Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1911-10-13


rule in the counties as well, or wheth- |
er they prefer return Of those con-
di.ions which will restore the liber-
ties Of the electorate by guaranteeing
to every citizen his right to vote, with |
tie additional assurance that his vote
will be counted as cast
II sHonest Election Laws" was
not the accepted foremost issue in
this campaign before, it certainly has
become paramount since the Grand
Jur,'s disclosures Of the wholesale
frauds perpetrated in the late Demo-
cratic primary il BlItin ore City.
These disclosures have proved beyond
peradventLie that the existing cleo
ton laws enacted by Democratic
Legislatures make it possible for the
unscrupuloUs heelers and tricksters to
euploy successfully every form Of
vote manipulation which their
within and pleasure may dictate or
circumstances make expedient- They |
have teen abe to pad TIE registration
lists; stuff the ballot boxes; vote
repeaters 10 any desire number
falsify the official returns; give the
votes cast for one candidate to anoth-
er Of their choice; count out those
whom they do not want, and count
in those who are the iavorites Of the
machine-it there is any election
trick or crime known to the corrupt
poIit elan that has n been practiced
in The Baltimore City primary it is Of
very recent issue and has net yet
been discovered, for all the old ones
/; were pressed into service and worked
10 finish.
And to whom mu t the people Of
Maryland look for relief from these
shameless bosses and their increasing
powei? The Democratic party-by
elec ing Mr.. German Governor? Mr..
German is admittedly the candidate
Of Mahon, the Baltimore City boss,
and John Walter Smith, the whilom
leadern in the State. We are being
advised daily by the Grand Jury's
bulletins and reports what part 10
ahonest elections" aSonny" Mahon
plays; and John Walter Smith, as
Governor, called together the May
land Legislature in extra session at a
tremendous cost to the taxpayers 10
pass an election law which would
disfranci,ise a sufficient number OF
Republican voters to insure Demo-
cratic success in the next election,
which saved the late MIR. German,
Sr., from being defeated for the
United States Senate; and Senator
Smith, more than any other man in
the State, is responsible for the first
steps leading 20 the enactment Of the
nefarious Wilson Law, the wholesale
DISTINGUISHING provisions Of which
need no calculation here.
As for young Mr.. German himself,
as president Of the Maryland Senate
in 1910 be became largely instru-
menental in the expansion Of the
infamous provisions Of this law and
in the the extension Of its operation
into nearly every county in the State;
he is responitle for the faulty fea
lures Of the Corrupt Practices Act
which the Democratic platform pied
ges to improve, and his opposition TO
the State wile Primary law was so
persistent thar he had his own count,
of Howard esem ted from its opera
ton wsen he found he could not
prevent its enactment; and as a
further evidence Il his disposition to
give the people honest election laws,
Mr.. German in the 1910 session in
troiuced in the Senat i, and enieavOr-
Ell 'lilige ltiy % :. cure tie passage of
law, The purpose Of which WAS to
place this selection of Republican
clerks and judges OF election entirely
in the hands of tire Dem 'cratic
Election Supervisors.
What are Mr.. Germans campaign
promises worth nov, in view of his
Official acts lutte mere than one
year ago:
Can the good people Of Maryland
expect anything in the way of election
reforms from the De nocratic party |
with the record of its leaders, hosses
and candidates 50 glsringly before
them: And on the same l,al.ot with |
these candidates is the Dig .es pro.
posed amendment 10 the Constitution
Of the limited States one Of the /
boldest and most revolutionary at
tempts Of any political party to de-
psive Lhe citizens of any State OF
their le- al right to vote. Can the
Democratic party through such bosses
and their candidate satisfy the voters
Of their sincerity in promising better
things? Give them new lease Of
power by electing them this year