The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1909-09-10
THE ISSUES IN MARYLAND.

The following is from the Balti-
more Sun.
With she formal notification OF
DR.. Joshua W. Herring last Thursday
of his denomination for Comptroller
by the Democratic State Convention
the campaign in Maryland has pass
ed its initial stage and will soon en-
ter the warmer zones of political con-
fict. The San has up to this time
purposeIy refrained from defining its
position with regard to the pending
State cor test, because Of the unusual
number of important issues presented
by the platforms of the two parties
and because it desired to consider
them carefully, deliberately and
thoroughly. Having done so, i:
feels that it would be lacking in its
duty to itself, as well as to the people
of the State, to defer any longer the
statement of it's attitude.
In announcing, as 1t does now.
that it will support the Democratic
candidates and the Democratic plat
form it is not by any means to be
understood as expressing entire sat-
isfaction with all the planks in that
platform.
On the issue of direct popular
primaries both platforms sin alike.
But here there is more to be hoped
for from the Democrats than from
the Republicans. In the matter of
local nominstions, city and county,
the Democrats have made a beginn-
ing, and not an altogether bad begin
ming. In large number OF counties
as we'll as the city, Of Baltimore they
adopted this year the plan Of direct
popular nominations, and as Cover
nor Crothers aud many leading Dem
ocrats are in favor OF making this
system compulsory, there is good
reason for believing that with the
Democrats in power at Annapolis
the people will secure their full
rights in this matter. The Repub
licans naturally fight shy of this is
sue, as the element which makes up
their electorate are not homogeneous,
and the results which might ensue
from direct primaries would prove
disastrous 10 the party.
On the issue OF q public utilities
commission both parties are unre-
servedIy committed 10 the creation
OF such an agency as will control all
public service corporations alike, so
that on that question, other things
being equal, there is nothing to
choose between them.
We come now to the the suffrage
amendment, which both parties have
declared to be the paramount issue
of the campaign. We are frank to
say to that if the pending suff-
rage amendment contained the objec-
tionable features of what is known
as the Poe amendment, defeated in
1905, the Sun" could not support it
But it is free from the objections
urged to that amendment, and as far
IS the qualifications prescribed tor
colorcu voter are Concerned, is very
similar iii principle to the amend,
meHt advocated by ex Governor
Warfaid. it will not disfranchise
any white voter in the State, native
or foreign, born. l. will have the
effect of DISTINGUISHING most colored |
voters, and it is frankly intended to |
de- this. But under it many colored
voters will still be able to vote-all |
can do so, in fact, who have $500
v orth of property or VINO can answer
3 limited number Of designated
questions, none OF which are inher-
en.ls difficult. Nor does it close tt, !