The sun., 1903-04-05
THIRD SECTION.
BALTIMORE'S FIGHT ON MAYOR
THE NEW PRIMARY Law TO BE
TRIED NEXT TUESDAY.
n Is Intended 10 DO Away With the Party
Machinery in Making Nominations
Two systems Provided by It-Hot
Fight over Both Party Tickets.

BALTIMORE. April "A novel experiment
will be made in this city on Tuesday. It
will be the first test Of the Primary Eec-
ton law under favorable conditions.
The law was passed last year. and was
used for the first time by both parties in
naming their candidates for Congress last
fall The system, however. did not re-
oeive fair trial as the registration lists
did not convey the information whether
the voter was Republican or Democrat
The primary was therefore a sort Of GO
as-you-please affair.
Since then there has been a complete
registration OF voters. As each voter
applied for enrolment he was asked the
questions: Are you Republican," Are
YOU a Democrat?' II he said he was
Republican the word Republican was
entered opposite his name. The same
system was followed in the case OF Demo-
Gratis who stated their party. In the case
Of voters who refused to divulge their
party affiliation the word Declined" was
entered opposite their names.
OF the IOl.I3l voters who registered,
1892 said they were Democrats. ss,977 said
they were Republicans. and 1882 declined
10 state their politics. Tomorrow will be
TtRlSlldllOli odys AhCh NobSio "hi iidNo
an opportunity to change their politics
from one party to another. and those who
have declined to reveal their political lean
ing can have themselves registered as Demo-
Gratis or Republicans.
The $4,000 voters who. according to the
police census refrained last fall from regis
names enrolled. 1t is probable, therefore,
that when the lists close at p. NJ. they
will contain the names OF about 5000
Democrats, and about 10000 Republicans.
The voting on Tuesday will be confined
exclusively to those who have regis cred
as Democrats or Republicans. The Pro-
hibitionists. Socialists and other side parties
which did not poll 10 per cent. OF the total
vote cast at the last election, will have to
get the names OF their candidates on the
Official ballot to be voted on May by re-
sort to petition.
The nominations to be made are for
Mayor, President Of the Second Branch
Of the City Council, Comptroller, four men,
bers Of the Second Branch OF the City
Council. and twenty-four members of
ward In each party interest In the primary
has been aroused TO a high pitch by the
number Of candidates. by the attacks upon
the organizations OF the two parties by
ture OF money. Hence the prospect Of a
large vote at the primaries, which will
afford an excellent opportunity to study
the operation OF the law and to determine
whether it shall be a fixture here, and
whether It will be applicable to larger cities,
The primary for both parties will be held
simultaneously In the same room, with
the same set OF election officials, who are
selected by the board OF election super
visors, Two are Democrats and two are
Republicans. The primary, with q few
exceptions. is conducted In the same manner
as a general election under the Australian
ballot system, Violations OF the law are
punishable in the same manner as those
OF the general election law.
The chief difference between the primary
and the general election Is in the ballot
box. In the former, two boxes are used.
one for the Republican and one for the
Democratic ballots. -,
On Tuesday the Republican boxes will
box must go all Republican ballots. which
will be printed on pink paper, -,
For Democratic ballots white paper will
le used. These ballots will be deposited
uy the judges In the box over which a piece
of white paper IL posted. The Democratic
ballots will be counted first.
The enactment OF the Primary Election
law was due TO the efforts OF large class
Of citizens. members Of both parties, who
believed that party primaries as formerly
conducted were farces and were 80 manipu-
iatrl by party leaders that only men who
would do their bidding were nominated.
the bill. as originally drawn, applied to
the whole State, but on its second
relling in the Senate each member asked
20 have his constituents exempted from
the operations OF the law. The chief OBJ
lection was the expense which the law
carried with IL.
When finally passed the law applied only
to this city. The Democratic city and
state leaders who controlled the Se nate,
could have killed the bill, but they believed
that its passage would attract to their ranks
a large body OF independents who opposed
them at every election. IL Ia extremely
doubtful IL the law in this respect has served
It's purpose.
The system provides for two methods OF
nominating candidates, the delegate and
the direct system. The party organizations
have power TO determine the method pref
cradle 10 them. The Republicans chose
the delegate plan. while the Democrats VIII
select their candidate by the same direct
system that is employed at the general
elections.
They could have chosen the delegate
system had they 10 desired. and the leaders
would then have been in position TO man
ipuate the nominating conventions in their
own behalf. But they determined to 60
the limit in their effort to win back the
prodgal independents. They desired also
to bs free Of the charge that they had re-
sorted to other than the fairest methods
within their power.
The battle for supremacy within the two
parties Is the bitterest witnessed here for
many years. rivalling In intensity the con-
ficts Of 1895 and 1897. when fights all long
the line were made against the leadership
Of senator German. He was defeated. but
IN 1899 he won back his old position at the
head Of the Democratic party. He is not
interested in the present fight, and from
It's inception he has absented himself from
the city. Formerly he came here once or
twice every week.
Among the Republicans. two sides are
contending for supremacy. II Is really
feht 10 overthrow the organization, which
il headed by William r. Stone, Collector
Of the Port Senator McComas IL allied
with this faction. He, too has given the
city wide berth since the fight started.
The organization is backing up w. d.
Platt. an oyster packer, born In Connecticut.
for Mayor. He was selected as candidate
by committee of business men who sat
behind closed doors. This selection was
subsequently ratified by the Republican
Committee.
Even before Mr.. Platt had been brought
forward for the Mayoralty race, Congress
man Frank G. Wachter was hustling for the
nomination and he is still hustling day and
nght-often while Mr.. Platt Is asleep. Mr..
Wachter had q promise Of the support Of
tho organization for Mayor when he made
his third fight for Congress last fall. Mr.
St0na hnoifata sn shas A.