Evening star., 1905-10-27
MR. GORMAN'S INNING
His FirstSpeeeh in the Present
Campaign
AT ELLICOTT CITY, MD
DEFENDED POE AMENDMENT AND
ARRAIGNED REPUBLICANS.
Scored Secretary Bonaparte and Re
Trained From Mentioning Senator
Rayner's Name.

this campaign at Ellicott City, Md, yester-
day afternoon. AS the recognized leader OF
the democratic party in Maryland and the
foremost advocate of the suffrage amend
ment, as well as the main target for the at
tacks of the opposition, his first public ut
terance since the passage of the measure
by the legislature tas looked forward to
with even more than the usual interest that
attaches to him.
The meeting was called to order by
Joshua N. Warfield, a brother OF the gov
ernor, and was presided over by ex-GoV.
John Lee Carroll, but Mr.. German was the
central figure. For nearly an hour and
half he talked Straight from the shoulder
was his defense of the principle of negro
Acknowledgement and the measure which
the party has proposed for its accomplish
ment in Maryland.
He arraigned the republican party, 1ts
leaders and it's policy toward the negro as
a voter from the adoption of the Fifteenth
Amendment by one vote In a republican
caucus to the present time. Graphically
and with fire he described the steps taken
in forcing negro suffrage upon the southern
states, and In recent years the steps taken
by first one and then another of these
states to rid themselves Of the negro as
political factor, until Maryland is the only
one below the Mason and Dixon line which
has not done so. Enthusiasm was aroused
count of the inception of the pending
amenoment in this state was listened to
with intense interest his defense and ex-
planation of the measure, It's purpose and
effect being vigorously cheered
Ignored Senator Rayner.
While he dealt strongly with the men who
are fighting the amendment nowhere in his
speech did he mention the name of Senator
Rayner, nor did he directly refer to him in
any way. The deliberate ignoring of the
Junior senator, his attitude toward the
amendment, his attack upon the organlza-
ton and his personal challenge to Mr.. Cor
man is in line, it is said, with the pollcy
of the senior senator not to notice any thing
Mr.. Rayner may have to say. Once in his
speech Mr.. German said:
1.-The experience of us all has been that
a man who is gifted and Is anxious to talk
frequently hurts his own side more than
he does the other
Some one said to him:
"Why don't you mention his manner"
at isn't necessary" replied the senator,
and went on with his speech
Again he said: "A man loses his man
hood who forgets his obligation to his fel-
low man and to his party
Called Bonaparte Scold.
1t was to Mr.. Bonaparte, as the new re-
publican leader, however. that Senator Cor
man paid more attention, and characterized
practically all of the prominence Mr.. Bona
parte had acquired had been gained through
his advocacy of civil service reform. Mr..
Bonaparte had pursued 1t, he said, to such
a point that no mechanic may now get a
place in the government service unless ne
passes a civil service examination, and a
scrubwoman may not find employment at
the navy yards without similar examina-
ton.
Now, mark the contrast" said Mr. Cor
man. This leader, who would compel
scrubwoman, no matter how badly she
needed the place, to pass civil service ex-
animation, Yet stands before the people of
MARYLAND and tells us that he is in favor
of permittins the most ignorant negro from
South Carolina to become a voter and
peer of yours and mine at the polls with
out an examination by our people. Shame!
Shame such AmericaniSm! Shame upon
the man who ISLANDERS his fellow citizens as
he has, Shame upon him and those of
his associates who claim to be democrats
who say that this amendment is intended TO
promote any man or twenty men! shame
upon the man who tells the people that the
Judges and clerks of elections in Maryland
can be appointed by any man. No, L Will
not use the word l was about to use. 1
will simply say it is untrue I might make
1t stronger, but 1t would not be parliamen-
tary."
Umbrage Over Characterization.
Again, In referring to Mr. Bonaparte's
characterization of the democratic state
convention as made up of way cks,
"has-beens" and RIP Van Wrinkles, Mr..
German said:
II do not believe any man who ever held
a cabinet position since the time of Wash
ington-and we have had some peculiar
ones-would have been guilty of such Ian
guage In reference to such a body of men
as constituted that convention. l am Rip
Van Wrinkle enough to rip up the old record
Of that party of his, which they would like
so much to conceal
In his explanation of the amendment Mr..
German took up the understanding clause
and dwelt at length upon its origin.
There is he said, nothing new in IT.
All of the things that have been said this
time from Bonaparte to Mudd have been
said long before in the other states, and
said much more strongly. 1t is Identical,
word for word, with the clause in the Vir7
ginia constitution, and not twenty white
men in all that state have complained. OF
the 235. 600 white men who entitled to
vote here today, 10000 of them will regis
ter under the grandfather clause
Opposition Point Answered.
In answering the point made originally
by Mr. Mudd and later by Mr.. Bonaparte,
that negroes from seven of the southern
states who might come to Maryland after
the amendment is adopted could register
under the grandfather clause, because in
those states negroes were entitled to vote
prior to 1860. Mr.. German replied that ne
groes who come to Maryland after the
amendment is In effect could not do so, as
the grandfather clause is cut out after 1906
and there is now law on the books re-
quiring a person coming into this state to
declare his intention of becoming resident
at least one year before he is registered
This he said, sis one of those laws Poe
has drawn which makes these fellows SO
|-mad."
Again, Senator German recalled his words
at the state convention, where he said that
if this amendment was adopted he would
agree to seek no further political place and
would retire.
But" he said, ''as said at that conyen-
tion IL life is spared and health permits, /
propose to keep step with the young men of
Howard county until the state is redeemed
In conclusion. he said of the amendment:
1T can be carried If you will but do your
duty"