The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-03-10
PURE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.
What the Constitution Says in Re-
spect to Ballots.
THE PRESENT BALLOT LAW AND
A PURE BALLOT LAW.

DpOOb w Ou1lObOs
THE PRESENT BALLOT LAW AND
A PURE BALLOT LAW.
Especial to the Democratic Advocate
WASHINGTON. d. c., March 6, 1900.
The restoration of the old Commonwealth OF
Maryland to her oldtime and normal utilization
with the National Democracy, which was so hand
somely accomplished last fall. has, been source OF
much qualification to Democrats nj the National
Capital This is especially true of Southern Demo
Gratis who, like their brethren in Maryland, have
felt the burden and the humiliation of negro domi
nation.
Your correspondent was recently thrown in com
| pany with a cotcrie OF representative members OF
the southern Democracy, the conversation turning
upon discussion # the political affairs and pros
poets of My Maryland" The special topic under
consideration was the pure Australian ballot law,
which, 1t has been currently reported here, Ito the
great CONSERVATION of Maryland Repub!icans,) the
! Democratic Legislature OF Maryland contemplate
placing upon the statute books.
| There was unanimous concurrence in the opinion
that this is the proper thing for the Maryland Dem
ocrats do if they would eflecualy guard against
a recurrence of the costly experience of is95-67S.
| That such law would not conflict with the Fed
! erl Constitution was regarded as 4 settled queS-
\ ton; but the inquiry was mostly whether OF not II
would be obnoxious TO the provisions of the Mary
! land state Constitution? Upon this l6tter point
the opinion of a well-k Maryland lawyer,
thoroughly conversnt with the State Constitution,
| who happened to be within call, was invoked. The
response OF this lawyer was very prompt and clear
for he had already, he said, given the subject
very thorough consideration.
! His reply follows
The first five wop!s the Maryland Constitution
| answer Your inquiry section OF Article com
mences with these Worls An C}ectlOHS shall o. 5y
| ballot Having thus declared IN mandatory terms
the method voting, the same article goes 10
declare that all white male citizens of the age Of
tWenty-0ue years or upwards (and not disqualified
by crime, Gc.) shall he entitled 10 vOte-by ballot
course. But neither Ia the letter nor spirit OF
the Constitution can there tuyw here be found any
provision. cNprcsss-i or implied, for preparing
ballot for iiiiterate voter and teaching MIN how
IN respect any special class OF voters Al all I'm
queslionaby. therefore It Is entirely competent for
the Maryland Legislature 90 provide by law for the
pure Australian ballot just as they have 1t III other
states kGzth and SoUin. without making any spe-
cia provisions with resard 10 amy class OF voters
Upon this question DO not thihS there Is any seri
. oJis division Of opinion among the well lnforlnrl
/ lawyers Ut the state
! Il Is well-known that this same pure Australian
ballot law has existed without question, or at least
without successful euulrOy ercOi, for many years Ia
Northern states Bat whoa, feS y,ars back. the
stale OF Mississippi adopted it, tire prevalent Hitter
among tlfE NNiNftA htAtfs ~ tttA T-As ttt W
the law being quest toned 5y The Mississippi Egpuh
iloans IN the Foaeui Courts as being aiuled esfe
caIiy Al the colored voters anl therefore, TIC con-
I dict with the amendment, the Felcr,i Cuustitg-
\ tion The supreme Court % thr United states has
I hoHeyer iu a resent decision fully sustained she
yaiHiiiy ct she pare Australian law u Mississippi
IN Naryana As ju Mississippi the prevailing
ilHienscS among the cslnrsi voters soull undoubt
clly lead ~ the practical disfnsnchisemeul Of many
I Of that c,ass through the oTsraton q the pare
Australian iau and IL 0uld al the time uofk
= similar result ioa number 81 shiic iiii1crzic
I votsrs ia al the counties
But tac question as e Prcscnss itscf b eysFy FAR
minded legislator anxious - DO his duiy snd hay-
/ Ing The counge 90 follow where bis Convictions
lead is merely one Of she ssr * iuo evils Nuud
q be better from every sAnaiI point o. make %
difeun Ior the taiay ilatcrats class - v0icrs 90
exertsse thc clcslsvc fsanchisssr practically dis
fr1nchisr that class ~ y0u ill.lsau that She utl
I crsle solers ass class. ehsnld he pui unier tbe
compissc surveillance Of the partisan circtlaa ass
ccrs whom tie prrsat iAw drsixnatCs % snos neaa
hos 50 vote and thereby sse eolorei jiiesatcs tc
laa,le soi ana dangerous factor D. The sa--l gov
/ cTuuseat. gsacc agi disuity pf Use STATE
oaa Ut ir nast fafclbgc of the excellent articles
yrotsare,l sad Iuslishsi auFfas tbs osraFsieu q
I " b. O c5fanirtes x shc MaryAnn Teaa-.ssasie
hiiis'Fs As-1aAi'ss 81 "t'' t'''e 90 zoe Si'f'' "
Z the AnsocaTE Was oisirlasn sHs arf1's'i 8"
demonstration Ehtch AS oaaa i''''e 81 h~E u'r
EcpahieAn FeFsana g the AN-AFAtA'h 's''''7 t4e
bow go re siatste t'S'. "tesAeA '' pas A ''.''
crnis s''"fci voters 81 'ae s@'e e''a ''.l u1'4e'
Z ii'e saF'e''lAi'ee aifI "'ti'''-A''''' " '''" =
can ti4t'Asefs tsefcn5 hiAS'is tAf-a '' '''' u'''
I Inns = solid t'e."' Il hcF11iisaaa P'"'''s
mis- cuaditioa which nas exists IL consequence
7 q the ksya1ise71 chsf1i'n Az d % aAgrAA' Geo
airi aiih IL Fels cs"rc % isc Auslraiian tat'ot
system, which = sscrecy !" voting JS'iEc s~'aiey
"a his Commentaries ga tiss ff4aFlf' q tatsF'u
iiaslai Lar -a2s ihAt 'ae s'le pirF~r q an ifn'4
siess to' voting ~ ballot Is {" '"saTe ss'ess 70
foiins ana pfe-ssA .'e 'o's' '..-' '.'-'s -
aaei'see- I"e ifA''r@ y 'ee NHi' So e''4''.'-
4 iipfs ia rfNF1A'57s' a. thcf asa 30 w. Nefs "1''
WORKS, - clcriiaus ~ hs'oi "cre '"1rn' ei.' -
cafiss sccrrs2 'p F0iihf TIE 9Frs7at HefAbt'ean
AaW - tvrrnFus H. ofn s's'li5et ei'A sac sIiFi q
The STATE Consultations ala.' u oush' - h eisAi
therefore to every ts'rnlasiesl laAn 81 ," has iAq
c0uuasr a hs actc'luas that nndcr crastsaE cir
cHtnSsances these i oai oae - - thinEs o. DO,
either refssi aiiazsthes thg ssaEioas ard At-riise
preispss - an Australia ballot sgsirgs on Tie
statute lsEs AMI 30 haeg "a tae OBJ ballot bieh