The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-03-28


To this terrible, alternative and
earthly tribunal was submitted the
status of the black man in this Re-
public, and the result was declared
over the unshrouded corpses of more
than million dead and amidst the
blazing fires, which consumed more
than a billion of wealth, that the
black man in this Republic should
henceforth enjoy with his white
brother the blessings, rights and priv
ileges of civil and religious liberty.
The assembled craftsmanship of a
mighty nation subsequently con
ferred upon him unabridged citizen
ship. For over one hundred years
the white men of the Republic alone
had the inalienable rights of life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness.
No statesman and no legislature ever
attempted or succeeded in abridging
these privileges. No educational test
was ever enacted by the Congress of
the United States or the legislature
of any State in the Union subiecting
the white citizen to such tests before
he had the privilege to exercise the
franchise. And for more than thirty
years. since the close of the Civil war.
in the Union were exempted from
any abridgement of their citizenship
in the shape of an educational test.
The Carolinas have enacted legisla-
tion DISTINGUISHING the unlettered cit
iZen, and it is no secret, but openly
proclaimed that this disfranchse-
ment was solely meant for the black
citizen. Owing to the preponderance
Of hn 20 II naly
the few illiUerate white commoners in
these two States, the Bryan party
saw the temporary advantage of de-
stroying Carthage and Hannibal.
And now Maryland is asked to imi-
tate them and adopt this undemo-
cratic policy.
But, Mr.. Speaker, leaving out for
the time being the immoral features
of such an infamous proposition as
the disfranchisement of the plain
people," as Mr.. Bryan calls them,
white or black, let me call the atten-
ton of the House of Delegates to the
different conditions existing in this
State.
| hold in my hands the tabulated
census of illiterate voters in the State
of Maryland; the total number of il
literates is "A, 1928, of which number
26,616 are colored and Is, 307 are white.
Now you will perceive that as the
total registered vote is PSI ,5S9 these
returns show that nearly one out of
each six voters in the State of Mary
land is illiterate. This bill then pro
poses to disfranchise one-sixth of the
citizens of this State, and nearly one
half this one-siXth are white, native
and to the manor born. Why, Mr..
Speaker, in my county of Garrett
there are 1852 white illiterate voters
and but II illiterate colored citizens.
And while on this topic or portion of
my remarks | desire to have read at
the clerks desk the following table of
illiterate voters, as per the census re-
turns of illiterates, to which ! have
referred. | will not detain you with
having this read now, however. but
proceed with my argument.
OF the 800 or more illiterate whites
i'll my county many of them are
among its heavy tax payers. Would
you disfranchise a tax payer? If so,
where is our boosted shibboleth which
set fire to the Faggots of the RevoIu-
tion-''no taxation without represen-
tation?' Will you tax white citizen
and deny him the right and privilege
of voting or having any voice in the
manner in which the tax you make
him pay shall be expended? The ed
ucated criminal on his restoration to
citizenship after release from the pen
itentiary can vote as to the manner
in which an honest mans taxes shall
be expended, but the abiding,
honest man himself is denied by the
provisions of this bill any say in the
matter if he is an illiterate. The ed
ucated gutter-snipes of our cities, who
have a smattering of education
rammed down their Threats at the
school house on the same street in
which they are born and lived, can
vote away the taxes of honest men,
who, on the farm, the mine, the for
est or on the waters, far distant from
any school house, have had to toll
since early boyhood, denied the priv
ileges of the education which the city
rounder and pet politician has had
forced on him for nothing. Is this
Democratic? Is this reason, equity
or Justice? What now becomes of
the eternally reiterated Democratic
shibboleth of a government by the
people, for the people and of the
people?
Mr.. Speaker, know the majority
of the white and black illiterate vot-
ers in my constituency. They are
about evenly divided politically; but
| desire to proclaim on this floor that
both God and nature have qualified
them for citizenship-if honesty, in
dustry and God-fearing lives are quail
itications, and | am proud to assert
that they are-and such qualifica-
tions better fit the exercise the fran
chise then the smattering of educa-
ton imbibed by the FOUNDERS and
healers of the large cities of this or
other States. Some of these litter
ates in my consistency went out with
guns on their shoulders in their boy
hood to save this Republic. Now,
full of years and suffering from the
wounds and hardships endured that
their country might live, the State of
Maryland-no, not the gallant, the
liberty-loving State of Maryland, but
a faction of politicians in the Demo
cratic party-propose to disfranchise
them and place them on the level of
the black slaves whose liberty they
fought for. What an atrocious prop
osition! What unheard ofingratitude.
Thousands of white citizens toiling