The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-01-13
CONDEMNS UNMANLY CRY
OF FRAUD.

In an interview published in the
Baltimore San of Wednesday G L.
V. Baughman expressed the following
sentiments relative to the unmanly cry
of fraud uttered by certain Republicans
and which has been taken up by
journals outside the State, to the man
ifest detriment of the democracy of
Maryland and the State itself:
"As rule, the leaders of the Rppui =
lican party in Maryland are represent
tative set of men, and we seldom have
campaigns conducted here in a way
which would justify vilification or
abuse of candidates or of those who are
conspicuous in the management of cam
paigns. The Press If the State, through
its conservative course, has done much
to bring about this condition of party
affairs. No man should feel at liberty
to indulge in abuse against political
opponent any more than he should
abuse those who differ with him upon
the question of religion.
unfortunately ii has been growing
custom after each election for some of
the 81 called representatives of the Re-
publican party in Maryland to cry
Fraud! after the returns have shown
Democratic victory. This unmanly
and unsportsmanl,ke cry does not nv
effect the harmony aud good feeling
among men who differ upon polite;
que stions in our States, but extends to
other States, and We fluid outside news
papers, unfamiliar with our State laws.
INDUCING in unftir and unjust crit-
cisms of the election methods of Mary
land. In this advanced day of politics
no man of any standing in either ofthe
two great political parties cares to ac-
cept any Goctoied returns of false
counts or TO father any methods bear
ing u. on their face false aud unfair
practices.
I'm the last Presidential contest in
this State it was the general opinion
before the elertion that maryland
would unquestionably 90 Dem cratic
and that the tremendous maiorities
given Mckinley in 1896 and in 1900
would be reversed So strong was this
belief that both Democratic and Repub-
lican representatives conceded that the
State would go for Parker and Davis
and many Democrats did not think it
worth while to go to the polls. The
actually given Parker and the
candidates was from
every standpoint fair and just return
of the votes cast and counted under the
present ballot law.
ct should be born in mind that the |
ballot law under which we vote today
In this State is the product of the Re- |
form League of Baltimore city, passed |
by Democratic Legislature. Both
political parties are equally represented
1y judges aud clerks. These judges
md clerks are appointed by the central
of each ofthe counties in the
State by party representatives of each
,arty and in the same way in Balti-
more city. They are not weakened
'arty men appointed by the representa-
ives or any one party in the State, but
re the chosen representatives of each
arty, and because of their method of
election should be the very men in
,hom each party has the utmost trust
nd confidence. The ballots as cast are
eunted under this law, which pre-
tribes certain methods and certain
'ays to mark the ballot, and if the bal
its cast are not marked in accordance
18th the law, then they are thrown
Ut and not counted, whether they are
lst for the Democratic or Republican :
indicates.
'sThe present law has been the means
DISTINGUISHING certain number of (
sgro voters, but it has also disfran-
Used number of white voters in :
lrious parts of the State. In some Of