The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-09-21
a PLATFoRM no WIN ON.
Adopted by the Republican State Con-
vention of Maryland,
August, 1907.

We demand the repeal of recent Democratic
legislation. and, in particular, the so-called
Wilson Ballot Law, by which the excellent cleo
tion law of 1896 has been mutilated and shorn of
its best features. and through which elections in
some portions of this State have come to be de-
termined not so much by the will of the people
as by the manifold and familiar devices of the
trick ballot" through which the fraud or mis-
takes of election officers can overturn. as they
have overturned. the clearly and honestly ex-
pressed viii of the people by their ballots as de-
posted at the polls.
We favor the enactment of Primary Election
Law applicable to the whole State, and adequate
provision, through law for the right of bona fide
State candidates, and candidates for the United
States Senate to submit their claims to the
people at such primary elections; but, we de-
nounce as a false prctense and fraud, any So
called primary for United States Senators of the
kind provided for in the recent Democratic con-
vention in this State, which is nothing more, in
substance. than an Intellectual mandate to MEM
bers of the Legislature from one or more coun-
ties or legislative districts to give their votes
"for the candidate for United States Senator
who shall have received the greatest number of
votes cast at such primary election in such
county or district y and makes no semblance OF
a provision for the nomination of Senators
through the majority of the voters of any politi-
cal party Of this State.
We favor the adoption of Corrupt Practices
Act, in accordance with our declaration of sew
eral past conventions of the party.
We are in favor of any effective provision of
legislation to prevent bribery at elections or
primaries; but we are not prepared to admit
that the work of publication of the ballot can
safely be expected through legislation directed
t~st.o k,o dc Of
cal party whose candidates are often selected by
agencies that represent the domination of in
fiuences whose chief and primary stock in trade
In politics has been, and will be. the open and
notorious use of money to affect the action of
corruptand venal voters. directly and indirectly.
at the primaries and at the polls on the day of
election.
We believe the proposed call for Constitu-
tional Convention to be unwise, inexpedient and
fraught with dangers and probabilities of evil
and we appeal to the people of the State to vote
against said proposed call.
We disapprove and condemn the re-expressed
determination of the Democratic party to sub
NIT. .sat the earliest possible time" another
proposition In the form of a disfranchis1ng con-
stitutional amendment to the people of this
we do not believe that the people of this State
can be deceived by the fulsome promise to so
frame the said amendment as to guard against
of the well-known fact that the proponents OF
the last measure. known as the Poe amendment.
with not less apparent earnestness, commended
and promised that the said measure, if adopted.
would amply protect the right and provide the
opportunity for all white, persons, native and
naturalized, to exercise the right of suffrage
under its provisions as then framed and sub
mitted.
We favor system of oyster culture by the
State, SO framed and administered as effectually
to preserve the right, which we hold to be in
alienable of the citizens of the State to the use
of the natural beds and bars of our rivers and
We favor such modification of the act of 1908
as shall more clearly construe and safeguard the
ppatr1rai beds and bars. to the end chat Il NAV be
impossible for any Shell Fish Commission to SO
use the power and discretion committed to them
as natural beds or bars into depleted or barren
rock, and then subject them to lease to private
parties, to the snbyersion of the long and we'll
recognized right of the citizens of this State to
the use of such natural beds or bars.
We are in favor of partisan commission
to ecu tbs or any otn@ Ia law 70 Pc
fed as yet that the present commission is free
from partisanship in its administration of the
law. and cannot approve the hating, hesitatng,
shiftless and unprogressive work of the said
commission thus far, with an excessive force of
partisan employees and supernumeraries, al
ready entailing, and likely further to entail,
deficit in the Treasury, with little hope of that
abundant revenue for good roads, the promise
of which, held out to the farmers of the State
gave to the measure much of the support that it
received. and the realization of which, at this
day, seems at least far distant.
We favor legislation for replenishing the de-
pleted beds and bars by the return of the shells
to the bottom of our rivers and bay at public
II c 81 e d ag TEE
supply, add to the earnings of those dependent
upon this industry for their livelfhood and bring
more substantial revenues to the Treasury of
the State.
We believe that there ought to be higher and
better grade of men appointed as justices of the
peace in the counties and in the city, and. par
ticularly, does this apply to the Office of police
magistrates in Baltimore city. to the end that
there may be q most thorough and rigid enforce
ment of law and order in all portions OF our
State.
We believe that these positions should be fill
ed upon qualifications based upon merit alone.
without regard to political affiliation; and we
promise the people of this State that If the selec
ton of these men shall be entrusted to Repub-
lican governor, supported, If need be, by legis-
latiOn to better carry out this policy, that the
character of these officers in the future will be
based upon their fitness, rather than their ability
to control ward or precinct in the city, or an
election district or precinct in the counties at
primary, or to affect adyantageously, oftentimes
fraudulently, the result of the vote in any such
political sub division at the election.
We favor more liberal appropriations for our
public school system. to the end that the salaries
of the teachers of the State may be increased !;
that the poorest child in the State may have the
opportunity, by a heightened school year, alike
in the cities and counties, and by more capable
and better remunerated teachers, to obtain such
a liberal elementary education as It is the pur-
pose ana the proper IuucLlOu OF our puDuc
school system to impart.
We favor liberal appropriations from the State
Treasury for the constructio and Improvement
of the public roads of our State. under State
regulation. but local control, subject to such
regulation. y ~
We favor such amendments to the laws rela-
ting to taxation as will make adequate provi-
sion, by clear and certain methods, for the taxa
ton of all property, whether of individuals or
corporations, Including easements and incor-
poreal, as well as corporal property. to the end
that all the property of the State may be fairly
and adequately assessed, and the opportunities
to escape taxation or to embarrass the State.
county or city, as the may be, in the collec-
ton thereof may, as far as possible, be elimi-
mated.
The Republicans of Maryland heartily con-
graduate their fellow-Americans on the peace
and respect abroad. prosperity and happiness at
home, which have been the lot of our common
country during the wise, just firm and patriotic
administration Of Theodore Roosevelt. They in
dorse without reserve. the statesmanlike policies
of our esteemed President, and they record their
firm belief that the American people demand
and will choose as his successor one who can be
trusted without misgivings to persevere in his
policies and harvest their fruits in the nations
welfare. fit