Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-17
ODDS ON REPUBLICANS
Opposition Abandons Hope OF
Disfranchisement.
AMENDMENT Is DOOMED
Adopting Strange Tactics in County
Contests.
CANDIDATES NAMES ALIKE
Attorney General Rules That Nomi-
nees of Democrats Cannot Be Un-
derscored on Printed Ballot.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star
BALTIMORE, Md, October is, 1919.
A once invincible democracy Is turning
into the homestretch in this campaign
with chances decidedly against H.
The leaders have practically given up
hope of putting through the disfrancnise-
ment amendment. and are now oeVoths
their energies to saving the state TICKET
Attempt to push the amendment
through this year was made against tue
advice of the shrewdest politicians with
in the party-men who had played the
game with German and Rasln. unoer
the new regime their advice was not us
tened to. A second defeat for the plan 10
make Maryland one-party state VIII be
the result on November = next.
Candidates Similar Names.
Indeed so desperate have the leaders
become that in the counties resort TO
frickery in the ballots has been made.
Somerset is the first to be heard from
in this connection.
In that county petitions are being cir
culated for signatures in order to justify
the democratic election supervisors to
keen within the letter of the law In
printing the names of alleged fndepend-
ent candidates on the ticket. The names
of these candidates will. as far as pos
sible be similar to those of the repub-
lican candidates.
Thus a sydney c. Dryden will be
candidate for the house of delegates. A;
Lincoln Dryden is of the republl-
can candidates for the house. Hall Is the
name of another candidate, and a Mr.;
Hall is the republican candidate tor
sheriff.
1t is also charged that the republicans
are resorting to unfair methods TO OBJ
tain signatures to the petitions. Unsus-
pecting voters are asked to sign papers.
1T tod h1a
opening the Holland straits to eystermen
and for similar purposes.
Attorney Generals Ruling.
In the Wilson law counties the republic
cans are pinning their hopes of fair play
in the printing of the ballots and In the
arrangement of the names of candidates
on the opinion hof Attorney General Straus
that black lines under the names of
democratic candidates cannot be employ
ed, and that the republican supervisors
of elections must be admitted to all meei-'
ingS of the board.
If the opinion Of the attorney general
is not adhered to Gov. Crothers will be:
kept busy hearing charges. The election
supervisors under the law must meet
eight days before the cleo. ion, and then
will come the crucial time.
One of the best proofs that the republ-
cans are united In this city came during
the week, when former Representative
Frank c. Wachter. leader of the ''insur
gent" republicans, called upon Chairman
John, b. Hanna of the republican sta:e
central committee. After a pro.racted con-
ference Wachter announced he would
take part in the campaign.
Wachter stated to The Star correspond
ent today that he was opposed to the
been to that submitted to the voters in
1905. and that he was heartily in favor
of the election of the entire republican
ticket In the city and state.
wi mt fnr.h haS off rfS To
help carry the city, he said. when 1
say that you know I will be heard from
in the campaign -
: Wachter in Line.
Wachter, for the past six years, has
waged a bitter war against William F.
Stone. now the state leader. Accord
ing to the former representative, the
'hatchet'' has been buried. He will do:
anything for the good of the party that
may be asked Of him.
Wachter will Undoubtedly be asked to
preside over one of the big republican
meetings to be held In East Baltimore
during the coming fortnight. and to
make speeches at other meetings.
1t was announced at republican head
quarters today that the republicans Will
not lose more than 80 per cent Of the
voters whose names were placed on the
suspect lists. Every one of the others.
each has been advised by card and by
messenger of the Importance of appearing
at the registration office in his own be-
half.
The investigation made by the republi
cans showed that in several wards. 80
per cent of the names placed on the sus-
pect lists were those of voters who
should not have been so reported. They
were placed on the suspect lists In a hap
hazard sort Of way, evidently with the
view of causing trouble.
Oldest Voters Views.
Perhaps the best illustration of the feel
ing among the general public regarding
the amendment is the attitude Of the
oldest voter in Maryland, Elias Livesey.
a democrat. and hale and hearty in his
ninetieth year, and for seventy years a
voter. Mr.. Liyesey is an independent
thinking democrat, and Is working among
his friends to defeat the amendment.
To The Star correspondent Mr.. Livesey
said today:
Il have been voter for seventy years
In Maryland but l do not think that l
could vote under that amendment l
have read the measure through several
times. 1t would take an expert on SEN
tence construction. as we'll as lawyer, to
tell just what the whole thing means.
II do not see the use Of bringing in so
much discussion about the negro. The
amendment mentions no color, And,
say, let the people consider II just as II
the question of color did not enter into
il, and see how it will affect them. They
can rest assured that 1t will affect a Ger
tain percentage of the white people
through the power OF the registration Off
Gals.
II believe in universal suffrage. think
any measure which says the rich mans
vote counts for more than the poor mans
vote is un-American, and any measure
tending to deprive people of the right to
vote by tests or qualifications is I'M
American.
"Injustice to Voters"