The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-16
NUDD'S FIGHT IN MARYLAND.
DEMOCRATS SCHEMING TO BEAT
HIM FOR CONGRESS-.
Three other Mudds and One sydney Fut Up
TO Confuse Iiiterate Voters Trained
TO Recognize Ills Name-He IL Con.
Quoting a Campaign OF Education.

to Recognize Ills Name-He Il Con-
Quoting n Campaign OF Education.
BALTIMORE. Oct. i5.-Sydney E. Mudd
who represents the Fifth Maryland district
In Congress, Is working overtime for re-
election. Never before i2 his political
career has he been up against such prop
position as now confronts him.
His district Is normally Republican by
nearly 5000 majority, and, on form, he
should be an easy winner. But unusual
circumstances are operating TO his dis
advantage, and il he Is not defeated this
time he may congratulate himself upon
his good fortune.
A beginner in politics would have given
up the fight long ago, but Mudd does not
belong to that class. He is regarded as
the shrewdest polite ian and the most re-
sourceful campaigner in the Republican
party in this State. His admirers in south
err Maryland are confident that he will
again circumvent his enemies.
The Democrats have been after his seat
for some time .but he represents a Repub-
Lean stron ghold in which the blacks more
than hold the balance Of power, and, as
he exercises strong influence upon them,
it has been found impossible UP to this time
to dislodge him. In the siz counties COM
prising part of his district there are 10000
white and IL 600 black voters. In his home
county Of Charles the colored population
exceeds the white. while in st. Mary's and
Calvert the races are about equally divided.
He never experienced any difficulty IN
securing a denomination and until this
time was practically unopposed at general
election. The Democrats did not think
it worth while to expend any ammunition
In his district when it could be profitably
used elsewhere, and so the Congressional
elections for the past ten years have gone
by default.
ABOUT three years ago the Democratic
Legislature geIr ymande. ed the dist let
so as to make 1t even more st ongly lie
publican Since then Mudd has felt HIM
self secure q his position in his own Pa ty
and correspondinglv ce tain Of reelection.
At the last session OF The Legislature,
however, the Democ attic representatives
from southern Maryland and the Eastern
Shore proceeded TO put Gimp in the
Congressman. They passed first a CON-
stitutional amendment, which included
among other provisions the grandfather
clause and an educational qualification.
This, of course, will be imperative until
ratified by the people at the next gener al
election. To make sure Of its Passage
then, q law was enacted which instructed
the Super visors in certain counties Of the
State, and all except one county in Mudd 8
district are included, 10 remove from the
ballot the party designations That is to
say, only the names OF the candidates
appear on the ballot.
AS the word Republican" served to
guide the illiterates after they had been
instructed, its removal threatened to put
the negroes in the black belt out Of the
contest Fortunately for Mudd, however,
the trainers Of the act inadver tently re-
Incorporated a provision which excepted
the candidates for President and Vice
President from the section which quires
the voter to mark separately the name Of
every candidate. he. efore the voter could
signify his choice for President and Vice
President by placing his mark in the one
square opposite their names.
The Republicans were jubilant over the
Temporary failure of the scheme, but they
soon found that they wee not yet out OF
tho woods Mudd Rad declared that the
blacks knew his name as well as they did
the word Republican," and could Pick 1t
out with ease. he euron the Democrats
selected a Samuel A. Mudd as one OF the
electors, and yesterday they filed with
the Sec -eta-y of State the nomination
papers OF John E. Mudd, who figures as
an independent Republican candidate.
Mudd knew this was coming and he
promptly proceeded to educate the blacks
80 that they could distinguish lis name
from the counte:feits. He had printed
cards bearing these names: