Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-01-28
MR.. SMITH ANSWERS
JACkS)N'S CHARGES
Says He Can Prove Bribery.
Exposure of Campaign Meth
DDS is ForeshadoWed.

The answer of Mr. Thomas A. Smith
to the notice filed by Congressman
William II. Jackson of his determine
ton to contest the election of Mr. Smith
to Congress from the First Congression-
al district. was served upon Mr.. Jack
son late Tuesday afternoon at the Ar
lington Hotel. Washington. by Mr.. J
Bibb Mills, of the firm of Miles e. Cor
man.
The answer of Mr.. Smith was prepar-
ed by his counsel, Messrs Alonzo l..
Miles and Arthur p. German. Jr.. and
its principal feature is the fiatfooted
charges that Mr.. Jackson purposely ex-
pended a large and unprecedented sum
of money III the First district during the
last campaign for the purpose of influ
encing the voters of this district, with
the view of securing his own election
to Congress. The answer further charges
that for the distribution of this large
amount of money Mr.. Jackson employed
an executive committee i'm each county,
and it is asserted by the answer that at
the proper time the names of these COM
mitteemen will be given, together with
other facts bearing upon the corruption
fund"
OPENLY CHARGES BRIBERY.
In accusing Mr.. jackson of bribery
Mr.. Smith says in his answer:
II desire further to say that l am
credibly informed. believe. and there
fore charge, that you expended large
sums of money in every county of the
First Congressional district to bribe vo-
tiers. who were otherwise disposed to
vote for me. either to stay at home or to
so deface their ballots by bad folding or
distinguishing marks as TO destroy said
ballots. and to that end you employed
an executive committee in each county
of the district to hold. expend and dis
tribute your corruption fund. whose
names am prepared to give.if necessary
in the taking of the testimony in this
case.
While l may have gained some votes
because of the ignorance and illiteracy of
a certain class of voters. who are support
ers of yours. lost many more because
of your unlawful and criminal corrup-
ton and bribery of voters who were dis
posed TO vote for me. The First Cor
gressional district of Maryland is
normally Democratic district, as can
readily be demonstrated, mot only by the
fact that the Republican party has only
elected Representative from that dis
trict three times in 40 years. but also by
the figures taken from the official returns
of the vote in that district since 1867.
A comparison of the vote of the two
parties since 1897 clearly demonstrates
not only the First Congressional district
or Maryland is still Democratic dis
trict, but that your defeat in 1904 was
not due to the Election law of 1901 and
1904
| claim that while my plurality over
you as returned by the State Board of
Canvassers was $40. it would have been
much larger had the voters of that dis
trict been permitted to give a free.
honest and unpurchased expression of
their sentiments"
Mr.. Smith denies in vigorous language
the allegation in the Jackson notice that
he was not elected to the Fifty ninth
Congress, and asserts that the returns
made by the State Board of Canvassers
jackson. 1902; Smith. l7,5S2-are
correcs and accurate in every particular,
representing the vote properly cast in
said district. Says Mr.. Smith:
deny that sit has been found i'm
possible to discover any way in which
the courts can be called upon to pass uD-
on the constitutionality of the election
laws of Maryland. as alleged In your
notice of contest On the contrary l
aver that the courts have declared said
laws constitutional and are always open
to anyone who has bona fide grievance
1t is remarkable that you should
attribute your defeat and my election
to the election laws of Maryland. when.
as matter of fact, the party whose
nominee you were has not elected
Representative to Congress from the
First Congressional district of Mary
land but three times in the last 40
years
These occasions were
(a) In 1896, when. because of differ
ences of opinion and dissensions within
the Democratic party. growing out of
certain national issues involved in that
campaign, your party elected its Rep
resentative to Congress from every
district of the State of Maryland, which
was unprecedented.
(b) In 1900, when you were elected
by the same methods of bribery aud
coIruption of VOTERS which Won practiced