The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-11-03
TO THE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS OF
THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

has at length proceeded to the point
where it is possible to summarize re
suits.
The investigation has shown an I'M
fortunate condition in the City which
has resulted in many prosecutions
against both Democratic and Republi-
can election officials. Just as many
Republican as Democratic judges and
clerks of election have been presented.
Every polling place was manned and
every count of the ballots therein in
the recent primaries was conducted by
two Democratic judges and two Re
publican judges, and by one Demo
cratic clerk and one Republican clerk.
The returns were made up, signed,
sworn to and certified by Republicans
as well as Democrats. The officials OF
both parties equally participated there
In.
In the investigation of Republican
ballot boxes. miscounts of Republican
ballots and falsifcations of Republican
returns have been discovered These
grave offenses against the ballot can
not justly be laid to the door of
either party. The Democratic party
of Baltimore City is composed ap-
proximately of $1,000 affiliated
voters. There have been. up TO this
writing, lis election officials, who
are Democrats, indicted.
Can it be said that the misconduct
of these few officials is to be ascribed
to the large individual and organic
membership of the Democratic party
of the City. composed of thousands
upon thousands Of just and honest
men, who are not only law-abiding
citizens, but unquestionably constitute
the intelligent and responsible citizen
ship OF Baltimore? Neither party can,
upon either moral or legal grounds, be
held accountable for the misdoings of
comparatively few of its individual
members. 1t is not a matter of party
responsibility at all
If, however, it is to be considered a
matter of party responsibility. then no
one can deny that both parties mus
equally share that responsibility. The
Republicans are no more free from TIL
burden than the Democrats; but, or
the contrary, are fully and equally
subject to it.
Assuming then, for the argument.
that both the Democratic and Republi
can party are to be charged with this
accountability. how do the two parties
respectively stand before the people of
this State in the coming election?
What has the Democratic party to OIL
set the debit which the supposed re-
sponsibility for the misconduct of
some of its members. according to the
assumption which has been made, i'm
poses upon it, and what has the Re-
publican party to Offset its debit for
the like misconduct of its officials?
The real issue Of the pending. cleo
ton is iehich party lUiH afford the peo-
pie better administration of the
State Gorernment
Which party will give superior ad-
ministration, preserving the public
peace and order. fostering the inter
ests of the people, directing the pew
ers of the State Government to their
highest welfare, and securing for the
present and future. the greatest good
to the greatest number?
What can the Republican party say?
1t can point to the administration of
Governor Lowndes, an excellent gem
tleman and citizen, but whose admin
istration was officially failure from
every public standpoint, marked by a
series of grave evils which admittedly
continued during the four years of his
term of office, and serious and con-
tinuing menace TO the people OF the
State This was true of both the Elk
ecutive and Legislative Departments
of the State Government, which at
that time, were under Republican
control. The Executive Department,
through the inferior class of officials
upon whom it necessarily had to rely.
failed to perform its very first func-
ton, namely to keep the peace of the
/ State. Turbulence and disorder, espe-
cially upon the part of the unruly ele.
ments of the negro population OF
Maryland, existed from one end of
the State to the other. It is
unnecessary to describe the de-
tails of this unfortunate con-
dit.on because it is too well remem-
GERS of the State, particularly Justices
of the Peace. School Commissioners
and Supervisors of Elections were men
in great measure, illiterate and incom-
petent. not only unfit, but largely dis
qualified for the duties they were ap-
pointed TO perform.
The Legislative branch of the Gov.
erRment, as conducted by the Repub-
leans, during the period mentioned.
was if anything, worse. The sessions
of the General Assembly of 1896 and
1898, controlled by the Republican