The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-22
THROWN OUT BY THE THOUSANDS
What Reports to Chairman John B.
Hanna of State Central Commit
tee Show

CudlTIndu JOun D. Hanna, OF the
Republican State Central Committee
has received reports from about 20
per cent of the election precincts of
the city and state in response to his
circular note sent prior to the cleo
ton to Republican judges and watch
ers. The circular note was asked to
state the number of Republican and
Democratic ballots rejected and, as
fac as possible the reason for the re-
jectiou.
The returns show that ballots were
rejected by the thousands and that
both Republicans and Democrats suf-
fered heavy losses, the Republican
losses exceeding those of the Demo
Gratis in proportion of to ). The
figures prove that if the intention of
the voter had been taken into consid-
GRAFTON, as was done under the former
ballot law, MARYLAND would have Civ
en- Mr., Roosevelt from 5000 to $500
plurality over Judge Parker.
The exact losses suffered by the
two parties cannot be ascertained, be-
cause in hundreds of cases the voter
did not make sufficient marks to en-
able the watchers to determine wheth-
er he desired to vote for the Republi-
can or Democratic candidates.
The reports show the practice of
bribery in several sections of the
state. The evidence is found in pecu-
liar marks on the face and on the
back of ballots. These marks convey
ed the intelligence to the watchers
that the goods had been delivered as
bought.
The mistakes in marking the ballot,
which led to the Wholesale rejection.
were due 20 the arrangement of the
names on the ballot, an arrangement
which was so devised that it was an
aid to Democratic illiterates and a
puzzle to Republican illiterates. A
cross mark placed at the top of the
column of names of electors for presi-
dent voted the whole ticket of eight
names. But the space for such cross
marks was by inadYertence or design
arranged Immediately above those for
marking any individual name. MANY
hundreds of voters in good faith be-
iieyed that the proper place for mark
ing the whole electoral ticket was
the square space opposite the name of
the first elector, and accordingly large
numbers of votes were cast for but a
single elector, instead of all eight.
The returns show that this belief pre-
vailed among Democrats as we'll as
Republicans as both Mr.. Brown, the
leading Democratic elector, and Mr..
Bonaparte, the leading Republican.
received much heavier votes than any
of their colleagues on their respective
tickets.
In commenting on the result in
Maryland Immediately after the cleo
ton Chairman Hanna, of the Repnbli-
can State Committee, said: 1T is i'm
portant to note that, had this election
been close, turning in the final result
upon the vote of the state OF Mary
land, the blunders of few voters in
this state might have given the de-
clsion to one side or the other. 1t
would have been highly humiliating
to the authors of the Ubiquitous ballot
law in MARYLAND if Judge Parker had
missed reaching the White House as
a result of combined trickerv and
laundering for which they were re-
sponsible."
Mr.. Mudd's majority in the Fifth
district would haye been larger if the
ballots cast for him had been count
ed according to the intention of the
voters. In bis own home county
(Charles) the propol ton of rejected
ballots was two to one against the
Republicans.
In Anne Arundel county the reject
ed ballots exceeded 700 1t was not
discernible in most instances of re-
jected ballots which were Republi-
can and which were Democratic. As
far as the calculation can be made
there were $50 Republicans and $50
Democratic ballots thrown out.
What is true of Anne Arundelis al
so true of St Mary's and Calvert coun-
ties.
Six precincts of Howard county
heard from give 60 Republican and
81 Democratic ballots as having been
rejected.
1t would be supposed that because
of the comparatively small colored
vote in the Sixth district the Repub-
licans did not suffer heavy losses in
that district because of rejected bal
lots. Such, however, was not the
case. The amended ballot law abol-
ishing the party designations oppo-
site the names of candidates was op-
erative in Frederick, Washington and
Garrett counties. The absence of the
party designation served to compli-
cate the ballot and led to bundrod.