Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-18
MARYLAND POLITICS
Washington County Not
Stirred Up Over Issues.
HAPPY OVER THE CROPS
FARMERS FEAR NO DANGERS OF
NEGRO DOMINATION.
They Wish There Were More Colored
Laborers to Meet Demands for
Farm Help.
Correspondent.

Special Dispatch From a STAFF Correspondent.
HAGERSTOWN, Md, October 1s-Wash-
ington county is not greatly stirred up over
the issues of the campaign that is now
about getting under way here. Political
committees are at work and partisan news
papers are endeavoring to get the people
interested in the Poe amendment to dis
franchise the colored and any other voters
who cannot pass satisfactory examination
on the state constitution. But even the
most enthusiastic workers have to admit
that, the campaign is moving slowly and
heavily.
So far as surface indications are con-
cerned. 1t Is impossible to stir up much
racial feeling here, which has been the eff
fort of those who are endeavoring to per-
suade the voters that there is imminent
danger of negro domination in sta affairs
unless the Poe amendment is ratified and
the colored vote is eliminated from the po-
ftical equation once for all.
There are about six hundred colored vot-
ers in this county, and good many farm
ers who are now showing up in Hagerstown,
feeling very comfortable over the harvest
ing of record crops. will tel you they wish
there were more colOred laborers in the
state, so that they m ght have their difficult
ties in securing farm help lessened. They
say that forty years have elapsed snce the
emancipation of the colored people, and
none of the dangers to which they are now
told they are liable have been exper enced.
So far as this county is concerned, there
are not enough Colored people to make the
question of passing amendment to dis
franchise them one likely 10 excite any con-
siderable interest.
Disinterasted in Poe Amendment.
The fact is, the question of the amend
ment has not yet taken a strong hold on
public attention one way or another While
In LeiLted campaign men are prone to dis
Cuss the issues that their votes are to de-
eide there is now an entire lack of any
such tendency. About the hotel Hobbies and
at all places where men are gathering to
while away an hour or so, and with moth
ing to think about except the gossip of the
day, the election that is to take place on
the TIN of November is referred to rarely If
ever. You will hear ali sorts of congratu-
lhtory talk about the crops that have been
gathered, and farmers are coming to town
to make investments of their surplus earn
ings. But politics is not in it. Mr. Bona
parties visit to the town attracted attention
Tor day. but 1t did not set the tongues of
political orators to wagging. 1t did not
STIR up the street corner spellbinders. It
made just such an impression as would a
talk on some philosophical subject
This is the appearance on the surface,
and political workers on both sides of the
contest who have endeavored to keep in
close touch with people who come to town
from all sections of the county will tell YOU
in private that it indicates the undercurrent
of events as well. If the election could be
held tomorrow they would expect a light
vote, showing normal conditions, although
they would fear that a great many republi-
cans living outside of town would fail to
vote at all, merely because of lack of any
feeling that the campaign means anything
except the election of local officers. in
whose personality they have slight interest.
They do not believe that this condition will
continue. Democratic speakers will appear
in the county during the present week, and
republican meetings will soon be held all
over the state.
One of the first democratic speakers will
be former Representative Handy of Della
ware, who told the people of Baltimore
that If left alone the colored people of
Maryland would soon be roasting their fell
lows over camp fires along the Patapsco.
1t Is to be seen what oratory will do in
starting the people of this quiet community
to discussing that possibility.