The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-09-30
WHY Mr.. PERKINS IS
AGAINST AMENDMENT
Member of Democratic Anti-Amend-
ment Association Gives His
Views OF Measure.

MY W. II. HerklnS, VINO is leading
member of the Democratic Association
Opposed to the Disfranchisement
Amendment, Monday announced his
reasons for opposing the Straus anti
suffrage measure. He states that the
fact alone that such a measure would
place the power in the hands of the
heirs of the ring is enough reason for
opposition to the amendment without
any further argument.
When asked for his views Mr.. Per-
kins said:
Il am opposed to the proposed amend
ment by which thousands and thousands
Of the supporters of the Republican
party will be disfranchised There is
SO much sophistry in the arguments ad-
Vanced by its managers and promoters
that it is not worth while for me to at
tempt to state answers that are very
obvious to them all, for the stock argu-
ments in favor of the amendment seem
to me to be entirely wide of the mark.
There is a small aquatic animal that en-
de2VOrS to conceal its movements and
effect its flight by muddying the waters
in its vicinity. This much oyerworked
smile serves to illustrate the tactics of
cur friends the disfranchisers. They
state with certain amount of irrelevant
VeracitV many historical platitudes that
90 not bear upon the case. and then ask
the voters because of those irrelevant
platitudes to adopt a piece Of legisla-
ton which amounts to nothing more
than plan to cut down the number of
votes that could be cast against the
men or measures Of the Democratic
ring politicians. They say:
There are a great many rotten.
one-party Republican states and these
states are very prosperous and wealthy.
The black republic of Hayti is fast re-
lapSing into barbarism. The South Just
after terrible war and in the throes
OF reconstruction was far less prosper
Gus than it is at present when our
friends Sambo and Pompey are no long
er allowed to vote. Finally, Washing
ton. where not even the white trash is
allowed to vote, is large and beautiful
city, etc, etc.
These and many other similar things
that one reads and hears about are all
more or less true, but, like the flowers
that bloom in the spring, they have
nothing to do with the case
Neither is it material to the issue to
decide upon plan for an ideal republic
All, | presume, will concede that
community with the suffrage all in the
hands of political students and philOso-
piers, where no one could vote, or be
bribed to vote, except the wise, the
just and the good; where the state
would be ruled by the highly cultured
and the clean of heart, would be very
decent and respectable place. No doubt
graft and peculation would there be
quite unknown. There would be no
angry disputes for months and months
as to Just which public official stole the
city's money, nor as to how much, if
any, help the sheriff's office gave to the
traverser.
Il think the voters of Maryland will,
and | believe they should, decide this
question of franchise restriction only by
the needs and conditions in Maryland,
and according to our own experience.
For we have been one-party state
already. We have seen and know well
the self arrogance of our party mana
bers of the party's best men driven
from the party councils. We have seen
the managers of the Democratic party
in this naturally Democratic state owe
their victories at the polls to murders,
riot, fraud and intimidation. We have
seen them pass and defend laws that
have made the exercise of the franchise
farce. And now the proposition they
submit is to pass law, under cover of
which Gf found CONSTITUTIONAL the
strangle hold of the same managers can
again DG IdSIellSl OH the SIdIc ana par
ty organization. Without passing upon
the questions affecting an ideal fran
chise restricted on fair and broad lines
to those who have at stake sufficient to
make them careful, with sufficient edu-
cation to make them intelligent, and
whose records show them to be worthy
citizens; without regard to any other
consideration, it seems to me that the
mere fact that the proposed measure
would again put the whole political
power into the hands of the natural or
political heirs and associates of the old
ring Democracy is reason enough for
refusing to authorize it.
Farm for Sale.
This farm contains 1872 acres, about
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