The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-11-18
Why NOT HAVE FAIR ELEcT1oNsa
Bolf;ruore Neaos

DUtttAtUfc <fGtGos
We rather suspect that Democrats generally
in Maryland are thoroughly tired of all kinds of
fooling with the ballot. There is something so
mean. petty and disgusting about the trick
ballot business that this alone would make peo-
pie desire to put an end to it, even if there were
no consequences of serious Importance to be
taken into account. But there are consequences
of serious Importance. and these apply not only
to the grotesque and dishonest practices which
have been INDUCED in by the election supervi-
sors in the Wilson-act counties, but also to the
things that have happened under the extra
session law in places where, as in Baltimore city
the intention Of the election supervisors has
been perfectly honest. Ten thousand votes
thrown out in total of about eighty thousand
Is what seems to have happened in this city and
such a result is not only absurd, but may at any
time lead to consequences of the most serious
character. 1t seems preposterous that one vote
out of every seven or eight should depend for
its validity upon some mean little accident in
the marking of it. The time may come when
the Presidency of the United States will depend
upon the particular way in which the election
eoficers of this state may be inclined to act in
this matter of the rejection of ballots. A GER
tain amount of that sort of thing is doubtless in
evltable with the Australian ballot, and nobody
would complain of little residuum of this kind !;
but when it comes to many thousands of votes
being rejected in city of the size of Baltimore,
it is evident that there is something wrong about
the system. At least, however, there is in this
matter no direct intention to be unfair to any
person or party; but the freak ballots, tho fake
nominations upon "Repudiation'' tickets and
the like are an outrage upon the most elemen-
tary sense of decency. These things should no
longer disgrace the name of our State
Cannot the Democrats in the Legislature rise
to such height as to purge our election laws OF
those features that make these things possible
Under the fair election law of 1896. with all the
machinery of the State and city government in
the hands of che Republicans. Democrat was
elected Mayor of Baltimore in the spring of 1889.
and Democratic Governor and Legislature
were chosen in the fall of 1899. All this happen
ed without trouble. disorder, complaint or scam
DIAL. All the apparatus that has since been de-
vised for promoting Democratic success by
trickery OF various kinds has evidently done the
party more harm than good Everybody is tired
of it all. At any moment it may result in situ-
alton of the gravest kind. Why continue q
state of things disgusting in itself and danger
GUS in its possibilities? The Democrats in the
Legislature have great opportunity. Nothing
that they could do would be more popular than
the complete and final abolition of the trick
ballot business and return to the days when
the issue of an election was decided by the votes
that were cast and not by the votes that happen
ed to be permitted to be counted.