aside and q liberal Interpretation
given to its provisions. The Court
Of Appeals, representing in q high
degree the learning and the talent
and the personal experience of the
Maryland bar, thought otherwise,
and we are now face to face with q
condition which demands of us that
we must amend this law in accor-
dance with the dictates of honor and
of public opinion. Applause
Takes Up MIR. BOnaparte.
Mr.. Rayner caused much laughter
by declaring that he had found in
the speeches ofMr. CharlesJ. Bona
parte cure for insomnia.
"You must be careful how you
take these speeches. IF you do
not take them right they may act as
an emetic instead Of an anodyne.
He said he read Mr.. Bonaparte's
Music Hall speech last week and
sunk into slumber.
81 was in the land of dreams, he
I dreamed about the
OF Eden and the Republican
party. and Bill Stewart, and Wash.
Wilkinson, and Senator Day, and DR..
Tuck, and Sydney Mudd-those
guileless children of primeval inno-
cence. They were in the Garden.
aud they were talking about reform,
and honest elections, and unadultera-
led purity and incorruptible Legis-
latures. And Sydney Mudd, with
his hands behind his back, like
at st. Helena, gazing at the
stars, was discoursing upon the
Immortality OF the soul, when Wash.
Wilkinson, with O radiant smile ON
his face, gently approached him and
said: Mudd, what is the use OF
talking about the immortality of the |
soul when you owe me $3.50, one half |
Of the amount that you and | were
10 get for defeating the Gas bill in |
the reform Legislature Of 1896? |
Laughter