Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-08
POLITICS IN MARYLAND
SENATOR aoRMAN rs BUSY WITH
THE MACHINE LASH.
Special correspondence Of rhe star.

which confronts him, as result OF making
the Poe amendment the paramount issue
of the campaign, Senator German has
brought the machine lash into play. Dur
ing the past week the most brazen exhibi-
ton OF party dictatorship ever assumed by
Senator German was given. The democratic
ward executives were summoned to appear
before the special amendment committee,
Of which former Gov. jackson is chairman.
and these ward leaders were bluntly told
that unless they came out flat-footed for
the amendment they must step down and
out of membership In the city committee.
Three of these executives declined to re-
spond to the crack of the machine whip and
reaffirmed their opposition to the amend
ment, stating that they had been elected at
the primaries on an anti-amendment plat
form, and under no consideration would
they lend their aid toward passing the
measure. A demand was then made for
their designations, which they fatty refused
to hand in. The ''rebellious'' executives
were then told that they would receive no
financial aid from the campaign committee
and that the committee would select men
in their respective wards to act. in the
capacity of executives
This action upon the part of the amend
ment boomers was taken after word was
received from Senator German to apply the
lash. the sage of Laurel having reached
the conclusion that the only peg on which
he can hang a hope of passing the amend
ment Is an appeal to party regularity
In pursuance of this plan of campaign it
became necessary to weed out all within
the city organization who are not in accord
with the ideas Of the state boss on party
regularity.
Legislative Candidates
The lash will be cracked again the COM
Ing week, when all candidates for the leg
islature will be summoned before the spe-
cial German machine committee and In
formed that they must come out openly for
the Poe amendment. The candidates will
be told that no straddle on the amend
ment will be permitted. They must de-
clare themselves Those who fall to re-
spond to the German lash will be classed
as republicans and will not be accorded
recognition. by the democratic campaign
committee.
The amendment boomers are now prepar-
ing a letter which will set forth the posi-
ton of the committee in regard to the
amendment and the legislative candidates
1t will declare that the state convention
which represents the democratic party in
Maryland unanimously adopted a. platform
embodying the amendment which a DEM
ocrattc legislature by two-thirds major
fty voted to submit to the people of the
state: thus in pursuance of a pledge made
In the last campaign; for years the party
has contended for white supremacy in
the state and in now offering to redeem
Its pledge calls upon every loyal democrat
to do his part at the coming election; the
candidate must stand squarely on the plat
form or get off; there is something more
involved in the fight than party control:
there is a principle at stake; to sacrifice
this to obtain temporary advantage Is I'M
democratic; II a majority of the voters of
the state do not want the amendment and
are content to allow the negroes an unre-
strlcted franchise, the democrats will yield;
they will at least have done their duty in
redeeming the pledges made in 1903; but
no candidate for office must bar the move
ment; he must stand by the platform; If
his eSpouSal of the amendment shall carry
him to defeat with the amendment then let
them go together; the party can afford de-
feat on this issue; 1t will have been con-
sistent and not sought control under false
pretenses; therefore, every candidate on
the democratic ticket Is called upon to
stand by his party's platform or be classed
as a republican.
United Opposition.
That uphill fight is the lot of the Cor
man machine is evident at a glance when
the organizations opposed to the Poe
amendment are enumerated. The follow
ing is a list Of the organizations pledged
to work against the measure:
Reform League of Maryland.
Democratic Anti-Amendment League.
Citizens Union.
Afro-Ar Ierican League:
German-American Citizens Union.
Civic Federation.
All local societies of the several national
tiles resident in Baltimore.
In addition, the fact must not be lost
sight of that Gov Warfields adherents or
the administration forces will present a
solid phalanx against the Poe plan.
At a meeting of the executive committee
of the Reform League IT was decided to
take an active part in securing fair count
next month, as well as directing Its energies
toward defeating the amendment. 1t was
stated at the meeting that reports had been
effort will be made, both in the city and In
the counties, to secure approval OF the
amendment without regard to means or
methods. Acting upon these reports, the
officers of the league decided that the stu
alton today demands the same vigorous
campaign and the same close Watchfuiness
which were used by the league In 1870 ana
1897 when the democratic ringsters were
turned out and when several machine cleo
ton judges were sent to the penitentiary
for crooked work in the election booths
To Poll Candidates.
The league also decided to make poll OF
the legislative candidates-democratic and
republican--and ascertain their position on
the Poe amendment; ana II candidate
favors the measure the league will urge
his defeat at the polls. If no answer Is re-
ceiyed from a candidate it will be taken for
granted that he favors the amendment' ana ana
his defeat will likewise be urged. The
league will also distribute throughout the
city and state thousands of circulars set
ting forth the pernicious features of the
amendment and exposing the sinister pur-
poses of its trainers" From now on the
league will devote its energies and Its
means in preparation for the great contest
on November Z. Every suspected polling
precinct will be watched. and secret agents
of the league will make every effort to Sc
cure evidence by which convictions will be
possible The work of the league will not
cease with the closing of the polls. but will
be carried on until punishment is meted
out for every fraud.
The republican campaign on the hastings
will open in this city next -honday night
with large mass meeting under the
auspices of the Active Republican Club of
the Fifteenth Ward. All of the city legis-
lative candidates will attend. The chief
speaker viii De former Representative
Charles r. Schirm. The first important
mass meeting in the state took place at
Hagerstown this evening. the speakers be-
ing Secretary Bonaparte and Mr.. Thomas
Parran. On October "a Secretary Bona
parte will speak at Cambridge, and this
will be followed by an aggressive stump
campaign all over Dorchester county Dur
ing the last week of the month republican
orators will tour Garrett county. On No
yember n great mass meeting will he held