The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-11-03
From Mr.. RalstOn

To the voters of the Fifth Congress
ional District of Maryland.
On October 18th, sent by registered
mail to the Hon. Sydney E. Mudd, ad
dressed to him at La Plata and also at
Washington, DC, duplicate letter.
copv of which follows below. Registry
receipts were promptly returned-slgned
by his clerks at the two places L am
further informed that he was at LA
Plata on last Saturday after the arrival
of INV letter and, therefore, had full
opportunity to see nd consider 1t.
Although one week had elapsed since
the sending of the letter IN question, no
reply has been received by me. l am,
therefore, compelled to take the state
ment of nv letter, which were in them
selves capable of absolute proof, to be
admitted by Mr.. Mudd as correct.
7 leave it to the voters of the Fifth
Congressional District to determine
whether such actions as proposed by
Mr. Mudd is consonant with the ideals of
fair NAV and honorable treatment which
thew REQUIRE of their Representatives.
Very respectfully yours, :
JACKSON H. RALSToN.
Hyattsville, Md.
October Is. 1916.
Honorable Sydney E. Mudd,
La Plata, Maryland.
Dear Sir:
AS you are we'll aware. the
Menace of September y, 1916, coi-
tains an appeal TO non Catholic voters
in the Fifth Congressional District to
vote for me as against yourself, Tor no
other reason than that you are reputed
oil
that Immediately upon its publication
I caused to be printed letter to the
effect that such an appeal was made
bv no friend of mine, and did not III
any sense express my views or Indicate
nv line of conduct, as l had never sup
ported or failed to support any man
for office because of his religious be
liefs.
Notwithstanding my letter, with
which you have been fully acquainted
since about the time of its publication,
and with which your immediate friends
are fully acquainted, | find that very
close relative together with a friend OF
vours have purchased in Washlngt ton
some 5000 copies of the Menace OF
September 9, z, 500 having been pun
chased on the Both of September, and
have conveyed the same to La Plata
with the manifest intention OF mailing
them a few DAYS before the election to
the Catholic voters of our district.
There is nothing to me more dlstaste
full and | think more contrary to the
spirit of our institutions than an ap-
peal to religious feeling. | Iope the
same to be true of you, and that just
as | would not myself circulate or
countenance the circulation OF any
paper which would solicit votes against
YOU because of your beliefs, | expect
YOU and your friends to do likewise.
In view of the facts stated, however
I am justified in believing that dIlib
crate steps have been taken and Others
are in contemplation to evoke religious
feeling to determine the pending pollt'
cal contest.
write this letter, therefore. to IN,
uuire categorically whether you favor
or whether you will permit now or al
ANYTIME before the election, the sending
out of copies of the Menace of Septem
Der 9, by mail or by delivery by hand OF
otherwise, to any voter OF the Flftf
Congressional District? | sh all, O.
course, expect your friends and relative;
to abide by your decision if you conclude
such circulation to be contrary to tbt
hest interests of the public and to b
Objectionable to you.
An immediate answer will be great.
appreciated.
Very respectfully yours,
JACKSON H. RALSTON