The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-11-12
DEMOCRATS ARE LOOKING AHEAD.
Important Questions For the Next Gem
eral Assembly to Act Upon.

Now that the echoes of the battle
of ballots have begun to die away,
the politicians of both parties are
commencing to turn their faces to-
ward the future. The Democrats
have won sweeping victory They
are in full control of the affairs of the
State and their majority in the Leg
islature is such as to enable them to
pass without a struggle any laws they
see fit. With the power comes the
responsibility, and there are indica-
tions that this is realized by the Dem
ocratic managers.
Two of the more important ques-
tions upon which the party in power
is expected to take action at the com
ing session of the General Assembly
are conceded to be: First, amend
ments to the Election law, so as to
eliminate the negro as a political fac
tor; second, the selection of United
States Senator to succeed Senator
McComas. There will be no caucus
nor conference OF the Democratic
members of either House or Senate.
this month, but it is understood that
some time in December they will be
called together at tie Eutaw House
by Chairman Vandiver to discuss
party affairs. As has already been
stated, Col. Spencer G. Jones, of
Montgomery county, will be the Pres
ident of the Senate, but the Speaker
of the House may not be determined
upon until few days before the as
sembling of the Legislature on Janu-
airy 4, notwithstanding that there are
a number of aspirants already.
So far as the amendments to the
Election law and the legislation which
it is proposed to pass affecting the
vote of the illiterate negro are con-
cerned, it can be stated on good au-
thority that they will be carefully
prepared in advance and will be in
troduced and passed early in the SEES
sion and not delayed and postponed.
If it were possible the Democratic
managers would like to enact legisla-
ton that would eliml nate the negro
vote altogether and leave untouched
the white voter, no matter how illit-
crate. To DEVISE plan that will ac-
complish this, however, it is said, is
a matter the difficulties of which can
not be appreciated until it is tried.
Already considerable careful study
has been given this question, and it
was said that the probabilities are
that the ultimate plan upon which
the Democrats will be compelled to
concentrate will be the modelling of
| the Maryland Constitution, so far as
it touches the question of elections,
upon that of the State of Massachu-
sets.
The idea has been suggested and is
now being considered by the legal ad-
visers of the party of proposing at
the approaching session of the Legis-
lature an amendment to the Consti-
| tuition providing for an educational
test for the voter and giving the next
Legislature the authority to designate
this test and the form of the ballot.
This test would be, as is the case in
Massachusetts, a requirement that
before any citizen should be entitled
to register or vote in this State he
must be able to read a portion of the
| Constitution of the United States in
| English. 1t is believed that while
such an amendment to the Constitu.
ton would disfranchise a number oil
illiterate white men, it would elimi
nate considerably more than half Of
the negro vote in the state and, it il
contended, would confine the fran
chise to the intelligent portion of the
population.
If it is possible to devise some plan
by which the ballot law may be fran
ed so as to work more directly against
the negro, the party leaders say they
will adopt it, but the Constitution OF
the Unit ed States prevents them from
legislating against the colored voter
because Of his race, color or previ
GUS condition of servitude."
Two amendments to the present
Election law are favored. First, it i.
contended, the law should be Sc
amended as to enable the intent o.
the voter to count in marking the
ballot. The Democrats do not, how
ever, they say, propose to leave the
question Jas to what is or what is moi
the intent of the voter to the discre
ton of the judges of election, but
propose to establish uniform stand
ard by which this intent can be judg
ed. For instance, it might be decid
ed that if the leg of the cross-mark OF
a ballot extended more than a quar-
ter of an inch beyond the square tn,
ballot should not be counted, but i
/ it extended beyond the square {
quarter of an inch or less, then il
should be counted, according to thu
intent of the voter. Certainly, it il
conte nded, there is no excuse for /,