Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-17
OBJECTIONS ENTERED
MONTGOMERY COUNTY ELEcgIoN
Law FOR PRIMARIES.
Citizens Wrought Up Over Its Pro3i
sions, and Contest to Be Made u
Before Court.

Citizens of Montgomery county who
take an interest in local affairs political
and that means about everybody of the
| masculine gender-are more or less
| wrought up over a local law which has
been promulgated as the product of the
| last general assembly of this state A
| primary election law for Montgomery
| county has been placed upon the statute
| books which is unsatisfactory to a large
majority of both political parties, and
| which is disowned and discredited by
| the very men who represented the county
| in both branches of the legislature to
| which the measure is accredited.
| 1t appears that Delegate Johnson of
| of delegates bill modelled after the prf-
| mary election law of Baltimore city, and
that the bill passed the house, practically
without amendment. When it reached the
senate 1t failed to meet the appreciation
| of Senator Jones, and he submitted an
amendment striking out all after the
enacting clause and inserting other and
different provisions. This amendment was
adopted by the senate. When the bill
went back to the house Senator Jones
amendment was rejected by that body
| and a conference was ordered between
representatives of the disagreeing houses
The bill, as amended by Senator Jones'
| provided the necessary machinery for the
| holding of primary elections; that they
should be held by both parties at the
same time and places, and that judges
| and clerks representing both parties
| should be appointed by the board of
supervisors to carry on the elections. 1t
also contained this provision:
That any voter who, by reason of blind
| ness or other physical infirmity, might be
| unable to mark his ballot, or for any other
reason, could call for assistance from the
! clerk of election representing his party In
the voting place. This provision was the
principal ground of contention between the
representatives of the house of delegates
and the senate. AS result of the confer
ence, the senate yielded to the house, and
the Objectionable words were stricken out
of the bill
Senator Jones says his amendment also
contained a provision that each delegation
the board of supervisors the sum OF $40
toward defraying the expenses OF holding
the primary election. Yet the Dill, as
signed by the governor and incorporated In
for any other reason and for the word
"delegation." inserted by Senator Jones,
the word delegate has been substituted.
Alleged Perversions.
AS n result of these alleged perversions, 1t
is said that the controlling faction of the
dominant party, which rules the majority
of the board of election supervisors can
largely effect the result of the primary
elections SO far as the nomination of candl-
dates is concerned.
Under the present method by which the
republicans nominate their candidates for
county offices, it will cost them Sl,44o TO
hold convention under this law for that
purpose.
If, as asserted, this primary election law
will enable a certain faction OF the demo-
cratic party to nominate candidates OF It's
choice, and if it will also operate to prevent
the republicans from placing candidates in
the field, the dominant faction OF the former
party has everything its own way.
Several weeks ago the republican county
committee authorized Messrs. Thomas Daw-
son and Galen s. Tate as it's attorneys, to
bring proceedings in equity for the purpose
of testing the validity of the law in ques-
ton, and action under that authorization
has been formally taken in the court at
Rockville
The journals of proceedings of both
| branches of the late legislature show that the
law in its present form is not identical with
the bill as 1t left the hands of the lawmak-
ers. Everybody seems to be satisfied OF
that fact and everybody is wondering when
and by whom it was perverted or d0ctored.
The law requires that original copies of
local bills, such as this one, shall be placed
on file in the office of the county commits
sioners. This one Is not on file there. 1t
is said to be "in the hands Of the printers"
but what printers Is not stated. When the
matter is ventilated in the county court in
teresting developments are expected.