The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-01
AIahama,s Constitution.

AIabama's Constitution.
The press of the country is freely
discussing the Giles decision in the
Supreme court touching the suffrage
clauses of Alabama's new constitution,
and as a rule the opinion is expressed
that the new constitution will not be
further questioned in the courts.
The Mobile Register reviews the de-
cision, saying in conclusion:
1T would seem, therefore, that Giles
may obtain some sort of damages II he
can show himself damaged by the refusal
of registration but that there is no other
remedy coming his way so long as the
Supreme court is in its present frame of
mind.a
The Baltimore Sun considers a de-
cision rendered by a republican and
an ex-federal soldier as conclusive. 1t
says:
"The south has been compelled, in de-
Tense of its civilization, to place restric-
lions upon the exercise of suffrage by the
negro. Justice Holmes opinion substan-
TALLY affirms the legal right of the south
to do this without interference by the fed
eral courts If the negroes who are de-
prived of the voting franchise have a
grievance, they mist seek redress from
the political department" of the govern
msnt. The federal courts can not provide
the remedy for political grievances of this
kind"
The Kansas City Star, a republican
paper, takes this view of the decision:
THE southern negro can not look to the
north or to congress to give him the right
to vote. Fhe thing for him to do is to
prove himself worthy of it.When he is
capable of asserting his right to a share
in the government on the ground of his
good citizenship ne will probably get IT.
but not before"
The New Orleans TimesDemocrat
thinks the new constitutions in the
fsouth are now on solid ground. 1t says:
The decision of the United States SUI
preme court, however. renders 1t certain
that these extraordinary suffrage provis-
ions will never be touched by that body,
for the very excellent reason that it has
no jurisdiction over the question of state
question, belonging to congress- not to the
federal courts"
Says the Chicago Record Herald, an
independent republican paper:
THE attitude of the Supreme court Is
that the control of the voting franchise
belongs to the political branch of the gov
eminent, and that concerning 1t the fed
eral Judiciary has no power"
The Chicago Tribune, republican to
the core, takes a like view of the de-
cision:
"A state can disfranchse all paupers or
criminals, or all who can not read and
write. If one of the dis1ranchise men ap-
plies for relief to the United States Su-
preme court he will be told that 1t does
not intervene in political questions such
as his. Where wrongs are political, rem
edes must be sought at the polls and not
in a court"
The Vicksburg Herald considers the
decision discouraging to mischief
makers In the south. 1t says:
"A bird's-eye view of the Supreme court
bama suffrage law, is not encouraging to
such suits The court not alone disclam-
ed Jurisdiction over political cases OF
such nature" but held that the petition
for relief was unmeritorious and contra
dictory as we'll The argument of the
courts conclusion was as simple as 1t is
sound"
Congressman Livingston Of Georgia
thus interprets the decision
'"rhe right of state to determine who
shall be allowed the privilege of the bal
lot is not to be contested. Every state I'M
der the constitution must have the ex-
elusive right to regulate its own fran
chises. I think the decision of the SUI
preme court is along is along that line,
and 1t is here to stay. Its logic and its
force can not be denied"
These quotations will suffice to ex-
plain the current of opinion over the
decision of the Supreme court The
case is attracting much attention, and
it is generally thought the opinion is
as conclusive as perhaps it would
have been if the court had met the
case on it's merits and decided every
disputed point.
Wireless Newspapers.