The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-03-04
PASS THE SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT
WITHOUT DELAY.


WITHOUT DELAY.
\ controversy has arisen between
Il number Of prominent Democrats,
led hy Attorney General Bryan on
one side, and the Democratic leaders
at Annapolis, in regard to the pro.
posed suffrage amendment to the
constitution. Extreme views are be-
ing taken By each side and the dis
putants will have to get together at
an early day if the Legislature in
tends to make an attempt to re-
deem the party's ante-election PROM
Use.
The amendment endorsed by the
past leaders is as follows:
"SECvIoN I. Be it enacted that the
following section be and the same is
hereby proposed as an amendment
to section l Of article l of the Con
stitution Of this State, and if adopt
ed by the legal and qualified voters
thereof, as herein provided, 1t shall
supersede and stand in the place and
stead Of section 1 of said article /.
SECTION l. All elections by the
people shall be by ballot. Every
male citizen in the United States.
whether native born or naturalizcd,
ofthc age of 81 years or upwards
who has resided i'll this State for one
year and the legislative district OF
baltimore city or in the county in
which he may offer to vote for six
months next preceding the election,
and who, moreover, is duly register
ed as qualified voter as prov;''y'! in
this article, shall be entitled to 4
vote in the ward or election district
in which he resides at all elections
hereafter to be held i'll this State; and
in case any county or city shall be
so divided as to form portions OF
different electoral districts for the
election OF representatives in Con
gress, senator's, delegates or other
officers, then to entitle the person to
vote for such officer he must have
been a resident of that part of the
county or city which shall form a
part of the electoral district i'll which
he offers to vote for six months next
preceding the election, but person
who shall have acquired residence
i'll such county or city emitting him
to a vote at any such election shall
be entitled to a vote in the election
district from which he removed until
he shall have acquired A residence in
the part CT the county or city to
which he has removed. Every such
male citizen of the United States hav-
ing the above prescribed qualifica-
tions Of age and residence shall he
entitled to be registered SO as to be-
come qualified voter if he be
"I'irst-A person able to read any
section of the Constitution of this
State submitted to him by the Off
GERS of registration and to give a
reasonable explanation of the same;
or, if unable from physical disability
to read such section. able to under
stand and give a reasonable expla-
nation thereof when read to him by
the registration officers; or,
"Secdnd-A person who on the 1st
day of January, 1869, or prior there
to, 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-Anv male lineal descend
ant of such last mentioned person.
mo person not thus qualified by
coming under some one Of the above
descriptions shall be entitled to be
registered as a qualified voter nor be
entitled TO vote"
The second section provides that
the same shall be submitted to the
voters at the election of 1905. Fit
is ratified, the Legislature of 1906
will adopt an amended election law
so as to make the new clause effec-
tive.
This amendment does not differ
from the one framed by Attorney
General Bryan except so far as the
first qualification is concerned. 1t
will be noticed that this requires a
person to read any section of the
constitution of the State submitted
to him by the officers of registration,
and to give reasonable explanation
Of the same. This does not apply to
any person who voted prior to 1869
or any male lineal descendant. I'm
der these exemptions at least ninety
per cent. of the voters of this State
would not be affected. The other ten
per cent. would be foreigners and ne
grocs, and with these classes the reg
Tsters could deal III an arbitrary
manner if they saw fit. Why any
Democrat can object to this we are
unable to see unless they wish to
shirk the responsibility of the bold
position taken during last falls
campaign. There was no disposition
to mince matters, and every speech
teemed with assurances, not alone of
a restricted suffrage, but that the ne
gro would he DISTINGUISHED. a ma
iority OF the voters of this State ap-
proved of this course, as the vote
showed, and the fulfllment Of this
promise should be the only effort.
The language of the proposed