The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-06-28

Sentation without limit. so much
so, that they desire that those
who have long since made their
peace with God might speak from
the grave. Certainly no mind is
so crude as not to know that the
State has the right to fix the
qualifications of her voters, and
that the Constitution may be
changed for that purpose. But
the contention is that in this
case the Constitution has not
been changed, therefore, the cleo.
ton law is unconstitr%io nal. This
law does not prescribe any new
qualifications, it has for its pur.
pose the regulation of the fran.
chiSe, looking to the rejection
of the privilege. AS to whether
it is constitutional or not few
lines will suffice Cooley in his
work on Constitutional Law,
page 219, says; Even when
qualifications are fixed By the
Constitution it is competent for
the Legislature to prescribe by
law such conditions to the exer-
else of the election franchise as
shall seem reasonable to protect
the privilege and prevent impo.
sitionS and other frauds, and also
to prescribe all proper regula.
lions for receiving and canvass.
ing the vote. Our own Court of
Appeals in passing upon the
question = whether a municipal
corporation could prescribe a
property qualification for it's
voters, said: sin considering and
passing upon the question of the
cCnstitutionality of a law, the
rule is too well established and
settled to be departed from, that
1t must be made to appear that
the statute before it is declared
imperative for that cause, must
be plainly and palpably in VIC.
lation of the Constitution. The
solemn act Of government will
not be set aside in a doubtful
case, the incompatability or re.
pugnancy between the statute
and the Constitution must be
clear and palpable. Hanna VS..
Young, 81 Md, 1874. Hence in
the light of these authorities we
think the law is constitutional
and the opinion is hazarded that
if the Court of Appeals is called
upon to pass upon the question it
will so declare. Thus if the law
is constitutional, what can be the
objection? We are satisfied that
the existing conditions demand
that fraud and other impositions
made possible by money, igno-
rance and intimidation shall
cease. We have seen that from
the dual nature of the govern.
ment of the individual, his quail
itlcationS as voter must look to
his participation in both State
and national elections. We have
seen that the right of suffrage is
a privilege granted by the State
to the individual for the benefit
OF the State and not for he beneti;
OF the individual. We have seen
that suffrage is not natural and
inherent right, and that the State
has the absolute right to pre-
scribe and regulate the qualih-
cations OF her voters. Hence it
Sthat the Legislature of Mary.
land, as the trustees Of the ppo-
pie whom they represent, pledged
to pass laws for the general vel
fare of the people, have done
what in the light of moral philos-
ophY and positive law. not only
what they had right to do. but
what 1t was their duty to do. If
there is any objection it can BE
only that they have not gone so
far as the other States, where
educational qualifications have
been prescribed as in Massachu-
sets, Connecticut and Missouri.
The law does not prescribe any
new qualification, but is reas.
enable regulation Of the fran.
chise. If it prevents any man
from voting, the opposition have
failed to show wherein the prop
erty rights of such persons have
been prejudiced. If such must
be so, we should much prefer to
see a man without the privilege
of franchise and with something
to eat, sufficient clothing to wear
and a little home which he NAV
call his own, than to see hun
cry man clad in rags, parading