The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-04-07
THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 1904.
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.

TO the Constitution of this State to a
vote of the people for the purpose of
restricting the right of suffrage,
which passed the Senate and House
of Delegates sometime ago, has not
and will not be submitted to the Gov
eTnor for his approval. 1t is claimed
by the friends of the measure that
the Governors signature to the bill is
unnecessary, although that is new
Interpretation of the organic law on
the subject. Heretofore bills passed
20 submit amendments to the
constitution to the decision of the
people, at the ballot-boX, have gone
to the Governor in the ordinary course
of business and he has signed them.
lt is said that while Mr.. Bernard Car
ter, one of the ablest lawyers in this
State, is of opinion that the signature
of the Governor is not required to
such measure to make it effective,
Attorney General Bryan holds de-
cidedly contrary view in the matter.
the courts, if properly appealed to,
may decide that the bill is ineffective.
There is, without doubt, room for a
difference of opinion on the subject.
The constitution provides that the
Governor shall have power to veto
every bill which shall have passed the
House of Delegates and Senate. but
that such bill may be passed over his
veto by three-fifths of all the members
elected to each House. In the case of
amendments to the constitution.
however, it requires the vote of
'three-tifths of all the memb ers elect
ed to each of the two Houses to pass
bills submitting such amendments to
vote of the people. Whether that
requirement is sufficient to take such
bills out of the category of every bill
which shall have passed the House of
Delegates and Senate" is very nice
legal question, and outside of the Judi
ciary of the State is apt to be inter
preted according to the prejudices of
those who may consider it. Its ulti-
mate decision may, however be safely
left to the Court of Appeals and, if
that should be against the legality of
the measure. minus the Governors
signature, its friends will only have
themselves to blame for the result
Governor Warfeld is opposed to
the DISTINGUISHING amendment in
the shape in which it has been passed.
He doesn't believe that the ordinary
register of voters is capable of passing
upon the suf1iciency of the constitu-
tional knowledge of an applicant for
registration, and he is credited with
believing that colored man who has
capacity and industry to acquire a
certain amount of property should
not be deprived of a voice in select
ing officers of government which
he will be taxed to support These
views were too liberal for the ultraists
OF the Democratic party and hence
the Governor was entirely ignored in
the measureagreedu upon. He is, with
out question better than his party.
Sending the bill, containing the dis
franchising amendment, directly to
the clerk of the Court of Appeals,
without submitting it to the Execu-
tive for his approval or rejection, was
scheme of the party bosses to with
hold from that functionary an oppor-
tunity to express his views, officially,
concerning it. But the scheme has
been defeated by Governor Warfield,
who, on Wednesday, sent a special
message to the Senate, protesting
against the Interpretation which with
held from him a prerogative that, he
holds, is guaranteed by the constitu-
ton. If he shall continue of that
opinion he must refuse the publica-
ton OF the amendment, as the cons
tltution requires, and in that case the
Initiative to compel such action must
be taken by friends of the measure.
by applying for a mandamus to com
pei obedience to the action of the leg
lslature. Those who believe that the
bill is ineffective, without the Cover
nor's signature, will not be under the
necessity of applying for an injunc-
tion to prevent its publication, if he
shall continue of the same mind as he
holds in his message to the Senate.
The Governor, however, does not
confine his message to this feature of
the case, but expresses his views of
the character Of the Poe amendment,
adopted by the General Assembly, in
no uncertain fashion. On this point
he says;
Il have not changed my views on
this question since became Governor,
but have become more earnestly in