Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-11
OPPOSE THE AMENDMENT
But Few, if Any. in Favor of Dis
Reimbursement.
DEMOCRATIC CHANGE OF FRONT
Many Who Voted Against Similar
Legislation Four Years Ago
Now With Party.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

ROCKVILLE, Md, October IL, 1909.
If there is republican in Montgomery
county who is in favor Of the proposed
constitutional amendment to disfranchise
the negroes of the state he is keeping the
fact a profound secret. Within the past
two or three weeks the correspondent Of
ans and others from every section Of the
county in an effort to determine just how
much foundation exists, so far as Mont
gomery county is concerned. for the dem
ocratic claim that the DISTINGUISHING
scheme will receive votes of the Opposi-
ton party and he has failed to discover
a single republican who is not heart and
soul against the proposition. There may
be. and probably are, few members Of
the party scattered over the county who
will cast their votes for the measure, but
they are few and far between. so scare,
in fact. that it is believed If all were
known they could be counted on the
fingers of the two hands.
Montgomery county gave a majority Of
more than 800 against the proposed dis
franchising amendment of four years ago,
VIII Oh was so overwhelmingly defeated by
the voters of the state. Then several
hundred of the democrats of the county
voted against the proposition, their chief
reason being that its adoption would make
the commonwealth a One-party state and
place its affairs in the hands Of lot Of
INSCRIPTIONS politicians. A number of
the more prominent democrats. principally
present and prospective Off1cehOlders, who
then antagonized the proposition. are now
enga ged in a strenuous effort to convince
the people that they were mistaken four
years ago and that they are now unable
to see what possible harm could come to
the state by the elimination of about oO,-
go republican votes.
Subject to Suspicion.
There is a suspicion abroad concerning
some of these converts that their change
of heart was due to their belief that there
is now more in sight for them at the pie
counter than there was four years ago.
1t Is regarded as settled that few o.
the democrats who fought the amend
ment Of four years ago will be in line for
the present proposition, but 1t Is becom-
ing more and more apparent that the
party Is far from a unit on the measure.
Inquiry has developed that there is not
a section of the county in which there
are not some members Of the democracy
who will vote against the scheme, and It
Is said they include not few who were
the other way four years ago.,
1t is believed by some that large pro-
portion Of the iliterate members of the
democratic party will cast their votes
against the distranchiseing sche.n
through fear that If the negro is gotten
rid of the democratic party will not need
them and will get rid of them also.
An incident tending to prove that this
feeling exists among them occurred on
the main street of Rockville lew days
ago. Several laborers, two of whom were
unable to read or write. were discussing
the amendment. In the course of the dis
cussion one of them remarked that he
was not so sure he would vote for it, and
upons being asked his reason replied: If
they get the negro they will not need me.
and | don't know but that l would be
could not read or write remarked that he
felt that way about it too.
Close Vote Predicted.
While Montgomery county may not
give majority against the amendment
this time, there is not much doubt that
many more democrats will vote against
it than there will be republicans for 1t.
1t looks as if the vote will be close.
In addition to being solidly against
the suffrage amendment. the republic
cans Of the county seem to be in splen-
did shape generally. For the purposes
Of this. campaign, at least. factional
lines have been obliterated, and leaders
who were formerly at daggers points
are working side by side as they never
worked before, both for the defeat of
the amendment and in the interest of
every candidate on the ticket.
The managers have planned much
hard work for the three remaining
genuinely hopeful that more republi-
can votes will be polled and counted
than at any election since the present
election law went into effect.