The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-02-24
THE MOST IMPORTANT Pc
LITICAL EVENT IN FORTY
YEARS.

The year nineteen hundred and ten
Witnessed many important political
events, and more perhaps than any one
year since the Civil War. There was,
however. one event in the year which
overshadowed all hers, and was be-
yond question the most important TO the
American people, if they can ONLY see
it. It was Of more overwhelming poIit-
ical nature than any that has occurred for
the past forty years. 1t IS the lesson
and example gwen to the people by a
local Judge OF circuit in the State Of
Ohio
Judge A. L. Blair is the judge Of the
Court Of Common Pleas Of a circuit
comprising the four couaiies Of Adams,
Scioto. Pike and Lawrence. 1t is stu
ated in the great bend Of the Ohio
River at the extreme southern part OF
the State. They were among the coun-
ties that were first settled.
The population is largely rural and
not on the main lines of travel and the
people have consequently been left TO
regulate themselves and have con-
sequenlly deterioated in every way.
This condition has effected the elector-
ate as well rs every thing else.
So that at the last election in precincts
in Adams county, containing as many as
one hundred voters it was discovered
that every voter had sold his vote Judge
Blair met this condition as only great
and good judge could and Ought - nave
met it. He summoned a special grand
jury and summoned before il all Of the
bosses and workers and made them fur
nish the lists and the names Of all
the voters who sold their votes and had
them indicted for selling their votes
AT first some men OF property who had
sold their votes stood trial and were
convicted and punished severely. The
court then announced that all who came
an and plead guilty would receive a light
punishment. The result was that the
nrst ones who plead guilty had to pay
fine Of five dollars each and were dis
franchised for period Of five years
This resulted in large numbers coming
before the judge to plead guilty, and in
few weeks. two thousand voters out
of total of six thousand 1T the county,
plead guilty, and were fined five dollars
and were DISTINGUISHED for a period of
five years.
What a lesson and example to the
American electorate. One-third OF the
voters in whole county DISTINGUISHED
for selling their votes. There can be no
question OF the fact, however, that
Adams county, Ohio, is infinitely better
and stronger with the four thousand
honest and incorruptible voters than it
was with the six thousand voters one
third Of whom were venal.
We hope and believe that this example
will be followed by every State and
every county in the United States and
IN our larger cities, where the will of
the majority has been made farce, by
corrupt Judges Of elections. who by
false registration, by repeaters. by false
returns, by stuffing ballot boxes, by false
naturalization of foreigners and bv other
devices But all of these sink into in
significance when it is compared to the
bribing of the voters. Bribing the
voters destroys his manhood, and units
him for all political responsibility. 1t
robs him of his self respect, and leaves
IN him nothing TO appeal to as citizen.
A bitter partisan may be at heart honest
and even if mistaken means to do right
Not SO with the vena voter, for he does
not care about either right or honesty.
There is no State in the Union that
has more need to follow this lesson and
example of Adams county, Ohio, than
our own State Of Maryland. 1t is well
known that the Republican party has
forced on this State a large class of
venal voters with no good purpose under
the sun, and for no other purpose than
that Of increasing the number of Re-
publican ballots at the election for their
partisan gain and at the risk of safe and
sane government. The wise thing and
the only thing to do, is for the Legsla- /
ture to pass simple law repeating our
present bribery law, which is an abso- /
lutte dead letter, and enacting law that
hereafter every man who sells his vote /
shall be disfranchised for term ofyears,
say five or ten, and for the second
ofense, forever, with no punishment
Tor the briber. If you punish the briber
yon cannot get the evidence to convict
anybody.
This, we believe will cure the greatest