The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-03
SYDNEY {. MUOD
HAS HIS TROUBLES
Marylander Worried Over
New Election Law.
PUT AT A DISADVANTAGE
Two Other Candidates of Same Name
Expected to Confuse
Negroes
PUT AT A DISADVANTAGE

REPRESENTATIVE Sydney E. Mudd OF
the Fifth Maryland District is having
a hard campaign cut out for him by the
Democratic State machine, by means
OF which ii is hoped TO capture the dis
trict for one OF Senator Gorman's
friends When all the facts in the case
are reviewed il is sure no other MEM
Der of the lower house will envy Mr..
Mudd all the trouble which has been
fixed up for him by his political OPP
ponents.
The district for which Representative
Mudd looks out in Congress IS composed
of st. Mary. Charles, Calvert. Prince
George. Anne Arundel. and Howard
counties. and the Twentv-frst, Twenty
third. and Twenty-fourth wards. and the
Fourth. Fifth, Sixth. Seventh, and
Eighth precincts Of the Eighteenth ward
in Baltimore. The list of Republican
voters contains the names of many
negroes, against whom the recent Mary
land election law especially hits. For
this and other reasons. Republicans
throughout the State admit that Mudd
now faces the stiffest fight in his po-
litical career and that the troubles he
win have on lis hands in the coming
campaign viii be more numerous and
more varied than those of any other
candidate on the ticket in Maryland.
His Successful Career.
Mudd is now serving his fifth term
as the Representative of the Fifth
district. and the only time he ever met
defeat when he went before the people
gress was in 1892. when the late Barnes
Compton was elected after a hard night
Since that time Mudd's sway in southern
Maryland has been supreme and his
successes have been so regular and his
majorities so large that it has been re-
garded as somewhat discoura ging FOR
any man TO seek the nomination against
him
Twice have the district lines been
changed by the Legislature. yet each
time Nudd has remained invincible
Twice within the last four years has
he won decisive victories over BENJAMIN
Harris Camalier. The last time Cam
alier entered the field he was just $40
votes short of the vote his opponent re-
ceived
Figures such as these. recurring at in
tervals Of two years. have been thor
oughly diseouraging TO southern Mary
land Democrats. who for years past
have been demanding Of the Democratic
managers that soms measures be taken
for their relief IN what is known as the
BLACK Belt" and that a chance be Civ
en- them 10 redeem their section OF the
State from Republican rule.
Chance TO Defeat Mudd.
&
session Of the Legislature and as a re-
suit the followers Of Mudd are as down
in the mouth about the outlook as the
Democratic leaders are Jubilant Il is
believed the Democratic managers have
determined 10 carry the Fifth district
this time at all hazards and the plans
for doing so are causing Mudd and his
friends no little uneasiness.
IN the first place. the Legislature pass
I'd what is known as the Wilson ballot
law the effect OF which IS 10 abolish
all party denominations from the ballot
leaving only the bare name OF the can
didate. with nothing 10 indicate wheth-
er that candidate be a Democrat or a
Republican. This law is operative in
the counties CT the Fifth district In
asmuch as a very large portion OF
Mudd's constituents are illiterate ne
Sroes who have been taught 10 vote the
Republican ticket by the peculiar for
nation OF the letter RI or the letter
p. II can be seen that the doing away
altogether with the party denomination
Is calculated TO lose Mud many votes
Laughed at the Law.
After the passage of this bill. Mudd' :
friends in southern Maryland. while con-
4sraar HN.s.e -
deal. declared that before the election
came OF most Of the negro nliterates
could be- taught 10 pick 8Iudd's name out
Of all the others on the ballot. The
name "Mudd" has appeared so fire.
quently on the ticket In recent years.
they said. that even the most iHiterate
and uneducated negroes have become ia
miliar with IL. and that II would be but
little trouble 10 teach them what 10 do.
Things went along for quite a while
and various candidates for the Demo-
cratic nomination began 10 make their
appearance. among them Camalfer.
Mudds old opponent. and Robert w.
Wells, Of Prince George county. Mudd
pursued the even tenor OF his wav and
intimated that he was not I'm the least
worried as to the result Of the contest
Ia his district.
Party Differences Ended.
After considerable maneuvering the
differences that existed between him and
Collector Stone. resulting from the bit
ter primary fight Of last summer were
patched up. and the truce thus declared
resulted IN the denomination Of Mudd
without opposition. He was led to seek
this peace with the organization people
in the city. 1t was said. because while
he believed he could get the nominaIlor
with Stones friends fighting him. he
foresaw that with the Wilson ballot law
in operation IN every county in his dis
trict he could not win without a united
party back OF him.
With the breach IN Prince George and
Howard counties closed and both FAC.
tioRs supporting him he held chat in
would be the same old story with q
somewhat reduced majority ~ a result
Of the inability OF the negroes 10 vote.
Trump Card in Reserve.
The sDry Democrats, however. stm
had frs4rr, % I'd aF ghasr all