Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-24
MARYLAND POLITICS
DEMOCRATS SPLIT oVER POE
AMENDMENT.

That the democratic party Is hopelessly
split over the Poe amendment was clearly
demonstrated by the result Of the primaries
held here last Monday, when the regular
organization met with Overwhelming defeat
In the third legislative district. 1t also
demonstrated that Gov. Warfieid yields a
powerful influence In this city as well as In
the counties, and the opponents OF the
amendment assert that hervictory over the
machine was direct blow at the pet meas
ure OF Senator German.
In this district the friends Of the governor
were lined up almost to a man behind J.
Charles Linthicum. who defeated Isaac
Lobe Straus, the organization candidate.
At the head of tho Warfield forces working
for Linthicum was Representative Gill,
who as state senator in the last leglsla-
ture was known as the governors floor
leader and who headed the opposition to
the Poe amendment. Senator CHI adyo-
Gated the amendment drawn up by Attor-
ney General Bryan. and later signihed his
willingness to support the one known as the
Worthlngton amendment. Mr.. Linthicum.
who was q member OF the house OF dele
gates, voted for the Poe amendment. but In
so doing announced that he supported II
not meet with his approval as law for the
elimination OF the colored vote.
Tricked by Machine.
When Gill was returned elected to Con-
gress the machine leaders were tubiiant. as
Gov. Warfield's stanchest supporter In the
state senate had thus been removed. They
then set about finding a candidate for Gilfs
seat whom the managers could handle. and
Mr. Straus was settled upon. The friends
OF the governor, realizing that the machine
had gotten Gill out of the way by clever
trick, sought candidate to oppose Straus,
and Ilnthicum was chosen.
Therefore the fight In the third legisla-
tive district last Monday was one between
the Gorman-Rasln machine and the forces
of Gov. Warfeld. and Gov. Warfield won;
The governors friends scored again in the
thirteenth ward. where John L. V. Murphy.
with the open Endorsement of Gov. War
field. defeated the organization candidate
Frank DriscoIl.
Perhaps the most direct blow at the
amendment was the success Of former Po-
lice Justice Garland In the third ward Gar
land, who enjoys the sobriquet Of king
BILL and who for years had been one OF
the most notorious henchmen OF the RasIn
ring. came out boldly against the Poe
amendment when he realized that his
chances of reelection as executive were in
jeopardy.
The results have been sources of much
qualification to republicans as well as to
democrats opposed to the disfranchisement
scheme and they freely assert that the Poe
amendment Will meet with defeat by
heavy majority at the election next No
Vember.
State Convention.
The democratic state convention will be
held here next Thursday and great interest
centers about the question whether the ad-
miuistration of Governor Warheld will be
indorsed. The machine leaders blame the
governor for the widespread opposition to
Nl,,,a mi txrht
ernor Brown is the only one who has been
open in his denunciation of Warheld, the
others have been more vigorous in their
language at conferences held behind closed
doors at the Rennert. 1t Is the general be-
lief, however that Senator German and his
followers Will realize that they cannot at
ford to ignore the governor In the plat
form and bitter as the pill will prove they
Will make some perfunctory reference to
his administra ton.
The managers are also beset with fear
that some of the Baltimore city delegates
10 the state convention may vote against
the Endorsement of the Poe plan In the
convention. In this connection 1t was stat
ed by one of Raisin's leutenants that Cor
man need expect no aid from the city boss
on the floor of the convention. 1t Is stated
that RaSin lays the blame for the defeat
of the organization in the primaries at the
door of German. who has made the Poe
plan the issue of the campaign against the
advice OF Rasin.
The republican state convention viii, on
the other hand. be the most harmonious
gathering of republicans ever held in this
city. All fractional differences have been
buried and the party will act In unison and
present solid front against the demo-
Gratis this fall.
Gross Fraud Alleged.
Governor warfeld will next week take
up the charges filed by the Reform League
against Jefferson d. Robertson and John
W. Mlllar, democratic election supervisors
Of Charles county. The charges against
the supervisors were formulated by Rep
resentative Mudd and delivered to John
e. Semnes. president of the Reform League
A committee of the league investigated the
charges and last week laid them before the
governor. The committeeman stated to the
governor that they had carefully gone
over the charges made. which We're SUBJ
stantiated by affidavits and documentary
evidence. and mat they had come to the
conclusion that the supervisors should be
removed as being improper persons to hon.
esuy and properly discharge the duties of
their office.
The charges set forth that Robertson
and Millar in the last election instead of
having one official ballot. as a matter OF
fact. had two ballots printed and distrib-
uted; that the advertisement In the re-
publican newspaper OF the official ballot
was different from that published In the
democratic paper, Copies of tho two official
ballots and the newspapers were filed with
the governor.
It appears from the affidavits that w w.
Keech, the republican supervisor. is entire
ly ignored and is not allowed access to
the board room. The charge Is also made
that the democratic supervisors have named
persons known to them to be ineligible,
and thus forced upon the minority super.
visor men who are VIGOROUSLY unfit. It is
charged that John e. Stone and Robert l.
Diggs are named by the democratic super
visors election officials, and that the
court records of Charles county show that
these men have in the past been implicated
In gross election frauds