The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-10-28
Voters and uOg-YO eS

The following editorial of recent date
appeared in the Washington post"
While campaign orators and partisan
editors are ringing the changes on the
old campaign fudge about IAN enlighten-
ed ballot as the safeguard Of the republic
and appealing to the 'thinking, indie
pendent voter" some Of the more prac-
tical workers, the men who go on the
theory that "resuts count" ARE making a
determined effort to capture the ballot
that is neither enlightened nor intelligent
aid is not cast by thinking, Independent
voters These practical workers are lin
an effort to secure the naturalization and
registration of illiterate foreigners, with
the intention of filling the ballot boxes
with votes that count as much as those
of college professors, although cast with
out intelligence or appreciation OF their
effect upon the country or its principles.
In court at Altoona, Pa, the other
day several recently arrived foreigners
presented themselves, under the chap
eronage of political bosses, for naturaliza-
ton. In response to questions by the
Judge, one of the applicants stated that
Gov. "Bennybacker" was the head of the
American government, and another,
when asked about the form of our govern
ment, replied that it was "two-sided.'
Other applicants gave answers equally
absurd to questions calculated to show
their knowledge and appreciation of the
form and principles of American institu-
tons. Their papers were issued, how
ever, and their ludicrous answers to ques
lions looked upon as huge joke. They
will vote on November 9Th with about as
much appreciation of the genius of Amer
can institution as savage 1gorrote
has of the nebular hypothesis.
Another illustration of the appeal that
is being made to the enlightened, think
ing" voter is furnished in the Fifth Mary
land Cong ressional district, where Sgd
ney f. Mudd is seeking re election. The
Democrats of the district, under the OPP
Grafton of an election law which prevents
the placing of party designations on
official ballots, have nominated another
'Mudd'' for Congress. To prevent con-
fusion in marking the ballots, the versatile
Sydney has had recourse to his first name,
and is making capital of the fact that
there are two ''y's" in it. He has accord
ingly issued a circular directing his negro
supporters to 'vote fer the name with the
two hog-yokes in it." A hog-yoke looks
like the letter "y." Now, the Democrats
are looking for a candidate whose first
name is Sydney" believing that the ne
groes who are looking for 'the name
with the two hog yokes in it, would
vote for any other Sydney as quickly as
for Sydney Mudd.
Without reference to the merits, if
there be any, in the Mudd case, it must
cause thinking persons, men with the fu-
ture welfare of the nation at heart, to
pause and ponder upon the political and
educational conditions that make it pos
sible to rest the decision of national
election upon an intelligence capable of
expressing preference for a can didate
only because he has letters in his name
which "look like hog yoke" The very
danger of the situation should be suffic.
lent to take the reform of the naturaliza-
ton and franchise laws out of the domain
of partisan politics.