The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1905-09-09

vcntion assembled. while realizing the
fact that no national ISSUES are involved
i'll the present campaign IL this State.
except insofar a. the attempt to adopt
an un-Amrl'cnn. unRepublican. UNI
Democratic and. thus far, unprecedented
ST flragc system in one State Of the Tn
ion may affect the common SiStcrhood
of the States in the country. cannot ne
frain from an expression of pride. never
the less. in their identity with the party
whose President stands for Il square
deal for every American. wherever he
was born and whatever his ancestry.
and who. with the cordial acclaim of
political friends and former political foes.
and the approving voice of the civilized
nations of the earth has recently been
hailed as the first citizen and foremost
statesman of the world.
They condemn the unfair. the unjust
and the oppressive changes in the honest
Election law of 1896. ami appeal with
confidence to the independent citizen
ship of our State. without regard to
party affiliations. to bear testimony to
the hultful consequences of the success
sivc departures from that law through
the action of recent partisan Democratic
Legislatures.
They assert that the constitutional
amendment soon to be submitted to the
voters. is but elimination Of Il plot,
long mcditated ana carefully planned. to
make and keep Maryland under the con-
troll of the political party now dominant
and H>l Row organized. regardless of her
peoples wishes. and. mt the same
time. to insure TO the men who make
up the political organization now in pow
rr perpetual control of their own party,
and through it of the State government
has been in the past. for their own sell
fish ambition and fraudulent aims and
purposes, without regard to the fair fame
or vital interests of eur State.
They point out to every intelligent
citizen. ard especially to every business
man. the folly of making Maryland a
surely Democratic State for all time re-
gar,llc~S of the industrial conditions or
fiwacial issues that hereafter may be
presented. as they have been presented
before: and that at the very time when
Though the unwiStIom of the national
policies of Il miSnamcd Democracy. of a
character akin to that and largely in
flucnced by that which controls in our
State. the party has dwindltl to Il hope
less minority in the councils of the ma
ton: and they warn against the conSe-
Qucnt peril to the States prosperity and
the development of her natural rcsGur-
ceS and opportunities by 50 unwiSe, 50
impolitic and so suicidal a course.
"MISCHIEVOUS IN PRINCIPLE"
''Thcy declare these evils. however. to
10 th. least a tb,I Wlnrp-
with we are threatened with the so
called Poe amendments; and dcEounce
that measure as false and miSchievous
in principle. THAT from its nature, is in
trr!ctl IT, he oncSdcd. unfair and flHudu
l,It in it, administration. md as being
flaught with the gruvcst danger to the
liberties of our citizens and cur right Of
Republican Sclf-goyernment
They invite particular attention to
the fact that the so-called Poe amend
mcnt grants political privileges to one
class of cur citizens and denies them to
another. because the grandtathelN Of the
former did. ara those of the latter did
not enjoy the like privileges.
1T establishes II doctrine of political
rights by inheritance, that at once con-
travenes the principles Of the Democracy
81 lnbnlhS jefferson ara lnt spirit oil
the Declaration of Indep, ndence; and,
after the election of Il single year, it
provides that all young men. of all coloTS
and conditions alike. who seek admission
to the exercise of manhood suffrage. shall
be subject to the diScreditng and de-
grading requirement that they shall sub
NIT themselves to an examination in
constitutional law that shall be prCScIib-
cd by and subject to the approval of Il
board Of election officers Of character
that experience has found to be quite
frequently illiteIate, and not nfrcqurmtly
corrupt.
'The purpose of the said amendment
H. to rcinstatc. with enlarged powers.
the partisan boards of registration of
the class THAT prevailed previous to the
Election law of 1896. who again and
again proved themselves indifferent to
their duty and subServient to the political
agencies through which their appoint
ment was secured. and oftentimes guilty
of such extent of criminal discharge of
the functions of their Office aSs would
hest suhserve the interests of their poll
rical masters.
at will empower these petty, partisan
officers to decide arbitrarily who shall
and who shall not enjoy the election fran
chiNe, without any appeal that can give