The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-10-26
A POLITICAL CATECHISM PER-
1INENT TO The HOUR.

Ans.-Fair and honest elections. and
whether all the people of Maryland
qualified under the Constitution of the
State, shall have the right to paItici-
pate in these elections.
Dues. qualification to vote, is re-
quircd under the Constitution of the
, State?
Ans.-Scc. |. Art. |. of the State Con-
zen of the United States of the age Of
| u years. shall be entitled to vote
CUES. the present Constitution
of the State. is Il man either white or
black, who is u years of age, but can
| not read or write. entitled to vote?
Ans.-Yes. He is entitled to vote, just
as any other voter, if not disqualified
by the commission of some crime.
IQucs.-Does the present Election Law,
| passed ut the recent special session of
the Legislature, deny or abridge this
] right?
-, Ans.-It does. not in so many words, but
by providing voters, who cannot read
and difficult to read. even by fairly
educated people.
Qucs.-Can the Legislature legally pass
an act. which provides such election
machinery, as will deprive thousands of
voters in the State of their right To
vote?
has not the power to abrdge the right
of suffrage as guaranteed by the Or
ganc Law of the State
Ques.-What is the limit of the power of
the Legislature in this regard?
Ans.-Thr Legislature has only the
power to regulate by laws not incon-
sistcnt with the Constitution. the time,
place. and manner of holding elections.
QurS. Then. this new election law. in
providing ballot. which will in the at
tempt to vote il, lead thousands of
voters. both white and colorcd. into
committing errors and plumbers. that
| will cause them To los" their votes, does
in fact abridgc the right to vote. 81
far rs illterHtc voters are concerned?
Ans.-It does. and in the passage of this
law. the Legislature grossly uSurpcd 4
| power it does not possess. and commits
Il gricvouS wrong upon thousands OF
citizens of the State. on their part good
citizens. and themselves guilty of nc
| wrong.
Qucs.-Thcn, the effect of this law, is t.
deprive those who cannot read and
| write. whatever their color of the op.
powunity and the means to cXcrcis,
their Constitutional right in Maryland
to vote mt elections, which the Con
Stitution of the State says, Shall b,
free and frequcntT'
Ans.-It does. 1t robs thousands of til,
right to vote, by providing a ballot
that binders and confuses them. in.
stead of assisting and helping them.
Qucs.-Isn't it the duty of the State. tc
help and not hinder or obstr,lct. all its
citizens in the exercise of their rights
| of citizenship!
AnS.-lt is. The highest courts of many
states, viz. Pennsylvania. Illinois. New
Jersey, Michigan, Wisconsin. and pos.
Sibly other states. have held. That tn,
test is whether such legislation, as the
New Election Law in this State. de-
mics tn" franchise, or renders, its eNrr-
else so difficult and inconvenicnt, ns ~
| amount To Il denial"
QucS. -Thcn if the effect of the present
election law, is to deprive thousands of
our voters. white and cOlorcd of their
votes. and whose only crime is the mis-
fortune Of being born poor. and of hay
ing been without tn" means of rducH-
zion in their early lives, does not the
Democratic party of Maryland. which
boasts itself the party Of the people.
belle its character. when it uses An
drew .Iacls"n'S motto. That the bless.
ings of Government. like the dcwS of
| Heaven. should descend alike upon the
rich and the pour:''
AnS.-lt does belle its name and char
actrr. and even condeSccnds to rob
| (whitcl Democrats of their ballots in
its effort to strike Republican voters
Qucs.-Why, and 1T whose dictation. has
50 infamous an attack upon popular
suffrage in Maryland been made?
AnS.-A little oligarchy of Democratic
leaders, see that Maryland has rapidly
become Republican,. That the welfare
and prosperity of her people demand,
that She be kept in the great phalanx
of Republican states. She elected II
Republican Governor rs early rs 1919,
but was robbed Of the fruits of that
election b.. II corrupt Ring that ruled
the State. and that hcStated ut no act
of fraud. bribery or intimidation. to
keep the State Democratic But Re
| publican sentiment grew, while Demo-
cratic corruption kept pace with the
| ti,nnS until I'm, 1907 Ia,