Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09
Striking Feature of Fall Elec-
ton in Maryland.
FIRST UNDER NEW STATUTE
No Barrel on Tap in First Congress
sional District.
REPUBLICANS AND GARRETT
Sanguine He Will Defeat Talbot
for Congress Crothers
to Stump for Bryan.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The star.
BALTIMORE. Md. August 8, 1905.
The election to be held this fall will be
the first in Maryland under a corrupt
practices act and its effect will be awaited
with a great deal of interest. 1t is a
notorious fact that in this state vast sums
of money have been spent in debauching
the voters especially on the eastern shore.
In this section of the state the use OF
money on election day had become SO
common and votes were purchased so
openly that it excited little or no concern
The venal voters of that section-and their
name is legion-regarded their right of
suffrage as an inherent asset. which had
a market value ranging from 81 to $40
vote The practice of buying votes had
become so general that thousands would
refuse to go to the polls unless the money
was forthcoming. 1t was this condition
on the eastern shore more than anything
else which brought about the passage or
the corrupt practices act by the last legis-
lature.
After every election during the past ten
years the cry of fraud went up from the
losing party, and charges were openly
made that the election had been carried
by the use of money. 1t was simply
case of the pot calling the kettle black.
the DEMOCRATS and victory perched upon
the banner of the party with the biggest
BARREL.
Ultimuatum of Jackson.
The contest in the first congressional
district this fall will. therefore. be watch
ed with more interest than that in the
other districts. Representative Jackson,
who has just been renominated by the re-
publicans. made plain statement in most
emphatic terms that there would be no
'barrel on tap this fall He made this
a condition of his acceptance of the re-
nomination. and laid down these terms
several weeks before the convention as
sembled. His opponent. J. Harry Coving-
ton. the democratic nominee. has also
come out squarely against the use of
money on election day. and If the pledges
are lived up to the first fair and square
election held on the eastern shore in a
score of years will take place next No
vember.
The plank in the platform regarding
bribery In elections is as follows: I'VE
hope for a campaign without faint OF
corruption and pledge ourselves to coop
crate in the effort to make it such. and to
that end we recall the present corrupt
practices act under which we are living
and ask for such enforcement of same Is
will know no distinction of men or party.
We declare for fair elections and de-
nounce the use of trick ballots. fake indie
pendent nominations and such manipula-
ton of election laws as abridge the right
of the electorate
Republicans Sanguine.
The republicans have again placed Rob
ert Garrett in nomination against Repre-
sentative Talbot and are very sanguine
of success this fall. Adherents of Talbot,
men who have fought his bates for many
years. admit even at this early date that
the easy boss faces the battle of his
political life: A significant feature of the
convention which nominated Garrett this
week was the presence of a number of
independent democrats from Baltimore
county. One of these, T. Scott Offutt. a
prominent member of the bar. was given
the privilege of the floor and made ring
ing speech. in which he severely arraigned
Talbot and Talbottsm and pledged the
support of the independent democrats to
the republican nominee.
A great deal of feeling against Talbot
has been aroused as a result of the eX-
posures made in the county where gam
bling resorts flourish and the Sunday
liquor law is practically dead letter. To
the law-abiding element in the county
the conditions have become intolerable
and number of law and order leagues
have been organized for the purpose of
having the laws enforced. The blame for
existing conditions is placed at Talbotts
door. for ii is we'll known that he controls
every appointment on the county police
force and the majority members of the
board of county commissioners.
In the other four districts the contests
will be straightout party affairs. with re-
publican success assured in the fifth and
sixth, the third district doubtful and the
fourth democratic by the usual majority,
it being a gerrymandered district.
Presidential Campaign.
The presidential campaign is not under
way in either party. but the democrats
graph will be used in the contest. Bryan
graph will be used in the contest. Bryan
in the spirit will be on the job at every
hall meeting to be held in this city, and
the spirit" will be under the personal d.
rection of MIR. S. S. Field. the original
Maryland Bryan boomer. Mr.. Field has
great plans in mind for a whirlwind en-
balmed speech campaign and is freely
predicting that Bryan will sweep the state
this year. curious feature of the COM
ing campaign is that the regular demo-
cratic organization will work for the Ne
braskan.
will take the stump for Bryan and Kern
who will join the spellbinding force and
stump the city and state for the Peerless
One The work of the democratic state
central committee will be directed by
Chairman Vandiver. while Mr. Field will
head a special campaign committee of 100
Just where the funds TO run the campaign
are TO come from one seems to know
and the general impression is that the