The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-09-08
Mr.. BRYAN SAYS ONE
X MARK IS ENOUGH
Reiterates Opinion As To The Votes
for President.
WHAT WILL THE DEMOCRATS DO?
Declares Officially That 1t Is Not Nee
essary To Place Mark Beside Each
Electors Name-Oecision Will
Aid Republicans.

The printed instructions prepared
by Attorney General William Shep-
hard Bryan, Jr., for tie guidance OF
judges of elections, and also for the
voters, were received by the Super
Yisors of Elections today. The direc-
tions giYen by Mr.. Bryan for mark
ing and counting the ballots in refer
ence TO Presidential electors are in
line with his opinion as at first given
in newspaper interviews, and are to
the effect that a cross mark after the
names of the Presidential candidates
must be counted for all the electors
of the party voted foE
Mr.. Bryan's official pronouncement
is as follows:
The voter must make with an in
delible pencil his, cross mark OK oppC
site the name of each candidate for
whom he wishes to vote, with the ex-
ception of candidates for the Off ce of
Presidential elector The voter may
vote for Presidential electors by max
ing a crOss-mark OK in the square OPP
pOsite the name of each of the persons
mot more than eight in number) for
whom he wishes to vote. He may also
vote for the eight candidates for Pres
idential elector of any political party
by making his cross-mark (N) in the
square opposite the surnames of the
candidates of the party of his choice
for President and Vice President. For
example, voter wishes to vote for the
candidate of the DemocIatic party for
Presidential electors; he can do so by
making cross-mark (N) in the square
opposite the name of each one of the
eight Democratic candidates for Pres
idential elector; he can also. if he pre-
fers, make his cross mark { A) in the
square opposite the names of Parker
and Davis, the Democratic candidates
for President and Vice President, and
have his ballot counted for each one
of the Democratic candidates forPres-
idential elector, grouped under the
names of Messrs. Parker and Davis.
art. SO, Sec. 50)
The Attorney General is directed by
Sections ia and 114A of Article SO of
the Code (the general election law to
prepare these instructions, which are
therefore regarded as having the force
of law.
The question now is: What are the
Democratic leaders and lawyers who
differ with Mr.. Bryangoing to do about
it? A number of these hold that the
amendments to the election law, as
passed last winter, require that a cross
mark must be placed after the name
of each elector Intended to be voted
for, and that mark simply placed
opposite the names of the Presiden.
tial and Vice-Presidential candidates
is emblem voting and contrary to the
whole spirit and text of the remain.
der of the election law. A number OF
consultations have been held, but nc
satisfactory way of overcoming, set
ting aside or evading Mr.. Bryan's de.
cision as framed in his instructions
has yet been devised.
The part of Section so of Article..33,
which has occasioned the dispute.
reads as follows:
THE surname of the candidates OF
each political party for the office OF
President and Vlce-President shall be
placed above the group of candidates
for election (electors) of such party.
There shall be left at the right of the
surname of the candidates for Presi-
dent and Vice President, so formed as
to include both names, and to the
right of the name of each elector, a
sufficient clear square in Which each
voter may designate by a cross (X) his
choice for electors"
When the law was first pa ssed its
sponsors thought the provision for a
square opposite the surnames of the
Presidential and Vice Presidential
candidates has been left out, and it
was supposed that it would have a
serious effect on the Republican for
tunes in counties where there is large
illiterate vote, for the reason that
many negroes could not properly
mark their ballots