Democratic messenger., 1909-08-20

a conference of eminent and
public.spirited lawyers. was
adopted by a Democratic Gen
eral Assembly and is now be-
fore the people.
1--WE declare that the adop-
ton of this amendment is the
main and vital issue of the
coming election. Proposed as "A
measure of Democratic policy
in obedience to the deliberately
expressed sense of the masses
of our white people, its adoption
is urged upon Democrats and
Republicans alike as a distinc-
lively nonpartisan reform inn
peratively dema nded by "a just
consideration of the best in
terests of the State. We here
emphasize with all possible
force that the proposed amend
ment with the utmost care fully
protects the right to vote of the
foreign-born citizens of this
State and that all statements
which have been made to the
contrary are absolutely untrue.
TheDemocratic party is today las
it has always been-and especi-
ally so in Maryland-the firm
and faithful protector of all the
civil and political rights of the
naturalized American citizens;
and we emphatically assert that
they will not and cannot be
disfranchised by any conceiv-
able method whatsoever under
this amendment.
1--WE favor the creation by
appropriate legislation of a
public-utilities commission APP
plicable to all our public-service
corporations.
1--WE express our hearty in
dorsement of the policy and
principles of the corrupt prac-
tices act adopted by the last
General Assembly, noting with
great qualification its splendid
effects upon our elections, both
primary and general.
1--WE favor such amendments
to the existing primary election
law as shall correct defects in
its practical operation.
"We express our qualification
at the legislation enacted by
the last General Assembly. and
at the measures and proceedings
taken in pursuance thereof, to
build and improve a modern,
up-to-date system of good reads
and highways at the expense of
the State, and we pledge our
selves to the enactment of all
legislation which may be prop
er and necessary to secure and
extend the benefits derived
therefrom.
eve advocate the passage of
a pure food law for the State of
Maryland, guaranteeing pure
food for the people. and framed
along the lines of the Federal
law on the subject, adjusted.
howe er, to the needs and con-
ditions of this State.
Declaring again our con-
viction that in the minds of the
great majority of the Democrats
of Maryland the paramount
issue at the approaching cleo
tion is the que stion of the adop-
tion of the franchise amend.
ment submitted to the people
by the last General Assembly
in pursuance of the solemn
pledge of the Democratic party
in the platform of 1907, and
realizing that the most serious
obstacle in the way of the
adoption of said amendment is
the honest fear in the minds of
many patriotic people of Balti
more that its adoption would not
inure to the general welfare of
the people of the whole State,
without the submission To the
people of an amendment to the
organic law of the State, pro-
viding for Baltimore City rep
resentation in the General AS
sembly of Maryland, in accord
ance with the theory upon
which our republican institu-
tions are founded, we, the rep.
resentatives of the Democratic
party in convention assembled.
hoping that we may thereby
secure a united city and county
Democracy on the one great
issue of white manhood suff-
rage in Maryland, do solemnly
declare that we favor the pas
sage by the next General AS