The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-11-23
WANT INTENT TO BE CONSIDERED
Present Ballot Law Seems Satisfac-
tory to Democrats With Above
Exception.

ballot law insofar as it affects the
intention Of the voter. Democrats
almost without exception say that
the law should permit the count
ing of ballot, although improp
erly marked if the intention of the
] voter is evident. In this county
probably one thousand ballots
were thrown out at the recent ell
ection and in almost every instance
the intention of the voter was ap-
parent. The Republicans suffered
the greater and had these votes
been counted David E. Dick, the
Republican nominee for State Sen
ator, would have won. Mr.. Dick 5
friends claim that there was a con-
spiracy to throw out ballots in
strong Republican districts and
the result shows, they contend,
that it was successfully carried
out.
State Senator David J. Lewis
had Allegany county exempted
from the provisions Of the Wilson
ballot law He said he did this in
Difference to his Republican friends,
that he had been elected by votes
and he would not throw anything
drastic in the faces of his friends.
Senator Lewis said yesterday: The
ballot as it now is should prevail,
with the exception that the intent
OF the voter should be taken into
account. l do not believe in EN-
blem voting or the use of the EN-
blem on the ballot. Theoretically
the party names should be kept off
except for Congressman and Pres
idential electors. The State should
have chance. Political parties
have too much power now.
Mr.. Robert H. Gordon, a lead
ing member of the Cumberland
bar and prominent in Democratic
councils, stated that he favored
ballot along the lines prescribed
by the Wilson law with the ex-
Ception that the intent of the voter
should count Mr.. Gordon said:
"Ofcourse am strictly opposed
to emblems and | do not favor
party designations. ] am also OF
posed to sample ballots and to the
use of mechanical devices in the
booths by voters. If a voter should
be caught carrying device which
he used in aiding to mark the bal
lot from the booth, he should be
arrested and punished. But l do
oppose law which will not al
low vote to be counted when the
intent of the voter is evident
Mr., DeWarren H. Reynolds, of
the Cumberland bar, a regular
Democrat who could have been
his party's nominee for congress
in this district, last fall, is oppos-
ed to the return to emblem voting.
He intimated that he favored bal
lot which would require the exer-
else of intelligence to vote it, but
he would not say that he favored
law that would permit the intent
OF the voter to count.
Mr.. D. James Blackiston, for
mer mayor of Cumberland, lead
ing lawyer and conspicuous in the
regular Democratic party in Mary
land is in favor of fair ballot law,
one that will permit the counting
Of ballot when the intent Of the
voter is evident although the bal
lot may not be correctly marked.
am in favor of an intent law but
l am opposed to the return to the
party emblem"
Finley c. Hendrickson the Pro-
hlbltlon leader, who received near
ly one thousand votes for State
Senator, although his party's
strength is less than four hundred,
says the people demand a simpler
ballot. Mr.. Hendrickson made a
complete tour of the county and in
his addresses talked ballot reform.
He says he favors a return to the
law OF 1906 which require the use
of the emblem. Mr.. Hendrickson
declared that he did not favor a
law that would cause suffering to
one honest man even if it caught