The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1914-02-13
THE MASS VOTE OF THE
STATE IN THE PRIMARIES
FOR UNITED STATES
SENATOR'S AND THE
STATE OFFICERS

Baltimore City II raising quite .
clamor for mass vote instead u the
County Unit Law, now IN force 10 The
nomination u United State Senators and
State officers. On the same theory and
upon the same arguments Baltimore
City asked for two years ago, and ~
again asking for equal approximation N
the Legislature. This is mort vital
question 10 the people r Maryland, and
10 every man woman and child in the
State
Baltimore City isa part Of the State,
and all Of the people Of harJlan are
true and loyal friends Of Baltimore City
Baltimore City is the product Of the
State. The State il not, in any sense,
the product Of Baltimore City aud the
prosperity and the very life Of the city
is drawn from the people Of the State
The people Of Maryland are proud of
their great city, but they are not willing
TO be its nero slave.
70 give Baltimore equal representa-
ton in the Legislature would be in effect
simply TO turn the Legislature Of the
State over to Baltimore City, and the
counties could keep their delegates at
home for they would be practically
powerless and at the mercy of Baltl
more City. II is simply impossible to
consider such proposition.
NJ State NJ small as this State with
city as large as Baltimore can give the
city equal representation, and no State
ever has, or ever can. Even the great
State Of New York does not, Delaware
doet not, and many others do not.
This State never has in any OF It's four
latest Constitutions. 1t is absurd to
discuss such position because it ii
an impossibility to do 80 in the interest
of all the counties and in the interest Of
Baltimore City itself II would be like
the handle of a jug-all on one side
Now as to tho mass vote in primary
elections for United States Senators and
State officers, which il being agitated by
Baltimore City, and the Baltimore pa
pers and some few men in the State,
and which seems to DO based ON the ar
cement that every vote and every voter
ought to be equal all over the State
This theory omits the fundamental
facts upon which the vote is given tt
the voter. The vote is not an inherent
or natural right Of any man. It is 1
conventional privilege given by the STATE
to whom il deems lit to exercise tn,
power. 1t is given not for the persona
benehtand privilege Of the voter, but il
given to be used for the good Of all III,
people of the State, for those who vot,
as well as for those who do not vote
This being so, the vote Of the State OF
primary elections must be so regulate,
that as conditions exist in this State til,
best interests Of the State shall not b
endangered by a preponderance Of powe
by any part or portion OF the State Owe
any other part. BY a mass vote in tn
primaries for the nomination Of United
State Senators and State officers, by
few combinations with two or three o
the large counties, the city would nam
all Of our United States Senator's an,
all Of our State officers, and name then
for all time. And such would be tn
power that il would soon give itself tn
equal representation, and then the leg
islation Of the State may just as well b