The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-09-11
SUN SPOTS.

Unique in the way of political argument are
the reasons given by the Baltimore Sun for its
support of the Democratic ticket, as announced
last Wednesday. 1t may have been noted
that the Sun has been very shy about espous-
ing tickets in recent years, and that when it
has done so it has usually happened that the
voters have thought the other way and put
the Sun on its back good and hard. Perhaps
it would have been more discreet in the Sun
to have remained this time safely on the fence,
but that is the Suns business, not ours.
After admitting that the Republican plat
form is more precise, more satisfactory and
better in every way than that adopted by the
Democrats, the Sun says it believes the Demo-
Gratis stand a better chance to control the
Legislature therefore it will support the Demo-
cratic ticket. A plain everyday voter, not
versed in the schools of philosophic thought,
might reason that il would be better to try all
proper means of electing the Republican
ticket, to try for whole loaf first, with the
certainty of getting at least half loaf, as the
Democrats must win if the Republicans do not.
On the same line of reasoning as that given by
the Sun an intending speculator would say:
IF go into this venture l stand more than
an even chance of losing my money, SO I will
throw it away right now." There are but few
in these degenerate days with enough bravery
to say openly that they are not satisfied to
support the right merely because it is right,
and we congratulate the Sun on its courage.
which has not always been a conspicuous
feature in its attitude on public questions.
Regarding the suffrage amendment, the Sun
says that measure is frankly intended to dis
franchise most of the colored voters of the
State and that the Sun will support it. In
other words, journal which modestly admits
that it is a great metropolitan newspaper has
the courage to say that it is in favor ofdefying
the Constitution of the United States. Again
that new-found valor of the Sun comes to the
'front.' But Homer mods when the Sun says
that this amendment will not, if adopted. dis
franchise any white voter in the State, native
or foreign born. The amendment is so framed
as to disfranchise every foreign-born citizen
who does not become naturalized before the
ratification of the measure, and it will disfran
chise all foreigners who come here afterward
unless they can register under the property
qualifications or under the educational clause.
And, to illustrate what we have to say below,
we here reprint the things an applicant under
this clause must do:
He shall in his own handwriting, with pen
and ink, without any aid suggestion or
memorandum whatsoever, and without any
question or direction addressed to him by any
of the officers of registration, make application
to register correctly, stating in such application
his name, age, date and place of birth, resi-
dence and occupation at the time and for the
two years next preceding, the name or names
of his employer or employers, if any, at the
time and for the two years next preceding,
and whether he has previously voted and if
so, the State, county or city and district or pre-
cinct in which he voted last, and also the name
in full of the President of the United States, of
one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the
United States, of the Governor of Maryland,
of one Of the Judges of the Court of Appeals of
Maryland and of the Mayor of Baltimore City,
if the applicant resides in Baltimore City, or of
one of the County Commissioners ofthe county
in which the applicant resides.
Note that the applicant probably nervous
and apprehensive, must answer all these ques-
tions in writing acithout having them asked him
aOithOut any aid, suggestion memorandum
whatsoever. The requirement reminds one of
some of the absurdities Of the burlesque stage
And also note that there is no provision for an
average in this examination. When taking
an examination in school or for civil-service
appointment the applicant is usually passed if
he answers successfully three-fourths of the
questions, but the applicant TO vote under the
so-called Straus amendment must answer all
the questions and aCithoM being asked! Most
extraordinary and remarkable proposition
If he incorrectly gives the middle initial of a
vote We will wager years subscription in
turnips that the writer of the Suns highly
heroic editorial can not pass the examination
himself