The Delawarean., 1901-01-30
IT is A NECESSITY.

Regarding the movement to CALL a
extra session of the Maryland Lsgisla
Rure i'm order THAT am official State cen
sus may be authorized and AN edu
caluiDonal qualification for voting b
established, the Kent News has this It
say under the above helading:
Am extra session is a neeessity-a
Jlhis time It is Lrue THAT the session
OF 1900 should have acted upon uh
Important matter ait hand, but the peo
pie have had more time ito .hink oyer
lt and many of Ksnt's best citizens ar,
/ urging am extra session.
The establishment of educationa
qualifications for voLers in other States
is calbying many illiteraItes tIo come tc
Maryland. Some Northern Shates have
property as well ais an educational
qualification. If Maryland does mo-
protect herself, it will mot be long be.
fore our electorate will be more Hitter.
ate than Intelligent, and tlhe political
parry that favors establishing an edu-
cational qualification for voters will be
defeated AIT THE polls. The General
Assembly of Maryland now represents
the intelligence and property of the
State. Let dit be called together to
protect the intelligence and property
against the possible triumph of ignIor-
ance
This measure is endorsed, not be-
cause of amy possible parltizan advan-
tage, but because lit is right and will do
more toward lessening the great evil
of vote buying Than any other measure
proposed. lit is the illiIteraltes that
sell!
.'We angree with Brother Vanderfor
of the Advocate, when he says the
establishment of an educational quail
ficaitlon for voters should have been
coeWal with the establishment of pub-
Lie schools. Some incentive Ito obtain
ing an education should have been
held out. Certainly MO ONE will NOW
deny THAT the State, after maintaining
public schools for more than thirty-five
years, has right Ito impose upon iher
electors am educational qualification.
Ignorance i'm voters should mot be toll
Grated and ignorance will be the rule
If lhe disqualified illibsrates in other
States are permitted Ito vote in Mary
land. Already they are coming to the
State i'm considerable numbers, and the
influx will increase unless Maryland
requires her voters iio he able to read
and wTfl.e. THE thousands THAT came
ITO dhe State last yGlar, will vote this
year, unless denied participation i'm
elections by an educational qualiffca-
tion.
In Arkansas, Connecticut and Della
ware a registration fee is eNacted, while
in Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts,
Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire,
North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island and South Carolina VOTERS must
lbe Iable Ito read and write. Such a
qualification for VOTERS is NOT only a
protection to the Static, but is am in
centive to rising generations ITO take
advantage of the public schools estab-
lished ait public expense. Now whether
or NOT i'm ten years the colored race
will NOT have surpassed the WRITES in
attendance upon schools we think quite
likely. However, this lis NOT in the
question. AN educational qualification
lis right and the State of Maryland
should place lit ON her statute books
ait once"
We would suggest to Editor Usilton
THAT Delaware has also an educational
qualification, as under a constitutional
provision any elector arriving ait gIhe
legal age after january 1, 1900, or amy
ONE becoming naturalized after that
date, must be able Ito read the Consti-
tuition of Ghe State in the English lam
guage, and write his own name. The
welfare of State and nation seems to
demand that the illlteraite shall not be
allowed to control our elections.