The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-10-24
A CALL TO ARMS.
GrantSyille District In The Forefront
AGAINST The Election Law.


having at heart the best interests of
my fellow citizens, | cannot resist
writing to THE REPUBLICAN stating
what l conscientiously consider the most
important subject to each and every
Individual of this county or state from
this moment until the. last ballot is de-
posted on next election day. That is,
the disfranchisement of any class of
our citizens through proposed Demo-
cratic schemes and misnamed election
laws.
If there be anything sacred, it is the
sovereignty of man; there are no
heaven ordained classes to govern him.
By the virtue of his. existence, and by
the reason of his creation, he is
sovereign in his own right, and in these
latter days all just rights in govern
ment should not be derived from the
will of the ruler, or from any scheming
of political manipulators, but must
come from the consent Of the governed.
If the present debauched election law.
under which thousands of our best citi-
zans are now suffering, is allowed to
remain on the statute books, or replac-
ell by worse one, self-government in
50 far is absolutely obliterated, and you
lose the most precious right of in
dividual citizenship, on the simple
subterfuge of not being competent to
mark your ticket correctly. When you
are denied the right of suffrage simply
because you have had the misfortune of
a limited education, you are governed
by an arbitrary power unfit to exist
under our present form of constitution
and government.
Fellow citizens, will you permit this
to continue when it is within easy reach
on election day to wipe the iniquitous
measure from the pages of the statute
books, and place thereon an election
law that guarantees you, whether white
or black, learned or unlearned, your
just and equal suffrage, and at the same
time safeguards your ballot that it is
counted as cast, and recorded as in
tended?
Now, or probably never, is the time
to assert your prerogative of franchise.
and with decisive step, march to the
polls and by your ballot undo what you
may never again have the opportunity.
We, who are farmers, laborers and tax
payers, have in justice and right, equal
rights of franchise with millionaries
and presidents; more than this, it IS our
bounded duty to ourselves and country
to fulfil this obligation on election day.
Under the present election measure and
methods thousands upon thousands have
been unable to do this-often through
so-called illiteracy, and oftener through
devious subterfuges which should
never be allowed to exist under any
decent law or government.
But the remedy is near at hand, and
by your vote for the Republican ticket
the present Democratic regime will be
driven from power and under Republi-
can rule your wrongs will be righted
and fair election law will be placed on
the statutes of our State.
Fellow citizens, reiterate, it is for
Us to determine by our vote on Novem-
Der 9Th if the Democrats are to further
emasculate the election law of 1896 by
enacting further obnoxious legislation,
and rendering the law more onerous
and unjust, or if the Republicans are to
be restored to power, thereby insuring
each and all their right to vote, with
ballot of the simplest form and with
a security beyond apprehension. Stop!
look listen! and cast your vote for
George r. Gather and the entire Re
publican ticket.
A voter who has not missed
voting at an election for 20
years in the Grantsville district,
and hopes to have the pleasure
to cast ballot November 5th
against this infamous election
law.
Crar+cviIla Oct 81 1aO7