The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-05-12
DEMOCRACY TODAY.

The recent election in Baltimore
has put new life into the Democracy
of this State, and its good effects will
be as far-reaching as the best inter
ests of the State will dictate. After
our last falls national defeat there
was a feeling that for a time at least
the best policy was to let matters
drift until our forces could be gath
cred for an aggressive campaign.
The returns at that time indicated
the closeness of the State, and especi-
ally in Baltimore City the voters
showed a dangerous drift towards
Republicanisn. But little interest
was apparently manifested in the
city, primaries, and from all indica-
tons there was an apathy that
amounted almost to lay-down to
the party in power.
The results, however, show a DIFF
ferent state of affairs. 1t has been
demonstrated that under normal
conditions there is always a good
safe Democratic majority in our me-
tropolis and that the majority be-
longs to the progressive class. Eff
forts were made to create a prejudice
against our candidates on the
grounds that they were opposed to
the loans for city development. The
outcome shows the fallacy of this
charge, and it is Our proud boast
that in the landslide the Democrats
Of Baltimore were found on the side
of modern Improvements.
The Republicans pretend to be
much incensed against the negro
voter and son.e have intimated that
they would support the proposed
constitutional amendment in retalia-
ton for the action of their henchmen
on the municipal election day. This
talk is all Sin the air." however, and
the future will find every Republican
worker in line by election day, and
that the fight will be more for the
defeat of this proposed legislation
than for the success of any candidate.
We welcome display of the spirit
if the motive for it exists. However,
there are large number of intelli-
gent Republicans who realize that
not only is the material prosperity
of our State hindered by negro domi-
nation, but that there will always be
a difficulty in getting an intelligent
expression of opinion on any public
matter so long as the negro is fac
tor in politics. This class will not be
influenced by the ward heller, who
needs the negro vote very frequently
in the primary organization, as well
as to swing it as black lash cord
on election day, and there will be
thousands of Republicans who will
welcome the termination of such
government in their own party.
This condition does not exist in
Baltimore alone. Take the black
belt of Southern Maryland. 1t is the
organized negro power that makes
Mr.. Mudd the factor that he is in
the Republican primaries. Rob him
of this questionable element and the
best people of his own ilk will retire
him to an oblivion that would be
impenetrable.
There is no reason to fear the
action of our own people. A popu-
lar misunderstanding of the ques-
ton, that was adroitly spread broad
cast by the Republican daily press of
Baltimore, caused hesitation on
the part of those who remember the
days of the reign Of the election
Judges, when so many of our best
citizens were disfranchised; and these
at first hesitated because of the pos
sible danger of lodging so much
power in the hands of few individ-
uals. When it was explained that
the judges of election had no author
ity and could not reject a vote on the
registration books, the sentiment
changed. True the registration Off
GERS have discretion, but this does
not apply to any white person who
had the right to vote prior to 1869,
and the descendants of such voter.
The exercise of this power will only
apply to those white persons who
have come into this country since
that time. Now is it unfair to re-
quire a person of foreign born ideas
of citizenship to show a reasonable
acquaintanceship with the Constitu-
ton of Maryland which he has
sworn to support and observe? If it
is not, then there is the only posi-