Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-13
Program Of the Maryland Democrats.

question.
Program, of the Maryland Democrats.
cratic PARTY now have upon the state
Of Maryland that its managers there
are mapping out 4 program of further
,ii.fyanchiseEent They thought they
had the thing all settled two years ago
bu. the uncomfortahly narrow margin
py which they carried this falls cleo
ton has convinced them that even
their present trick ballot law may not
much longer eerve their purposes. 1t
IS said that over 10000 voters were dis
qualified a the recent Maryland cleo
ton on technicaiities connected with
tn. making and folding of the ballot
am, fully 1900 more were prevented
from voting for mere than one or two
names on the confused blanket ballot.
Two wears ago the Democratic leaders,
Poe and the younger German. arranged
Il uisfranchiSen:ent scheme based on
the idea of ancestry worship but the
peopic Of the state rejected this at the
polls The trainers OF the new dis
reimbursement amendment viii avoid
til. errors made IN :hcr campaign of
tWJ. year; ago, though of course they
V i'll bead t.!c,r energies l., tlimna ting
tie negro Il; far as possible They
will not however. IL; before. try 10 set
up Cia:s distinctions among the white
electors. putting natives and das-
c4ndants Of natives into a privileged
ari.;tocraCy and letting those natural
lied sine 1863 and their descendants
constitute a plcbeian comnonaits- sub
iect to special and arbitrary tests of fit
ness. The drafting Of the now amend
m.nt has been intrustCd to the Hon
Isaac I.oue StrauS. attorney general
elect WHO was destined presumably TO
lyr one OF the Second cabin passengers
under tIle Puc-Gorman scheme. He
Will naturally not want to revive the
oGini;S ancestry qualification Of 1905.
and he will he supported III declaring
against an attempted oStracism on the
newer clements in Maryland's citizen
ship by Senators Whyte and Rayner.
Governor Warheld and the other lead
crs Of the old anti-Gorinan contingent.
The Baltimore sun says that the new
restriction scheme will be planned on
hruld lines" There i; no inherent OBJ
lection to the institution of bona fidr
suffrage tests. Nor VIII q fair and
c'f,.al restriction program b.. seriously
rrpGsed by the Republican party
wEi:h has nothing to lose through any
raise the general qualifications for sui
frumr a lmita ton based on Eteracy
or any test of intelligence or fitness
which could be automatically applied
would b. welcomed. There is Il general
feeling ot disgust with present election
conditions in Mary land. where vicious
trick ballot la"S are applied i'll IL spirit
Of rank partisan dishonesty. Says
the New York Tribune: "'rhc Demo-
cratic party has no respect for the
theory of majority ruic and has taken
means II obstruct any free expression
| Of tho will Of the registered ma ority.
It would bc a gain for honest methods
| If the electorate were diminished legal
ally and iinrartidlly and then allowed
| to vote Wit bout hindrancc. The cleo
! ton of last Tuesday was a scandalOus
| denial OF what Nh. Bryan considers the
| elemental principle of Jcffersonia nisnl-
| Maryland Democrats have as little use
as Massachusetts Democrats for ma
| joI;y rule. But Il growing indie
pendent sentiment may compel them
to substitute disfranchiselnent by law
| for !isfrancl,Scmcnt by trickcry and to
| give the ballot thereafter equal weight
| IN the hands Of each qualified voter
/