Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-01
OUTLOOK IN MARYLAND
CHANCES FAVOR DEMOCRATIC
SUCCESS TODAY.
Summary of Conditions That initiate
Against Roosevelt Carrying State
Local Ticket Weak.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

/
| Chances favor democratic success in
| Maryland at the presidential election in
| November.
First-Because President Roosevelt is
looked upon here as champion of the ne
| gro race. The race question is acute here,
and last year it aided the democrats in
| didate for governor.
| Second-The gold democrats and inde-
pendents who in 1896 and again in 1900
supported Mr.. Mckinley are this year be-
hind Judge Parker. In 1896 the state went
republican by 80, 600 plurality. Four years
later this plurality was cut down over one
| half. 1t is claimed that with the gold demo-
| Gratis and Independents in line for Judge
Parker this republican plurality will be en-
tirely wiped out.
! Third-It is a noticeable fact that Mary
| land sentiment is drifting more and more
each year toward the south, and that north
ern sentiment is becoming less influential
| here. Almost all southern enterprises are
financed here. Baltimore brokers lend
| largely to the south. Hand in hand with
their financial transactions has gone senti-
ment, and with this sentiment politics.
Educational Vote Qualification.
Fourth-The Maryland election law pro-
Vides what is practically an educational
IN Otnef. WOrQS, the voter
must be able to read in order to mark his
ballot correctly. The illiterate voters of
the state are distributed among. the two
parties in proportion of seventy republican
and thirty democratic, the large republican
percentage being due to thesnegro vote. 1t
is apparent, therefore, that of the ballots
rejected because not properly marked the
republicans will lose seventy and the DEM
ocrats thirty per cent. Republican hopes of
success would be utterly destroyed if At
| torney General Bryan had construed the
election law passed since The last presi-
dental campaign in a manner desired by
| the democratic campaign managers. They
| were anxious to put in force an act passed
| during the last session Of the legislature,
| and which is applicable to republican coun-
ties only. This law abo1ishes party deSig-
| nations opposite the names of all candi-
dates. Under this law it is not only nee
| essary for the voter to he able to read in
| order to mark his ballot correctly but he
must also know the politics of each candi-
| date. 1t is at once apparent that the illit-
| crate voter faces a difficult proposition
when he enters the booth and begins to
| mark his ballot. That portion of the law
| relating to marking ballots at presidential
| elections was either carelessly drawn or
| drawn with a view to escaping cause for
| an appeal to the United States Supreme
| Court or interference by Congress. In any
| event, the attorney general felt constrained
| to construe the law so tia only yssones mark
| opposite the name OF the hefakfecfoF
| President is necessary to cAff1s with 1t a
vote for all electors of that candidate
This construction, which IN Maryland has
| the full effect of the law, has sfpdpii6ed the
| ballot. and as result the negroes Will not
! find 1t difficult to mark their ballots The
| democrats felt greatly disapcinted at the
Attorney Generals interprefa tion of the
law, and at one time declared they would
| secure an Interpretation by the state court
of appeals, which they hoped N4u3d be favor
| able to them. They have, heweyefs .ahaH-
| doned this contemplated move. They stin
| believe that the negroes VIII have the same
difficulties as heretofore iIF marking the
ballots. and that 20 per cent of the ballots
] rejected will be republican,
Relying Upon Organization.
Fifth-The democrats areSrelying upon
their organization, which they claim is far
superior to that of the republicans. Their
organization has been suaRiemented by
clubs formed throughout Nhe state by
Frank Brown, former govsEnor, who pos
sesses a wide acquaintance aaa good execu-
| tive ability.
| Sixth-The close affiliation of Senator
German with the national campaign man
agement has encouraged his heutenants,
who are the political workers of Maryland,
to greater effort, and has planted In them
belief that he will be able TO supply them
| with big campaign fund. In addition
| they realize that if Judge Parker is elected
| Senator German will have some choice
plums to hand out Senator German tells
| his friends here that he considers Judge
| Parker's election more than Feasonably GER
| tain.
! Seventh-The personality of President
| Roosevelt is not attractive here His affil-
| iations in the state have been with civil
| service and political refOrmers who do not
| stand on a high plane of popularity.
| The democrats are not as much encour-
| aged by the prospect of carrying through
| their candidates for Congress as thew are
| by the prospects of winning the state for
| Judge Parker In almost all of the dis
| tricts their candidates for Congress are
| weak and below the average in individual
| strength They will probably retain the
| second and fourth districts and lose the
| first, third, fifth and sixth districts.