The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-03-22
AN E x A S P E r A T E D
STATESMAN.
The Philadelphia Record
Nicely Sums up the Situa-
ton in Maryland,

been III Annapolis valniy endeaV-
oring to defeat the Disfranchise-
ment bill, has told a Washington
correspondent that the measure
Just enacted will diSfranchiSe
$4,000 white and $4,000 colored
voters. In his frenzy over the
prospect that the bill will work a
political revolution in the State
disastrous to his own interests
he asserts that ''it is a crime
against free government But
the thing is by no means so bad
as that. Massachusetts did not
commit a crime against free gov
eminent when she DISTINGUISHED
illiterates without regard to race
or color. If the number of illit-
crates be so much greater in
Maryland than in Massachusetts,
so much stronger is the reason
for protecting the political insti-
tutionS of the former State from
mass of ignorant voters. In
Massachusetts the illiterates are
comparatively so few as to have
little or no influence for evil upon
the government.
In his furious denunciation of
the bill Senator McComas SAYS
that there is no question of negro
rule in Maryland. as only one
fifth of the population of that
State is cOlored. Nor is there
any question of free government,
since there will still remain up
ward of 100, 600 voters in the
State after the elimination of the
ignorant element Free institu.
tons will be safe in Maryland
under the keeping of voters who
can intelligently discharge their
political duties. AS popular ed
ucation spreads the number of
persons, white and black, who
cannot read is constantly dimin-
iShing, so that before very long
the illiterates in Maryland as well
as of other States will be reduc-
ed to an inappreciable minimum.
SO, while this acknowledgements
legislation of Maryland can do
little or no harm, it is likely to
accomplish much good.
For the present, there is no
doubt that the effect of this legis.
latiOn will be to transfer the bal
ance of political power in Mary
land. Senator McComas and his
Republican associates think so.
and they understand the situa
ton. The consequent loss of po-
lltlcal power, not the disfran-
chisement of a mass of ignorant
voters i'll itself. is what causes
their tears. The Democrats Of
Maryland have said that if these
illiterates should be deprived of
the suffrage the Republicans
would lose control of the State.
In saying this the Democrats
have denied that they are act
uated by any prejudiceS Of race.
They have impartially provided
for the disfranchiSement Of the
illiterate whites, a much larger
proportion of whom also vote
the Republican ticket.
But the Maryland Senator
loudly asserts that the frantic
Republican opposition to this
Distranchisement bill was in
Spired by sympathy for the col,
ored men, who have thus been
deprived Of the suffrage. There
are some considerations that
cause serious doubts concerning
the genuineness of this sympa
thy. One is that where the Re-
publicans have complete political
power they are never known to
share it with their colored breth.
rem. In Philadelphia there are
no places for black men in any
of the municipal departments
save a very few positions on the
police force; and it is not diff
ferent in other cities.
But there is a stronger and
more recent test of Republican
sympathies for the colored citi-
zens. When the new army es-
adjustment was created places
were made for nearly thousand
more officers in all branches of
the service. Yet although in
theory and in law there is no dis
tinctiOn of race in either the mill
tary or civil service, not a colored
man has been made an officer in
any of the new regiments. Where
was Senator McComas when the
Army Reorganization bill was
passed, and why did he not then
insist upon some recognition in
it of the colored men, for whom
he processes so much friendship
and sympathyg There are several
regiments of cOlOred soldiers in
the regular army, but they are all
under white officers. But one
cOlored officer is in the whole
army of the United States, and
ba halonnc onlv pnuinaIlv IN tha