Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-05
OFFICIAL CANVASS BEGUN
Election Supervisors Meet in the
Different Counties.
TAFT WINS ON FIRST RETURNS
Chairman Parran Puzzled by-Ds9ec
ton in Country Republican Vote.
Democratic Trick Charged.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE. Md, November s.
Pending the announcement from the Of
fetal canvass in city and counties, both
the republican and democratic leaders
today claimed the electoral vote of Mary
land for their respective national candi-
dates.
I'VE stand by our unofficial figures of
1876 for Taft. with strong hopes for more
on the official count said Chairman
Thomas Parran of the republican state
central committee today.
Maryland goes to Bryan by 1000
votes" said Chairman Murray Vandiver
Of the democratic state central COM
mittee.
Chairman Parran is unable to account
for the detection in the country sections,
from which a large republican majority
had been expected. Especially is this
the case in Allegany. where the Roose-
Welt plurality of 800 votes in 1904 shrunk
to 377 for Taft in Tuesdays election.
II simply cannot account for Allegany,"
said Mr.. Parran this morning; "the mea-
ger majority is beyond me-"
That a small proportion Of the miners
vote might have gone to Bryan was one
theory advanced by republican leaders
but this would hardly have amounted to
sufficient to develop such a change in
the figures. Furthermore, it was cited,
the miners vote of Garrett had appar-
emily stood firm for Taft. this county
showing an apparent republican majority
OF 1926 this year, against L1O4 in 1904, OF
an increase Of 131 for the republicans.
Democratic Trick Charged.
AS reason for the emphatic failure
OF the counties to measure up to repub-
lican expectations, however, Mr.. Parran
advanced the charge that the democrats
had resorted to trickery in the prepara-
tion Of the ballots and declared that thi:
at least seventy five votes in Calvert and
that Mudd had suffered even more severe
ly. BY the unanimous votes of the super
visors in Calvert. as explained by Mr.
Parran. the agreement was reached that
Bryan's name should head the first col
umn of the ticket. and Smiths name lead
the second column, with Taft under Bry-
an and Mudd under Smith. This arrange
ment was fully explained to all the voters
and illiterate republicans were thorough
ly coached In the preparation of their
tickets to insure their vote for Taft and
Mudd.
Instead of conforming to this agree
ment, continued Mr.. Parran, the presi
dent of the board came to Baltimore and
ordered ballots with the name of the pro.
bibition candidate for Congress under thai
of Mr. Smith. while Mudd was placed
third in the column instead of in sec
ond position. This. said the chairman
confused the illiterate and lost many
votes to the republican candidate.
1.-The first that I knew Of this change.
declared Mr.. Parran. was when I en-
tered the booth at St. Leonards and saw
the ballot. Then I grasped the significance
Of the trick In an instant. but it was tot
late to counteract it. This scheme lost a
least seventy-five votes for Mudd in Cal
vert. and ! believe It was followed il
other counties with the same proportion
ate result"
City Disappoints Republicans.
Didn't the city republicans look 70
more help from the counties?" asked Tn
Star correspondent
THE counties looked for better supper
from the city," returned Mr.. Parran. wv
had expected 3,OO0 republican plurality II
Baltimore. and 1t comes to only littl
more than half that estimate. All tn
business interests Of Baltimore. democrat
1