The Washington times., 1911-09-29
wHITEwASHING MARYLAND
POLITICAL SCANDAL.

strated that this sort of crime hai
been the regular thing for years past
An honest grand jury has plunged
into investigation, and its daily revel
ations of the reeking rottenness have
scandalized the whole State and
startled the nation. ..
So, what is to be done about iti
The leader of the party, the man
who stands as receiver of the stolen
nomination, proposes that the grand
jury's authority be repealed and the
whole affair taken out of its hands by
calling a special session of the Legis-
lature to recount the ballots!
The Legislature could not indict any
body. But it could keep the grand
jury from indicting.
1t could look wise, resolve that it
was greatly shocked, and pronounce
that the men who received the stolen
goods were not particeps criminis;
they didn't; personally, steal; they
seemed sorry about the theft, and
really there could be no reason for any
body voting against theml
That is the substance of real &C.
complishment which the Democratic
bosses would expect from such a ses-
sion.
They are promising, of course, other
things. They talk of amending the
primary law. But there is no need of
a special session for this, because a
regular session will come along before
there is another primary.
They talk of passing a corrupt prac
tices act strengthening the present one.
But the present one is good enough to
lock up a fine aggregation of the worst
ballot thieves that ever disgraced popu-
lar government, if only the grand jury
and the public prosecutor are left to
continue the work so well begun.
They talk of maybe passing a COM
mission government act for Baltimore:
But this same Legislature has once re-
fused to do that, and could now be
relied upon either to repeat that re-
fusal or else to manhandle the measure
in such fashion that it would be a
fake and a sham.
When everything is said the fact re-
mains that a special session is wanted
in order to get those ballot boxes, filled
with damning proof against the vile
old machines of city and State, out of
the hands of the grand jury; to frame
UP a whitewash for the Democratic
ticket; to keep the business of passing
needed reform acts in the hands of the
present Gorman-Smith Legislature; to
make the election laws worse than
ever, if that be possible; and to keep
some scores of henchmen of the old
out of Jail and OUT OF
THE MOOD FOR TELLING ALL
THEY KNOW.
1t will not work. The grand jury
has already presented a long list of
corrupt election officials, and is going
right ahead with its work. The people
want the light let in. They are going
to get it, too.
If Governor Crothers calls the Legis-
lature it will only make the muss
worse for the Democrats. The Demo
Gratis want the Legislature to recount
,nly Baltimore city's vote, prove that
German would have won even if the
count had been honest, and testify
that he was neither party to nor bene-
iciary of the corruption.
They do. not propose that the votes
If the counties shall be recounted. Yet
t is almost certain that if these were
.ecounted and investigation made of
he corruption, Lee would be shown to
lave been sweepingly nominated.
Altogether, this is the boldest, the
most excuseless proposal in political
that has been made since
he Cincinnati courts, and even the
)hio supreme court, loaned themselves
o the dirty job of keeping George
Jox out of the pen.
No such desperate recourse can now
ave the German ticket. Mr.. German
night serve his party by withdrawing
Is candidate and having some man
in his place who commands
confidence. That course alone will
ave German from overwhelming de-
eat. But even that would not save
he party. The substituted candidate
would be defeated, too. .....
About everything in the country that
,otes this fall will go Democratic, ex-
ept Maryland. The full force of the
epudiation which disgraced and cor
upted party will get in Maryland will
,e the more apparent when it is con-
idered in the light of returns from