The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-01
At THE MERCY
Of REGISTRARS
No Appeal From Decisions Should the
Constitutional Amendment Be Adopted

Constitutional Amendment Be Adopted
PREJUDICE WOULD HOLD SWAY
Voters Must Explain Constitution of
the State to Registrars Satisfac-
tiOn-Ii this Cannot Be Done He
Does Not Vote.
Here are some Of the pulling parts
ofthe Constitution of Maryland which
applicants for registration will be
| called upon TO explain if the disfran-
chising amendment to the Constitu.
ton should be adopted. Can any
lawyer, can any average citizen. let
alone an illiterate, explain any of
| these sections of the Constitution:
No conviction shall work corrup-
ton of blood or forfeiture of estate.
! That no law to attain particular
| persons of treason or felony ought to
! be made in any case, or at any time
| hereafter.
That sanguinary laws ought to be
avoided rs far as it is consistent with
the safety o! the state
That no man ought to be taken or
imprisoned or disseized of his free
hold liberties or privileges, or out
lawed or exiled, or in any manner de-
strOyed or deprived of his life, liberty
or property, but by the Judgment Of
his peers or by the law of the land
No eI post facto law ought to be
made or retrospective oath or restric-
ton be imposed or required.
The General Assembly shall pass no
laws suspending the writ of habeas
| corpus.
Be it remembered that under the
provision of the proposed amend
ment it will be within the power of
the registers of voters to ask these
and other equally difficult questions
over which the Court of Appeals of
this state has differed.
/ Be it also remembered that the reg
listers of voters, while bipartisan, are
appointed.by a partisan governor, to
whom alone they are responsible.
/ And be it further remembered that
| there is no appeal from the decisions
/ of these registers of voters
The Poe DISTINGUISHING amendment
can be divided into three provisions,
as follows, under which applicants
/ for registration can vote:
| First-A person able to read any
section of the Constitution of this
state submitted to him by the officers
of registration and to give reason
able explanation of the same; or if
unable to read such section, is able to
understand and give a reasonable eI-
PLANTATION thereof when read to him
by the registration officers: or
Second-A person who, on the list
day of January, 1869, or prior thereto.
was entitled to vote under the laws
of this state or of any other state of
the United States wherein he then
resided: or
Third-Any made lineal descendant
of such last mentioned person who
may be u years of age or over in the
year 1906. No person not thus quail
fled by coming under some one of the
above descriptions shall be entitled
to be registered AS qualified voter.
nor be entitled to vote
In other words, if an illiterate did
not have the right to vote prior tC
1869, or if his father or grandfather
did not have the right to vote prior
to that time, in order to vote in the
future, if the amendment is adopted
he must understand and give a rea.
sonable explanation of every section
of the Constitution that is read K
him by the registration officers.
The Democrats say they started
out with the intention of excluding
from the suffrage the ignorant coloreC
men of the state, but when the
amendment came from the hands Of
Mr.. John 2. Poe it also excluded for,
eign-born voters. In order to include
the foreign-born voter, Mr.. Glenn H
Worthington, former States attorney
of Frederick county, framed AL
amendment which met the approval
of Governor..Warfield but which was
opposed blythe Democratic leaders
and Democratic majorities in the
State and House.
Former State Senator Lewis PutZe
Saturday, explained the main differ
ences between the proposed Poe and
Worthington amendment.
The constitutional amendment adj
vOcated by Governor Warfield, known
as the Worthington amendment
said Mr.. PutZel differs in two impor.
tant respects from the amendment
that is being forced by the Democratic
organization, and known as the Poe
amendment. Governor Warfield
compromised with the Democratic
leaders upon the election bills, and
even attached a reluctant signature
to the offensive Wilson bill, that de.
stroyed uniform state law and ex.
posed the counties to the partisan in
/ CpanI1itU of nnunnaro ia